#solar-astronomy — Public Fediverse posts

The Sun, on Sunday morning, observed through clear blue skies, via hydrogen-alpha light. Plenty of prominences present around the rim, and several sunspots / Active Regions provided points of interest for observation. In the second image here, the curved, white patch near a prominence is AR4436 which exploded with an M5.7-class flare a couple of hours earlier -- its CME is likely to miss Earth as it passes by on May 13. This AR bears watching. #solarastronomy

A sunny morning let us observe a fine prominence on the northeastern limb of Earth's Sun. We struggled to adjust the telescope and camera to best resolve the feature not realizing, at the time, the plasma "fountain" was changing -- apparently collapsing -- before our eyes! Pretty exciting, when you think about what's happening, and how large those prominences are! Clouds and deteriorating seeing limited further efforts. #solarastronomy #astronomy #sun

My favorite image from this morning’s observing run is actually a screenshot made during processing. It seems every time we attempted to finalize edits, the software essentially threw up! So before finalizing this one, we made a screen capture and I’m glad! Numerous spicules can be seen along the rim, and the prominence itself has an unexpected dynamical look. Three cone-shaped filament segments add to the scene. #solarobserving #solarastronomy #sun

The first step of the new 8m Sundial is piqueing my sunny astronomy interest! Fingers crossed for a finished installation this summer at #yorkuniversity

For enthusiasts it will be based on the Shmoyer Sunquist Sundial design and should be fairly high accuracy! #sundial #solarastronomy #solar #telescope #science #Astrodon #astronomy

A little scare, a quick fix

A couple of days ago, during a rather ambitious solar imaging session, the focuser on our Sky-Watcher HelioStar 76Ha telescope failed. And by failure, we mean the specialize diagonal that holds an eyepiece or camera would not stay put! The focuser would barely move the assembly and, once released, the diagonal plus camera would … zzzzzzip! … slide outward as far as it could. As one might expect, that sort of thing makes the telescope worthless. Disappointment? Disaster?

Contacting Agena Astro, the telescope’s seller, their rep. reminded us that the unit was still under warranty and supplied contact information for Sky-Watcher USA’s Support. Sending off an email describing the issue we waited a reply. “Sounds like the focuser might need to be adjusted,” came the reply a short time later. “Don’t worry we have a lot of adjustment with this focuser.” Adjusting three screws on the focuser, as instructed, and within five minutes the system was working good as new!

So there was a little scare. Excellent support provided by the retailer and the manufacturer. A quick fix. And we were able to take advantage of excellent conditions today, making images of our local star!

While our Sun has been at low activity levels in general of late, that doesn't mean it has been without interesting features. Active Region 4419 has been providing the majority of flaring activity, according to the SWPC, and its magnetic fields have the potential for M-Class flares. The bright plage patches are caused by intense magnetic fields, also expressed in the web-like shapes seen in the solar plasma. (Monochrome Images with False Color Applied) #solarastronomy

Partly to mostly sunny skies drew us to set up the solar scope this morning and Sun did not disappoint! This large prominence and dynamic filament offered interest and challenge. We will work on another capture that we may actually prefer — a sunspot that is currently the most active and displaying its complex magnetic fields in the medium of solar plasma! #solarastronomy

I wasn't going to do it. I was sure the sky would be cloudy and the sunspot gone. Today, however, I could see Sun (sort of) so I had to try. Seeing conditions were not poor, they were bad. The atmosphere was stirred up and clouds were present -- at times blocking the view entirely. So, with all of those qualifiers, here is our best effort recording departing sunspot AR4366 -- weakening but reportedly still issuing flares -- and a couple of its companions.

#sunspots #solarastronomy

APOD: 2026 January 13 – A Solar Eruption from SDO
https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/ap260113.html

#Astronomy #SolarAstronomy #APOD

Although seeing conditions weren't the best, today offered the first opportunity in quite some time for us to see Sun! Shooting between passing clouds, with our DSLR rig, we visually observed the expansive train of sunspots in the southern Solar hemisphere. For all of its impressive size, the enormous sunspot complex remains quiescent -- despite its potential for X-Class flares! 1/2

#sunspots #sun #astronomy #solarastronomy #spaceweather

Were We Wrong About the Solar Cycles? NASA Reports Extreme Activity Nobody Expected - YouTube
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hxgS9aR1bkU

#Astronomy #SolarAstronomy #Sun

Sun in a Different Light

White light allows viewing Sun as if we could stare directly at it without the resulting blindness. The Herschel wedge does much the same thing but with, perhaps, a bit more contrast and detail. Both of those white light views allow us to see a layer of the solar atmosphere called the photosphere. In the photosphere the most apparent details are sunspots, standing black against a white background. With enough resolution we can also see granulation — enormous convective bubbles of searing solar plasma.

One layer above the photosphere — yes, above — is the chromosphere. Shining in the wavelength of hydrogen-alpha (Ha), the chromosphere is not visible to us without light filters that exclude all light but Ha. A wholly different view of our Sun is available in that wavelength. Swirling seas of plasma form curves and hash as they are moved by magnetic fields, long filaments float over those seas, as fountains of glowing gas arc from the solar disk contrasted against the blackness of space. On closer examination, the solar limb appears rough, a bit like a fine-toothed saw blade, as innumerable spicules, jets of glowing gas, are seen in contrast. Yes, sunspots are visible but are no longer the primary interest.

After many tries and failures at processing images to best show the chromosphere complete with prominences, I finally learned what some other imagers were using to process their images: Solar Toolbox — a package of programming scripts used with the PixInsight imaging application. I still have much to learn about Toolbox but it has already been enormously helpful to me in the challenging world of solar imaging! Thus, the image above is from very good data recorded about seven months ago, now reprocessed using Toolbox.

#2025 #astronomy #astrophotography #solar #solarAstronomy #sun

A fine day for some solar astronomy and a fond farewell to AR4079

We’re still doing open-air astronomy though we have a nice, solid, clean, and level space to set up our gear! This is the setup we were using today to record the sunspot at active region 4079 as it is about to roll over the solar limb/horizon. Fortunately, though it’s a very temporary setup, the portable gear we use for casual solar imaging is fairly easy to set up.

We continued experiments to determine what gear will work together for imaging. There were a few surprises and there’s need for more experimentation. What we settled on for today’s solar efforts is pictured above and includes: Askar 103 APO telescope, Meade LXD75 Goto Mount, TeleVue 2X Barlow, Baader Planetarium Safety Herschel Wedge, and ZWO ASI678MM monochrome planetary camera.

Although the sky was clear, seeing was a bit shaky so once again, sharpness wasn’t what we’d like. Still, in all, we got the shot we wanted and learned a few things about our astronomy equipment. Also, the sky was blue, the air was pleasant, and birds were singing, so not a bad way to spend a couple of hours.

#2025 #AR4079 #astronomy #astrophotography #eclipse #observatory #science #solar #solarastronomy #space #sun #sunspots #telescopes

Tried the Seestar S30 “scenery mode” from on top of the Berkeley Hills just now. Not a bad image of @SutroTower and SF despite the bad seeing at this angle. Then a shot of today’s sun, that sunspot on the left hand side of the image might be related to the large flare that went off yesterday (not facing Earth). #sf #sanfrancisco #sun #solarastronomy #spaceweather

There is a huge prominence on the Sun's west limb today, associated with a series of expanding coronal loops that looks set to lift off sooner rather than later. This view in hydrogen alpha light was made about three hours ago.

#Astronomy #SolarAstronomy #SuninHAlpha

How do we know what’s inside the Sun?

https://youtu.be/d4G9KIrGeLo?si=zDj0xXZcXrtWOf1K

#Astronomy #SolarAstronomy

Today's H-alpha #Sun in moderate seeing conditions at 17:10 UTC. There was a tremendous loop prominence on the Sun's southwest limb that persisted following a long-duration M5.5 and resulting CME about five hours earlier. Shows up beautifully in the SDO AIA 171Å image too.

#SolarAstronomy #SolarMax #Cycle25

I continued my practice of daily imaging of the sun for some weeks now. While still deciding precisely how to use and display the images I’m collecting, I’m also trying to standardize how the images are captured and establish a workflow in editing; that is in an effort to give the daily pictures the same overall size and appearance except for details, such as sunspots, where we want to observe changes. It’s not as easy as it may seem, especially when attempting to constantly improve image quality. This ought to become simpler once I have a permanent setup protected day-to-day within an observatory structure.

Sunspots AR3713 and AR3712, the more pronounced of the three large groups, have been interesting to watch as they traversed the visible side of Sun. Today (June 22), braving the morning’s already hot and humid conditions, I went to the extra work of setting up the Vixen VC200L Cassegrain telescope in an effort to achieve high quality images of the two — plus AR3716 — big sunspot groups before they disappear over the western solar limb. Both of the active regions reportedly harbor opposing magnetic energies which could, at any time, reconnect and throw off powerful flares but both have been surprisingly quiet. The next few days will be the last when an outburst from AR3713 or AR3712 might affect Earth.

https://stellalunaobservatory.space/2024/06/22/farewell-to-the-big-three/

#2024 #astrophotography #solar #solarastronomy #sun #sunspots

The Sun Today. Our star continues its prodigious creation of sunspots providing us a daytime opportunity for astronomy. Challenging conditions today with wind-blown clouds offering fleeting glimpses of clear blue sky and a tight personal schedule limiting opportunities further. Of special interest — and an imaging challenge for me — is the vast field of faculae surrounding sunspot AR3697. #sunspots #solarastronomy #solarimagimg

Today's H-alpha #Sun in good seeing conditions at 17:00 UTC.

There are not many days on which H-alpha views of the Sun include prominences that visualize the magnetic field lines above active regions particularly well, but today is definitely one of those days.

#Astronomy #SolarAstronomy #Cycle25

A view of the #Sun today in hydrogen-alpha light under good seeing conditions. The combined complex of AR's 3664 and 3558 (below center) is a real monster with a complex 'beta-gamma-delta' magnetic field configuration. It has developed rapidly in the last 24 hours and is worth watching.

There was also a beautiful prominence on the Sun's southeast limb. Again, good seeing allowed for high magnification and the extraction of a lot of detail.

#Astronomy #SolarAstronomy #Cycle25

The Sun Today: The atmosphere here on Earth was much calmer today compared with yesterday's strong, gusty winds, and unseasonable heat which roiled the atmosphere. One result was clearer solar images today! The sprawling AR3634 is about to roll over Sun's limb so we bid it farewell. "Sunspot AR3638 appears to be the corpse of old giant sunspot AR3615, which spent the previous two weeks transiting the farside of the sun." Wrote Spaceweather.com. #sun #solar #solarastronomy #astronomy #sunspots

After several days of cloudy skies, we had excellent midday seeing. Hauling out the telescope for a quick look at Sun, was treated to superb views of giant and explosive sunspot AR3615, labeled in this image. Spaceweather.com reported:

“Yesterday, the sun produced a solar flare so strong, it took two sunspots to make it. Sunspots AR3614 and AR3615 exploded in tandem on March 23rd (0130 UT), directing their fire straight at Earth.”

#sunspots #astronomy #astrophotography #solarastronomy

Previously Unknown "Carrington Event" That Happened in 1872 - YouTube
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pIEMTOzlXwc

#Astronomy #Sun #SolarAstronomy

Had one hour of clear sky in the morning here in Heidelberg and decided to use it wisely - here is an image of the sun in the very specific H-Alpha wavelength.

Did the classic mistake and buy new gear, had to wait weeks for the sky to clear...

#solarimaging #astrophotography
#astronomy #solarastronomy #halpha

Want to Safely Watch the Sun With a Large Group? Get a Disco Ball

You should never look at the Sun with unprotected eyes, especially with a telescope or binoculars. The upcoming solar eclipses and high sunspot activity make this a great time to observe the Sun, especially for large groups of people at the same time. How can you safely show the changing Sun to a large group of people without having them line up forever or a lot of equipment? Get a disco ball. Set up a disco ball in a sunlit room, and it'll project tiny images of the Sun onto the walls. It'll show the state of a solar eclipse, or the presence of sunspots, and allow dozens of people to see it simultaneously.

#solarastronomy

https://www.universetoday.com/163414/want-to-safely-watch-the-sun-with-a-large-group-get-a-disco-ball/

Want to Safely Watch the Sun with a Large Group? Get a Disco Ball

You should never look at the Sun with unprotected eyes, especially with a telescope or binoculars. The upcoming solar eclipses and high sunspot activity make this a great time to observe the Sun, especially for large groups of people at the same time. How can you safely show the changing Sun to a large group of people without having them line up forever or a lot of equipment? Get a disco ball. Set up a disco ball in a sunlit room, and it'll project tiny images of the Sun onto the walls. It'll show the state of a solar eclipse, or the presence of sunspots, and allow dozens of people to see it simultaneously.

#solarastronomy

http://arxiv.org/abs/2309.14173

India Follows its Lunar Mission by Sending a Spacecraft to Study the Sun

Amid its Chandrayaan-3 mission to the Moon, India launched another satellite headed towards the Sun. The spacecraft, called Aditya-L1, is bound for the Earth-Sun L1 Lagrange Point, located 1.5 million km from Earth. This will give it a perfect perspective to watch the Sun, similar to NASA's SOHO mission. It will reach its destination in about three months and then use seven instruments to observe the Sun, its atmosphere, and the solar environment.

#solarastronomy

https://www.universetoday.com/163060/india-follows-its-lunar-mission-by-sending-a-spacecraft-to-study-the-sun/