Best Session Ever

[Roy Challen]

I rarely bother posting my observing reports, they are usually just a factual account of what I saw in the order I them in. Nothing creative.

But, today, the sun gave a display that can only be described as awesome. An overused adjective, for sure, but in this case, for me at least, entirely correct. Here's a copy n paste of my report.

Date	Time	Scopes and eyepieces used	Seeing  Conditions	Object/s
16/4/2022	11:14-11:46	Daystar SS60 Baader 32mm	Very good	Sun

 

Another really good session. There is a large AR on the approaching limb. As I began my session, a large prom by the upper spot began to fade, and was gone within 10 minutes. This region looks like it’ll be impressive over the next week.

Appendix

 

Date	Time	Scopes and eyepieces used	Seeing  Conditions	Object/s
16/4/2022	15:15-16:10	Daystar SS60 Baader 32mm  Hyperflex zoom	Average-poor	Sun

 

An alert from SGL member @Highburymark got me back outside to try to see the huge prom he had sketched. By the time I set up, it had gone. I watched for a few minutes and saw a new prom start to erupt from in between the two large sunspots of the approaching AR. Extending quite some way out from the limb, it was quite something to watch over the course of about 9-10 minutes.

There was a balloon transit at 15:24, heart-shaped. I bet it said ‘I love you’ on it!

At 15:52, I noticed the base of a small prom near the upper of the two sunspots get brighter. It got much brighter over the course of the next minute or so, appearing white. Plasma started extending out from the base, further and further, looking hook-shaped. I would estimate that it extended at least three times the width of the nearby sunspot, maybe more. The top two-thirds began to detach from the base at about 16:00. It was completely detached, and the base had faded by 16:08. 

I took a few smartphone pictures while it was happening, but they do not do this event justice. I was in complete awe of what I was witnessing. I have seen real-time change on the sun before, but nowhere near this scale. 

Astronomy has given me many ‘wow’ moments over the last 19 years, but this tops the lot.

[Space Hopper]

Sounds like you had a great session !

I only have a white light filter with my set up.

Its good but obviously i'm missing out on all the HA stuff.

I've thought about a HA scope, or filter, but never taken the plunge. Maybe one day....

 

[woldsman]

Great report - let’s hope solar activity doesn’t ramp up too much though (civilisation has had enough to deal with of late).

[Sunshine]

A session of stellar proportions! Now if only I could have such luck with the weather.

[Roy Challen]

27 minutes ago, Sunshine said:

A session of stellar proportions! Now if only I could have such luck with the weather.

To be fair, in the SE of England, we've had a reasonable run of good weather recently. Today's session was number 32 this year.

[Roy Challen]

Oops! Just noticed I wrote Baader 30mm instead of 32mm. Not that it really matters...

[Peter Drew]

I can't say that my solar observation yesterday was my best ever but certainly the best this year.  Transparency was poor due to heavy haze but the seeing stability was surprisingly good.  The main area of interest was, as Roy's description above, the limb area adjacent to the new sunspot pairing.  Much brighter than the general solar surface and undergoing rapid changes of shape and several short term surges.  Observation mainly between 5 and 6pm, 150mm Ha telescope at 150x.   🙂

[Highburymark]

Great report of a great day Roy!

Edited April 17, 2022 by Highburymark