Solar Activity 18 May (am)

[brianb]

Forecast was for overcast but in fact the sun was shining though the transparency was poor with a hazy milky sky.

Solar activity remains low. White light disc very nearly blank, faculae associated with the "active area" near the north east limb could just about be detected but not a hint of any sort of spot or even a pore. Not much more in CaK either.

0821 UT. Coronado PST CaK, prime focus, DMK41

Ha reveals numerous small filaments on the disk, but the "worm" filament near the north east limb is the only feature of any significance:

0845 UT. Solarscope 60, x2 barlow, DMK21

A closeup of the same region in CaK shows a smooth, slightly darker than average feature which appears to coincide in position with the "worm", dividing the plage region into two parts:

0832 UT. Lunt 60mm, B1200 CaK diagonal, x2 barlow, DMK21

There are once again significant groups of prominences at the north east and south west limbs:

0849 UT. Solarscope 60, x2 barlow, DMK21

0851 UT. Solarscope 60, x2 barlow, DMK21

but the main prominence activity is on the west limb (maybe representing the remains or AR 11068 which rounded the limb recently), this is a striking sight even in less than pellucid skies!

0855 UT. Solarscope 60, x2 barlow, DMK41

Transparency poor, haze or uniform cirrostratus. Seeing moderate with significant boiling. Temperature 17C, wind SW force 3-4.