CaK from 17th Oct and H alpha, 28 Oct with MiniSHG

[Merlin66]

27/10 First day without cloud/ wind etc.
Managed a set of CaK with the Vixen 90M.
The current activity is impressive, some six numbered AR's visible
The Raben map shows them all.

AR 2887 is very photogenic! A prominent sunspot with umbra/ penumbra and a "family" of smaller spots and faculae following behind.
The new AR 2891 in the north looks very promising.
All it all a great time for solar observers.

28/10 Modifying the MiniSHG to improve the optics. A 9sec scan in H alpha...

The performance definitely seems to reflect the quality of the optics used.
The jump from a $2 Surplus Shed achromat to a $75 Shelyak "custom designed" achromat, although costly, showed immediately an improved outcome.
Re-building the collimator and testing the focus/ infinity focus on the slit plate, is a bit fiddly, but I'm sure will be worth the effort.

[vineyard]

Stunning.  That 4th shot in particular is a peach - almost gives you vertigo as if you're orbiting/falling v fast from v high over a distant archipelago in some remote ocean (hmm, maybe I'm channeling residual scenes from a Tarkovsky movie w that analogy!)