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So, I was able to do a temporary fix on my telescope mount. I couldn’t track, but I was able to use it to do my first solar viewing.
I had a solar filter, by the way. Aperture filter.
I got a picture of the sun. There’s a weird black spot on it, I’m not sure what it is. When I compared it to a tree, there was no black spot. It’s obviously on the sun. As far as I know, nothing should be transiting across the sun.
That’s not the amazing part. Amazing part is on the top of the sun. You can see what looks like something shot out of the sun. Not sure what that is called in astronomy.
That’s about it. But I do have a question. What is that thing on the top of the sun that’s coming out?
Also, what’s that black spot?
Jared
Celestron Nexstar 8SE Schmidt Cassegrain Telescope
25mm plossl Eyepiece
Goto mount
Iphone 11 Nightcap app Camera
"Our minds are finite, and yet even in these circumstances of finitude we are surrounded by possibilities that are infinite, and the purpose of life is to grasp as much as we can out of that infinitude."
The black spot will be a sunspot. The Sun has passed its minimum phase of activity, and sunspots are starting to increase. This part of its 11-year (or 22-year) activity cycle.
The light beam is a reflection from something in or on the scope that is catching sunlight and reflecting it.
DSO AP:Orion 200mm f/4 Newtonian Astrograph; ATIK 383L+; EFW2 filter wheel; Astrodon Ha,Oiii,LRGB filters; KWIQ/QHY5 guide scope; Planetary AP:Celestron C-11; ZWO ASI120MC; Portable: Celestron C-8 on HEQ5 pro; C-90 on wedge; 20x80 binos; Etc: Canon 350D; Various EPs, etc. Obs: 8' Exploradome; iOptron CEM60 (pier); Helena Observatory (H2O)Astrobin
KathyNS wrote: ↑Wed Jun 30, 2021 12:21 am
Congratulations on your first view of the Sun!
The black spot will be a sunspot. The Sun has passed its minimum phase of activity, and sunspots are starting to increase. This part of its 11-year (or 22-year) activity cycle.
The light beam is a reflection from something in or on the scope that is catching sunlight and reflecting it.
I’m referring to the object on top of the sun to the left of that streak.
Celestron Nexstar 8SE Schmidt Cassegrain Telescope
25mm plossl Eyepiece
Goto mount
Iphone 11 Nightcap app Camera
"Our minds are finite, and yet even in these circumstances of finitude we are surrounded by possibilities that are infinite, and the purpose of life is to grasp as much as we can out of that infinitude."
Celestron Nexstar 8SE Schmidt Cassegrain Telescope
25mm plossl Eyepiece
Goto mount
Iphone 11 Nightcap app Camera
"Our minds are finite, and yet even in these circumstances of finitude we are surrounded by possibilities that are infinite, and the purpose of life is to grasp as much as we can out of that infinitude."
THIS is the object I am trying to figure out. Looks like a flare or something.
Celestron Nexstar 8SE Schmidt Cassegrain Telescope
25mm plossl Eyepiece
Goto mount
Iphone 11 Nightcap app Camera
"Our minds are finite, and yet even in these circumstances of finitude we are surrounded by possibilities that are infinite, and the purpose of life is to grasp as much as we can out of that infinitude."
THIS is the object I am trying to figure out. Looks like a flare or something.
Looks like a solar prominence to me. Not sure though if your setup has enough sensitivity/resolution to capture one.
Thanks for getting back. Some other photos I took today show this too in the same spot. I think I DID captured a solar prominence. Don’t know how, but I did.
Celestron Nexstar 8SE Schmidt Cassegrain Telescope
25mm plossl Eyepiece
Goto mount
Iphone 11 Nightcap app Camera
"Our minds are finite, and yet even in these circumstances of finitude we are surrounded by possibilities that are infinite, and the purpose of life is to grasp as much as we can out of that infinitude."
Hi Jared, nice shot! Kathy is right; the black spots on the disk are sunspots. There are actually three separate ones transiting the disc right now, go to Spaceweather.com for daily updates on that.
As for what looks like a solar flare... Not to be a party-pooper, but I highly doubt it; probably a lens smudge/artifact or the like. Solar flares are really only visible in Hydrogen-Alpha wavelengths, not white light.
Just out of curiosity, what make is your aperture filter?
All the best and thanks for the share,
Mark
"The Hankmeister" Celestron 8SE, orange tube Vixen made C80, CG4, AZ-EQ5 and SolarQuest mounts.
Too much Towa glass/mirrors.
Solar:
H/A - PST stage 2 mod with a Baader 90mm ERF on a Celestron XLT 102 (thanks Mike!)
Ca-K - W/O 61mm, Antares 1.6 barlow, Baader 3.8 OD and Ca-K filters with a ZWO ASI174mm.
W/L - C80-HD with Baader 5.0 & 3.8 Solar film, Solar Continuum 7.5nm and UV/IR filters with a Canon EOS 550D. Member of the RASC
Thefatkitty wrote: ↑Wed Jun 30, 2021 12:42 am
Hi Jared, nice shot! Kathy is right; the black spots on the disk are sunspots. There are actually three separate ones transiting the disc right now, go to Spaceweather.com for daily updates on that.
As for what looks like a solar flare... Not to be a party-pooper, but I highly doubt it; probably a lens smudge/artifact or the like. Solar flares are really only visible in Hydrogen-Alpha wavelengths, not white light.
Just out of curiosity, what make is your aperture filter?
All the best and thanks for the share,
It’s OK, you’re not a party pooper. I’m still learning.
My solar filter, I got it off of Amazon. Reasonably good deal. I’m attaching a link.
Celestron Nexstar 8SE Schmidt Cassegrain Telescope
25mm plossl Eyepiece
Goto mount
Iphone 11 Nightcap app Camera
"Our minds are finite, and yet even in these circumstances of finitude we are surrounded by possibilities that are infinite, and the purpose of life is to grasp as much as we can out of that infinitude."
Hey Jared, nice filter; good for you! Not to bother you with the questions, but what scope/camera do you have?
White light will show faculae when focused, as well as sunspots. I've been at the white light thing for over four years now, and I'm still learning too
I have to say, you picked a good time to get into it; Solar Cycle 25 seems to be kicking in since about March, and if the past cycles still hold true to this one, you've got about another 11 years or so till the Sun quietens down again, and becomes like it's been for the past two years.
All the best,
Mark
"The Hankmeister" Celestron 8SE, orange tube Vixen made C80, CG4, AZ-EQ5 and SolarQuest mounts.
Too much Towa glass/mirrors.
Solar:
H/A - PST stage 2 mod with a Baader 90mm ERF on a Celestron XLT 102 (thanks Mike!)
Ca-K - W/O 61mm, Antares 1.6 barlow, Baader 3.8 OD and Ca-K filters with a ZWO ASI174mm.
W/L - C80-HD with Baader 5.0 & 3.8 Solar film, Solar Continuum 7.5nm and UV/IR filters with a Canon EOS 550D. Member of the RASC
Thefatkitty wrote: ↑Wed Jun 30, 2021 1:00 am
Hey Jared, nice filter; good for you! Not to bother you with the questions, but what scope/camera do you have?
White light will show faculae when focused, as well as sunspots. I've been at the white light thing for over four years now, and I'm still learning too
I have to say, you picked a good time to get into it; Solar Cycle 25 seems to be kicking in since about March, and if the past cycles still hold true to this one, you've got about another 11 years or so till the Sun quietens down again, and becomes like it's been for the past two years.
All the best,
I have an 80mm refractor with a 900mm focal length. I used a photography app on my Iphone 11 called nightcap. It works miracles for getting pictures of deep space objects. Now I know it works for the sun also!
Celestron Nexstar 8SE Schmidt Cassegrain Telescope
25mm plossl Eyepiece
Goto mount
Iphone 11 Nightcap app Camera
"Our minds are finite, and yet even in these circumstances of finitude we are surrounded by possibilities that are infinite, and the purpose of life is to grasp as much as we can out of that infinitude."
That's right; you mentioned that before and I mentioned I had the same scope... It's been a long day here, I'll stop repeating myself
I'll have to look into that app for sure; thanks for the info!
Mark
"The Hankmeister" Celestron 8SE, orange tube Vixen made C80, CG4, AZ-EQ5 and SolarQuest mounts.
Too much Towa glass/mirrors.
Solar:
H/A - PST stage 2 mod with a Baader 90mm ERF on a Celestron XLT 102 (thanks Mike!)
Ca-K - W/O 61mm, Antares 1.6 barlow, Baader 3.8 OD and Ca-K filters with a ZWO ASI174mm.
W/L - C80-HD with Baader 5.0 & 3.8 Solar film, Solar Continuum 7.5nm and UV/IR filters with a Canon EOS 550D. Member of the RASC
Nice image, Jared - thanks for sharing. I need to get our more with my solar filter. There are quite a few sunspots right now, and activity is increasing!
-- Brett
Scope: Apertura AD10 with Nexus II with 8192/716000 Step Encoders EPs: ES 82* 18mm, 11mm, 6.7mm; GSO 30mm Celestron SkyMaster 15x70 Binoculars List Counts:Messier: 75;Herschel 400: 30;Caldwell: 12; AL Carbon Star List: 16 Brett's Carbon Star Hunt
Solsearcher wrote: ↑Wed Jun 30, 2021 2:16 am
It does look very much like a prom but like Bigzmey said this shouldn't happen in white light .
I agree.
I just discovered that other photos that I took today show it also in slightly DIFFERENT positions.
Like you said, it shouldn’t be possible. I honestly don’t know.
I’ll post those photos in a minute.
Celestron Nexstar 8SE Schmidt Cassegrain Telescope
25mm plossl Eyepiece
Goto mount
Iphone 11 Nightcap app Camera
"Our minds are finite, and yet even in these circumstances of finitude we are surrounded by possibilities that are infinite, and the purpose of life is to grasp as much as we can out of that infinitude."
You guys were right. I reviewed the photos, and found this.
It was a smudge on the solar filter. See it?
Celestron Nexstar 8SE Schmidt Cassegrain Telescope
25mm plossl Eyepiece
Goto mount
Iphone 11 Nightcap app Camera
"Our minds are finite, and yet even in these circumstances of finitude we are surrounded by possibilities that are infinite, and the purpose of life is to grasp as much as we can out of that infinitude."
I was imaging today and I did pan around the limb , if I had seen a loop prom I would have tried to image it . That does not mean that one did not appear , they can come and go quickly sometimes .
Solar scopes (Coronado Ha) 60mm double stack , 90mm double stack , 150mm single stack .
W/L scope Williams Optic Megrez 110mm / Lunt herschel wedge .
Night scope Celestron 9.25 XLT
Mounts HEQ6 , HEQ5 , Losmandy G8