Shoot or Not? That's sometimes the question.

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Lowjiber
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Shoot or Not? That's sometimes the question.

#1

Post by Lowjiber »


Being an early riser (3AM is typical), my day starts with a decision whether-or-not to capture an image of the sun. A quick look at NSO/GONG http://halpha.nso.edu/ will be the first step… If there is nothing worth my time the rest of my day is easy. However, if old sol is showing off, I get serious and begin considering if the weather conditions are favorable. One can put all I know about the weather in a thimble. Luckily, there are plenty of resources available that can give me at least a little guidance.

Now, it doesn’t take a rocket scientist to check the day’s weather forecast and determine if it is going to rain, snow, or be cloudy. When one first starts solar imaging, if the sky is sort of blue and the wind is not ripping the laundry off the clothesline, they’ll take the shot. But once you get a hundred or so images under your belt seeing becomes more of a consideration.

Over the years, astronomers have attempted to categorize seeing conditions… Some of which were based on voodoo such as how many times per minute a star “twinkles”, etc. A common scale was developed (0-10) that allowed for plenty of arguments at the local pub. However, today most correlate that scale to what is referred to as “The Mt. Wilson Observatory Scale” where seeing is in arcseconds. Here’s the scale…
MT WILSON SEEING SCALE.jpg

Here’s a website that I use extensively. You will notice that the arcseconds decline as the sun approaches the ideal time to shoot it… 1000-1400 hrs. (That is simply because one is looking through less atmosphere when the sun is at the highest.)
https://www.meteoblue.com/en/weather/ou ... ca_5506956

Another factor affecting Las Vegas is the Jet Stream. As noted in the MetroBlue site above, high Jet Stream speeds (>20m/s) usually correspond to bad seeing. However, that usually is not a problem for me because the Jet Stream comes southward out of Oregon & Idaho but turns northward before reaching my hometown. However, occasionally conditions will drive the stream further down and affect my seeing. Here is an interesting site that will give you the current path of the Jet Stream… Just run the animation.
https://www.wunderground.com/maps/wind/jet-stream

So, what is the bottom-line? Am I not going to shoot a great sunspot unless all the weather data is perfect? That’s not what I am saying. I just know that if the seeing is not good, my live-view of the sun is going to be almost impossible to focus and the quality of the shot is not going to be the best… I’ll often still take the shot, but my expectations will be more realistic.:)

Good Seeing & Stay Safe
John (Urban Astronomer) Apertura AD10 Dob; XLT 150 Dob; XLT 120EQ; Lunt Solar 60 PT/B1200; ES AR102; SW Pro 100ED; 2 SW Pro 80ED's; 90mm Eq; WO Z-61; SW 90mm Virtuso Mak; 2 Orion ST-80's; Quark-C; Cams: Polemaster, ASI120MM-S, ASI174MM & ASI174MM-C
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Altocumulus Scotland
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Re: Shoot or Not? That's sometimes the question.

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Post by Altocumulus »


I've often wondered if I ought to start pointing my IR camera (590nm) at the blue sky each day, and see if there's a correlation in its blackness to seeing conditions.
If the sky, in normal light, is whitish - that ought to suggest haze etc.... Might be worth an experiment!?
Just call me Geoff....

I do what I do because I can, and because I want to.
It doesn't mean I know what I'm doing :mrgreen:
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Lowjiber
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Re: Shoot or Not? That's sometimes the question.

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Altocumulus wrote: Wed Sep 09, 2020 1:25 pm I've often wondered if I ought to start pointing my IR camera (590nm) at the blue sky each day, and see if there's a correlation in its blackness to seeing conditions.
If the sky, in normal light, is whitish - that ought to suggest haze etc.... Might be worth an experiment!?
That is a cool idea. I've got an IR camera from a previous life sitting somewhere in my shed. I'll try to dig it out and give it a whirl.

Thanks for sharing your thoughts. :)

Clear Skies & Stay Safe
John (Urban Astronomer) Apertura AD10 Dob; XLT 150 Dob; XLT 120EQ; Lunt Solar 60 PT/B1200; ES AR102; SW Pro 100ED; 2 SW Pro 80ED's; 90mm Eq; WO Z-61; SW 90mm Virtuso Mak; 2 Orion ST-80's; Quark-C; Cams: Polemaster, ASI120MM-S, ASI174MM & ASI174MM-C
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yobbo89 Australia
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Re: Shoot or Not? That's sometimes the question.

#4

Post by yobbo89 »


I use pickering's scale :lol:, i don't know about voodoo haha what's wrong with a rock on a string for wind speed., "The Mt wilson" scale is nice, that's pretty handy to have it charted out .

cheers for the link,it works for my location, i book marked it . who cares about pickles
scopes :gso/bintel f4 12"truss tube, bresser messier ar127s /skywatcher 10'' dob,meade 12'' f10 lx200 sct
cameras : asi 1600mm-c/asi1600mm-c,asi120mc,prostar lp guidecam, nikkon d60, sony a7,asi 290 mm
mounts : eq6 pro/eq8/mesu 200 v2
filters : 2'' astronomik lp/badder lrgb h-a,sII,oIII,h-b,Baader Solar Continuum, chroma 3nm ha,sii,oiii,nii,rgb,lowglow,uv/ir,Thousand Oaks Solar Filter,1.25'' #47 violet,pro planet 742 ir,pro planet 807 ir,pro planet 642 bp ir.
extras : skywatcher f4 aplanatic cc, Baader MPCC MKIII Coma Corrector,Orion Field Flattener,zwo 1.25''adc.starlight maxi 2" 9x filter wheel,tele vue 2x barlow .

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yobbo89 Australia
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Re: Shoot or Not? That's sometimes the question.

#5

Post by yobbo89 »


i was thinking about doing some planetary tonight, but i just checked the chart you linked, and ahh a nice 3 arc sec all night lol..
scopes :gso/bintel f4 12"truss tube, bresser messier ar127s /skywatcher 10'' dob,meade 12'' f10 lx200 sct
cameras : asi 1600mm-c/asi1600mm-c,asi120mc,prostar lp guidecam, nikkon d60, sony a7,asi 290 mm
mounts : eq6 pro/eq8/mesu 200 v2
filters : 2'' astronomik lp/badder lrgb h-a,sII,oIII,h-b,Baader Solar Continuum, chroma 3nm ha,sii,oiii,nii,rgb,lowglow,uv/ir,Thousand Oaks Solar Filter,1.25'' #47 violet,pro planet 742 ir,pro planet 807 ir,pro planet 642 bp ir.
extras : skywatcher f4 aplanatic cc, Baader MPCC MKIII Coma Corrector,Orion Field Flattener,zwo 1.25''adc.starlight maxi 2" 9x filter wheel,tele vue 2x barlow .

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Lowjiber
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Re: Shoot or Not? That's sometimes the question.

#6

Post by Lowjiber »


A friend who knows I was born/raised in rural southern Missouri sent me this picture...
Johns weather machine.jpg
John (Urban Astronomer) Apertura AD10 Dob; XLT 150 Dob; XLT 120EQ; Lunt Solar 60 PT/B1200; ES AR102; SW Pro 100ED; 2 SW Pro 80ED's; 90mm Eq; WO Z-61; SW 90mm Virtuso Mak; 2 Orion ST-80's; Quark-C; Cams: Polemaster, ASI120MM-S, ASI174MM & ASI174MM-C
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