Observing granulation - 7th June 2023

[Stu]

I popped the scope (FC100) out at around 6pm to have a look at the Sun in white light and at that point it was nice but not great. Heading out after dinner at 6.50pm and it was a different story. Whilst the seeing was still a little wobbly, the detail was really popping through and once I nailed the focus the granulation was very clear.

I was using the Mark II CoolWedge with the MaxBright II binoviewers. With x1.7 GPC, AP Barcon element and 25mm Orthos I was at around x100, maybe more. Would have been good to try higher power to really open up the granulation cells but I didn’t have a chance before other duties took me away.

The granulation was most vivid in the centre but extended a long way towards the limb. Outside the ARs, there was a large area of faculae with one small spot embedded at the edge of it.

I spent about 15 minutes observing various patterns in the granulation, including bright lanes, dark swirls and dark knots, like small pores. Over that time period they changed slowly as the cells formed and then decayed. A couple of the darker pores disappeared and the patterns faded and reformed.

The seeing isn’t always good enough to allow for this kind of observing but when it is, it’s one of my favourite things to do. The ARs themselves looked good, but I find the granulation to be where the dynamic changes most often happen in white light solar observing.