FEB 1ST - AR2936 PLUS FOUR OTHERS

[paulastro]

I managed my third solar obs on the bounce this morning, though if I wasn't  trying to keep my run going, I may have thought twice 😄.

After two storms on Friday and Saturday nights the wind this morning was ferocious as well, with gusts of up to 50 mph, I had trouble holding down the 102ED on the Scopetech Zero mount at times, the seeing was very bad, and views were affected by cloud, as was my single frame below.  Kon's pic is much better, but I'm posting it anyway after all the difficulty  I had obtaining it - just don't bother zooming in on it 😅.

I agree with Kon, the two ARs coming over the E limb look very promising, I particularly like the look of AR2940.  The solar cycle certainly seems to be gaining momentum, lots to look forward to 😊.

 

[Mark at Beaufort]

Nice Paul. I observed using white light and Ha with the PST+DS. Although the Ha was impressive I did prefer the view in white light.

[Kon]

1 hour ago, paulastro said:

I agree with Kon, the two ARs coming over the E limb look very promising, I particularly like the look of AR2940. 

I had a look at a shot I took on 27 Jan and the small scattered spots developed to 2936. So 2940 is looking very promising.

[paulastro]

1 hour ago, Mark at Beaufort said:

Nice Paul. I observed using white light and Ha with the PST+DS. Although the Ha was impressive I did prefer the view in white light.

Thank you Mark.  It's funny isn't it, as good as HA is,  I wouldn't want not to be able to observe sunspots.  I've been observing in white light for over fifty years, and I always get a thrill from observing sunspots - the bigger and more numerous the better.

Of course, fifty years ago it was more exciting because you had no way of knowing if there were any sunspots on view or not.  It was always a thrill to project the image and find out there was a huge sunspot on the disc 😊.

[Mark at Beaufort]

Paul I can relate to that. I bought a 60mm Frac in 1965 with my first pay cheque. It included the 'SUN' filter which I thought was okay to use!!!! Anyway shortly after I bought a Swift Herschel Wedge so I could view the Sun more safely. This photo was taken in 1968 (partial eclipse) I am behind the scope.

[Stu]

9 minutes ago, Mark at Beaufort said:

Paul I can relate to that. I bought a 60mm Frac in 1965 with my first pay cheque. It included the 'SUN' filter which I thought was okay to use!!!! Anyway shortly after I bought a Swift Herschel Wedge so I could view the Sun more safely. This photo was taken in 1968 (partial eclipse) I am behind the scope.

What an excellent picture Mark 👍👍

[Stu]

1 hour ago, paulastro said:

I wouldn't want not to be able to observe sunspots.

Absolutely agree Paul, I do love white light, perhaps because it is so vivid, contrasty and with such detail visible when conditions are good. I find Ha observing a bit harder work!

[paulastro]

1 hour ago, Mark at Beaufort said:

Paul I can relate to that. I bought a 60mm Frac in 1965 with my first pay cheque. It included the 'SUN' filter which I thought was okay to use!!!! Anyway shortly after I bought a Swift Herschel Wedge so I could view the Sun more safely. This photo was taken in 1968 (partial eclipse) I am behind the scope.

What a fabulous photograph Mark, or should I say 'fab' - judging by the haircuts I presume you were all Beatles fans?  I certainly didn't look that cool back in 1968.  

I don't recall the eclipse in 1968, but the pic below shows me with a friend waiting to see the partial solar eclipse on February 25th, 1971, I'm on the left with a pair of binocs.  I'm afraid we waited in vain, it didn't clear until a few minutes after the eclipse finished.  Seen one ot two since though 😊.

 

 

 

 

[mikeDnight]

Those are great old Photographs Mark and Paul. I was but a pup back in 1968, being only 6 years old. It wasn't until I was 18 that the astro bug bit and I bought a 60mm Prinz Astral from Dixon's. I spent hours drawing Sun spots through that scope. Those old 60mm refractors may be looked down on today as being little more than toys, but they were enough to ignite the enthusiasm of countless budding astronomers around the world. I also bought an old SLR camera from a flea market, removed the frosted glass from inside so I could use it for astro photography. I think the photo below is the only photograph that camera ever took when in my possession. 

 1980

Edited February 2, 2022 by mikeDnight

[Mark at Beaufort]

10 hours ago, paulastro said:

What a fabulous photograph Mark, or should I say 'fab' - judging by the haircuts I presume you were all Beatles fans?  I certainly didn't look that cool back in 1968.

 

Yes I was a Beatles fan. The 3 others in the photo were members of a band - I still have one of their CDs

Paul that is a great photo and some fabulous scopes.

[Mark at Beaufort]

Great photo Mike. As you say these scopes gave us great service and set up a lifetime of enjoyment.