Best seeing for solar in years

[Highburymark]

Just in case it carries on over the weekend, and it might help anyone else…… I’ve had two of the best days of seeing that I’ve experienced in almost ten years of solar Ha observing over the past two days from London. Absolutely still atmosphere and stunning views at 140x through binoviewers - with 11mm eyepieces/2.6x GPC/TV85. So I fetched my (longer light path) mirror BVs to push up power to 175x - a bit dim, inevitably, but jaw-dropping views of the many filaments and proms currently on show. What’s unusual is this was fairly early in the afternoon, when more often than not the Sun’s image is boiling away. Having such conditions twice in two days is pretty much unprecedented, and made me wonder whether we might get a third day of perfect seeing tomorrow, when the weather forecast is mostly clear. If we do, it will be time to get the WL wedge out too.

[Roy Challen]

I hope you haven't jinxed the weather with your post😄

[Highburymark]

23 minutes ago, Roy Challen said:

I hope you haven't jinxed the weather with your post😄

Me too - I’ll take full responsibility if that happens. 
I’ve just been looking at my observing notes from the past three years - I’ve had well over 300 solar sessions in that time (only made possible by having the option to work from home since Covid) from the same location, and I think the past two days have had the steadiest skies in all that time. 

[Ibbo!]

Glad to hear it.

Could you send a bit of clear up here for us to try out this seeing please.

[Nik271]

I just had a look this morning, the seeing is not great (but not too awful either). There are three very big proms and a M flare ongoing at moment. worth a look, spaceweather says 25% chance of an X flare!

[Roy Challen]

Seeing was pretty good this morning, caught the end of the M flare @Nik271 mentioned. Had another quick look just now, one of the big proms looks significantly different from this morning. Hope the weather holds 🙂

[Paz]

I had a go this morning, was the flare in the position of the spots 3311/3313? That area had the brightest bits I could see at the time. I'm still relatively new to Ha so am not sure myself what is what sometimes.

[Highburymark]

Back down to 7/10 seeing here today, and didn’t pick up any flares, but so much activity to enjoy, particularly those proms.

[Roy Challen]

25 minutes ago, Paz said:

I had a go this morning, was the flare in the position of the spots 3311/3313? That area had the brightest bits I could see at the time. I'm still relatively new to Ha so am not sure myself what is what sometimes.

Yep, although the group on the opposite side also seemed to be flaring albeit in C class, at least that's how it appeared at the time. Things were very changeable this morning though.