Equipment was:
Orion StarSeeker IV mount controlled by the newly arrived hand controller
Orion ST 80
Lunt Herschel Wedge 1.25” format
Eyepieces were BCO 32 Plossl and 6 mm Ortho
Baader Variable Polarizing and Solar Continuum filters.
Although the hand controller had arrived some weeks back weather was not permitting use. So, this was the first time out for it. The UI was similar enough to previous versions that I had no troubles.
We set up on a wooden deck and pointed the scope using the shadow method which was a smoother operation than last time. It helped to remember to remove the lens cap and I also had the ocular assembly removed so I could see the projection of the solar image on the deck. Since the deck did not spontaneously burst into flames, this was good.
https://www.spaceweather.com/images2022 ... mi1898.gif
Sunspot groups AR2995, AR2999, and AR3001 were clearly visible, and my observing grandson could detect a little penumbral neck in AR 3001 dividing 2 umbras. I could almost reproduce his observation but had a hard time of it.
After acquiring the Sun with the 32mm we panned about a bit with the 6mm. I do not think that the seeing was above average possibly due to turbulence in the direction of Mount Olympus and the Sun. No penumbral filaments were observable.
Views were shared with my daughter and son in law. One grandson chose not to observe. Video games were calling him. :shrug: