Sun 27 Feb in H-alpha

[sheri_barri]

A bit delayed image processing this week. Here are a few results from a nice late winter imaging session. AR1165, 1164 and 1163 clearly visible with some fascinating swirling features within AR1164. A few small proms and a distinct filamentary structure to complete the scene.

Thank you for looking.

Sheri

[mightymonoped]

Lovely Job. Particularly love the full disk.

Tony.

[SkyJamie]

Fantastic pictures Sheri, awesome detail

All the best

Jamie

[sheri_barri]

Thank you for the kind comments. Testing a bit warmer toning on the images. Hope it is enhancing the surface details.

Cheers,

Sheri

[hamiclar01]

That is, seriously, awesome

[NGK]

I still can't believe you don't have to be nasa to get amazing pic's like these, thanks for sharing :-)

[SuperMassive]

Wow. So much detail, you could almost touch it.

[Robthevegetable]

These H-alpha images always look absolutely amazing... Don't get me wrong, a good white light photo (with sunspot, preferably) can be very pleasing (and I'm dabbling at the moment), but the H-alpha photos just take it to a whole other level!

[sheri_barri]

I completely agree Rob. The features visible at 656nm are spectacular. White light sunspots are very good too but show a different 'layer' of the solar surface features. Being able to compare the two and then in CaK really is remarkable, especially that amateurs are now able to access equipment to do this from the garden!

[shallowskies]

Tremendous. You can almost feel a texture.

David

[Robthevegetable]

Forgive me if the is a stupid question, but what is CaK? I've not heard that phrase on here before if it's another solar observation technique...

[sheri_barri]

Hi Rob,

CaK is the abbreviation of Calcium-K line which is located at 363nm so quite far into the violet. If we filter the sun using this wavelenth, we are able to look at the surface features between the photosphere of white light and the chromosphere features which are strong in the h-alpha 656.3nm wavelength.

Hope this helps.

Sheri

[Robthevegetable]

Ah, well explained (you obviously know your stuff)! Are there any other filter types when it comes to solar observation/imaging or are these the main (or only) two?

[Grinde]

Holy smoke, that's some stunning shots of the sun! Fantastic detail, you really make good use of the Ha-filtred light! Oh dear, now I want a solarscope too, since my summernights are too bright for deepsky photography. Where will this end...

Are you using barlows for the closeup shots

Thanks for posting!

Jonas

[sheri_barri]

Hi Jonas,

Cheers for the kind comments. When I moved north to 57° it was the long hours of daylight that prompted serious investment of time and equipment to make the most of what was visible... Definitely worth it! The few months over the winter where the sun is not high enough over the neighbours trees has been perfect for catching up on night sky viewing.

I'm using a Coronado Cemax 2x barlow with the lens screwed directly onto the camera nosepiece. Seems to be the best combination so far to minimise the banding appearance of Newtons rings.

Kind regards,

Sheri