Search found 964 matches

by GreatAttractor
Sat Nov 18, 2023 10:09 am
Forum: This is SolarChat !!
Topic: Triple stack with a singe filter - just being silly...
Replies: 9
Views: 476

Re: Triple stack with a singe filter - just being silly...

When I imagine the quality of the mirrors would have to be so that there are not just blurry smears at the end, it would cost more than the three filters. I don't think that this in particular would be a problem. When you use an affordable Cassegrain-family telescope, you already have up to 3 refle...
by GreatAttractor
Sat Nov 04, 2023 6:21 pm
Forum: This is SolarChat !!
Topic: Identify noise source in Ha image
Replies: 19
Views: 1219

Re: Identify noise source in Ha image

DavidP wrote: Sat Nov 04, 2023 1:10 am I've always posted JPG because I thought we were asked to keep files smaller.
That's right, but only for "finished product" ;) To be any good for post-processing, an image with high bit depth and no compression (or lossless) is a must.
by GreatAttractor
Fri Nov 03, 2023 3:24 pm
Forum: This is SolarChat !!
Topic: Identify noise source in Ha image
Replies: 19
Views: 1219

Re: Identify noise source in Ha image

At this image scale (which is similar to my 180 mm setup) I'd apply only unsharp mask (possibly two, the second one for slight denosising), but no L-R. If you can post the stack as a a 16-bit TIFF, I'd gladly have a go at it.
by GreatAttractor
Sun Oct 15, 2023 12:26 pm
Forum: Commercial Solar Filters/Cameras/Hardware
Topic: Commercial filter tilters
Replies: 24
Views: 3610

Re: Commercial filter tilters

Dennis wrote: Sat Oct 14, 2023 1:50 pm Who would want one or more of those that Sebastien showed in the images? I would like to estimate the demand.
Yes! I need at least 2 (perhaps 3).
by GreatAttractor
Mon Oct 09, 2023 3:24 pm
Forum: Solar Scope Modifications
Topic: Solar newton T400, version 2023
Replies: 19
Views: 2657

Re: Solar newton T400, version 2023

Indeed, have you considered a heat stop/"heat rejection wedge"? The added complication of course is the need for collimation/reimaging optics (or a Gregorian configuration), but the small-FOV flux past the wedge becomes very manageable.
by GreatAttractor
Fri Sep 29, 2023 12:06 pm
Forum: This is SolarChat !!
Topic: 2 hours 49 minutes timelapse of AR13445 in H-Alpha 24th of September 2023 using the iStar 204mm f/12
Replies: 20
Views: 2317

Re: 2 hours 49 minutes timelapse of AR13445 in H-Alpha 24th of September 2023 using the iStar 204mm f/12

Ah, I remember now: thread link. OK, so we probably have a "SolarChat exception" here :) It would be great to be able to embed those video elements in posts, would save everyone a lot of bandwidth.
by GreatAttractor
Fri Sep 29, 2023 10:51 am
Forum: This is SolarChat !!
Topic: 2 hours 49 minutes timelapse of AR13445 in H-Alpha 24th of September 2023 using the iStar 204mm f/12
Replies: 20
Views: 2317

Re: 2 hours 49 minutes timelapse of AR13445 in H-Alpha 24th of September 2023 using the iStar 204mm f/12

I think it's not supported by the forum engine (though technically it's no big deal, just allow to embed the HTML video element). And, ahem, we should stop doing this anyway :oops:; per AstroBin's TOS : HOTLINKING Hotlinking is the practice of embedding content from a website on some other website. ...
by GreatAttractor
Thu Sep 28, 2023 9:27 pm
Forum: This is SolarChat !!
Topic: 2 hours 49 minutes timelapse of AR13445 in H-Alpha 24th of September 2023 using the iStar 204mm f/12
Replies: 20
Views: 2317

Re: 2 hours 49 minutes timelapse of AR13445 in H-Alpha 24th of September 2023 using the iStar 204mm f/12

Fantastic catch! PS The file is quite big (>300MB) so please be patient for it to load. No need for this anymore - Astrobin now supports MP4 videos. I took the liberty to convert your GIF to a H264 video (just 48 MB), with no visible loss of quality. I've uploaded it here: https://file.io/gfVvqII66p...
by GreatAttractor
Sun Sep 24, 2023 9:27 am
Forum: This is SolarChat !!
Topic: Maksutoc-Cassegrain Suitability
Replies: 17
Views: 1038

Re: Maksutoc-Cassegrain Suitability

My Intes M715 (Rumak) does quite OK in CaK: link (note that the low contrast is rather due to my CaK module not being great in this respect), and very well in and WL. They're still available at The Widescreen Centre (where I bought mine), both the f/10 and f/15 version.
by GreatAttractor
Sat Aug 19, 2023 8:14 am
Forum: This is SolarChat !!
Topic: My second Solar JET tranzit. 19.08.
Replies: 10
Views: 475

Re: My second Solar JET tranzit. 19.08.

Great shot! I have yet to catch a jet transit at a high resolution like this. Note how the image gets distorted already in front of the plane; that's due to air compression and slight change in its refraction index. The refraction is only on the order of arcseconds, but that's the image scale here. ...
by GreatAttractor
Sat Aug 12, 2023 2:08 pm
Forum: This is SolarChat !!
Topic: G-band filter, 2" ?
Replies: 11
Views: 750

Re: G-band filter, 2" ?

But you're not actually using a 2" sensor (would be larger than the photographic "full frame"), right? You can put the 1.25" G-band filter in camera's nosepiece, and insert that into a 1.25" eyepiece holder attached to the wedge (of course you should have some sort of 2"...
by GreatAttractor
Wed Jul 19, 2023 6:50 pm
Forum: This is SolarChat !!
Topic: What do you think of using Hestia by Vaonis for solar imaging?
Replies: 9
Views: 848

Re: What do you think of using Hestia by Vaonis for solar imaging?

Ehh... somebody just make a phone with removable lens! That would be a beautiful multi-purpose thing (birding, astro, ....).
by GreatAttractor
Sun Jul 16, 2023 9:54 pm
Forum: Commercial Solar Filters/Cameras/Hardware
Topic: Solar Filter or Wedge?
Replies: 12
Views: 1971

Re: Solar Filter or Wedge?

Let me ask: why? The Solar Continuum filter allows to pass a 540nm wavelength only The old version of SC leaked a lot of near infrared (where silicon-based sensors are still sensitive), reducing contrast, or esp. in case of refractors (which focus IR at a different distance than visible light) comp...
by GreatAttractor
Sun Jul 16, 2023 7:34 am
Forum: Solar Scope Modifications
Topic: Solar guiding using ordinary guide scope
Replies: 15
Views: 4370

Re: Solar guiding using ordinary guide scope

No, I haven't published any binaries. But compiling from sources is straightforward, I'd be happy to assist.
by GreatAttractor
Fri Jul 14, 2023 5:41 pm
Forum: This is SolarChat !!
Topic: Does stacking images help us?
Replies: 68
Views: 5400

Re: Does stacking images help us?

I'll chime in, since I wrote Stackistry and dealt with all this in detail. I would expect the program to select the sharpest fragments from the marked images and combine them into the resulting image. Of course, this is also about averaging and noise reduction. I certainly wouldn't expect the result...
by GreatAttractor
Fri Jul 14, 2023 8:09 am
Forum: This is SolarChat !!
Topic: The even more gargantuan AR 3363 and more (250 mm WL, 180 mm Hα)
Replies: 17
Views: 1350

Re: The even more gargantuan AR 3363 and more (250 mm WL, 180 mm Hα)

What scope, optical train, etalon and camera did you use for the closeup of 3363 ? Actually I just noticed most of information is at the beginning of your post... You can find more information in this thread . Could these waves be what Aaron was referring to concerning the anomalies captured in his...
by GreatAttractor
Thu Jul 13, 2023 4:19 pm
Forum: This is SolarChat !!
Topic: The even more gargantuan AR 3363 and more (250 mm WL, 180 mm Hα)
Replies: 17
Views: 1350

Re: The even more gargantuan AR 3363 and more (250 mm WL, 180 mm Hα)

Could you post a 3x slower animation of the granulation ? It seems to me there are some darker "waves" moving accross the granulation. Here you go, with stretched histogram: wl6_g.gif I'm guessing the "waves" you mention are what I called the "shimmer" in this thread ....
by GreatAttractor
Thu Jul 13, 2023 9:42 am
Forum: This is SolarChat !!
Topic: The even more gargantuan AR 3363 and more (250 mm WL, 180 mm Hα)
Replies: 17
Views: 1350

Re: The even more gargantuan AR 3363 and more (250 mm WL, 180 mm Hα)

Thank you, everyone. Based on both of our images, it seems to me that white light imaging near the limb just doesn’t capture with the same detail as it does with the surface images at a more direct angle. That's right, it's a known effect. I'm actually surprised the granules got resolved so close to...
by GreatAttractor
Wed Jul 12, 2023 10:05 pm
Forum: This is SolarChat !!
Topic: The even more gargantuan AR 3363 and more (250 mm WL, 180 mm Hα)
Replies: 17
Views: 1350

The even more gargantuan AR 3363 and more (250 mm WL, 180 mm Hα)

On Monday evening I glimpsed this week's large sunspot with a naked eye through thick clouds, and followed up on Tuesday 7/11 with an imaging session. Setup: white light: Sky-Watcher 250PDS (250 mm Newtonian) + Baader ND 5 solar film + Baader planetary green filter (ca. 100 nm FWHM@550 nm) + Baader ...
by GreatAttractor
Sun Jul 09, 2023 7:40 am
Forum: This is SolarChat !!
Topic: (Animation) AR3363 rotating into view with surge flare boiling on the edge
Replies: 10
Views: 710

Re: (Animation) AR3363 rotating into view with surge flare boiling on the edge

I tried alignment in normal mode (phase correlation), but it was also jittery. I'll add alignment improvements (e.g., anchoring a user-specified area) to my list.
by GreatAttractor
Sat Jul 08, 2023 6:36 am
Forum: Commercial Solar Filters/Cameras/Hardware
Topic: Low noise high speed camera for halpha proms?
Replies: 22
Views: 2671

Re: Low noise high speed camera for halpha proms?

Radon86 wrote: Sat Jul 08, 2023 5:39 am I think it is when you stretch the image that the noise gets more apparent. I may have to use masked stretches when I suppress the noise by adding a mask to the background.
Adaptive unsharp masking in ImPPG can do this too: tutorial.
by GreatAttractor
Thu Jul 06, 2023 8:35 pm
Forum: This is SolarChat !!
Topic: First H-alpha impressions with Player One Mars-M II (462M)
Replies: 6
Views: 372

Re: First H-alpha impressions with Player One Mars-M II (462M)

They look very good to me. Just a bit dark, did you forget to stretch the histogram? Or maybe you have some screen color profile activated, which makes them look bright for you. In my browser it looks like this: dark.png After stretching in GIMP: bright.png Touted 90 percent QE (absolute) at 656nm, ...
by GreatAttractor
Thu Jul 06, 2023 4:20 pm
Forum: Commercial Solar Filters/Cameras/Hardware
Topic: Low noise high speed camera for halpha proms?
Replies: 22
Views: 2671

Re: Low noise high speed camera for halpha proms?

I wouldn't expect significant image quality differences between same-chipped cameras from different manufacturers. Though there might be some regarding how USB I/O is implemented, etc. For instance, when I'm recording with my FLIR (formerly Point Grey) Blackfly S to an external SSD, I can simultaneo...
by GreatAttractor
Wed Jul 05, 2023 2:10 pm
Forum: Commercial Solar Filters/Cameras/Hardware
Topic: ZWO SeeStar S50
Replies: 25
Views: 10635

Re: ZWO SeeStar S50

Hey, they're cheating with those "pros and cons"! We, the users of custom-assembled setups, also belong to the "global astrocommunity" (and I daresay there's not much of one for smart telescopes yet) ;)
by GreatAttractor
Sat Jul 01, 2023 10:50 am
Forum: This is SolarChat !!
Topic: The gargantuan AR 3354 (WL animation)
Replies: 20
Views: 1067

Re: The gargantuan AR 3354 (WL animation)

The still image was taken at 7:56 UTC, 2023-06-29. Note that my labels are more of a "just describing what I see" kind of thing. As for pores, if I'm not mistaken they all in general have the potential to develop into full sunspots. The one I marked is unusual, since it's kind of sunspot-s...
by GreatAttractor
Sat Jul 01, 2023 8:00 am
Forum: This is SolarChat !!
Topic: The gargantuan AR 3354 (WL animation)
Replies: 20
Views: 1067

Re: The gargantuan AR 3354 (WL animation)

Thank you, everyone.

But note that "surfer" is my made-up term ;) Christian pointed out on CN that formally it's a penumbral grain. In this article it seems they mark every brighter filament tip as a grain. I guess the "surfer" is just a particularly oversized one.
by GreatAttractor
Fri Jun 30, 2023 4:38 pm
Forum: This is SolarChat !!
Topic: The gargantuan AR 3354 (WL animation)
Replies: 20
Views: 1067

Re: The gargantuan AR 3354 (WL animation)

I've just checked SSM readings for the animation's duration; didn't know it can get this good here (I was shooting from the backyard):
ssm.png
ssm.png (164.8 KiB) Viewed 1051 times
by GreatAttractor
Fri Jun 30, 2023 4:12 pm
Forum: This is SolarChat !!
Topic: The gargantuan AR 3354 (WL animation)
Replies: 20
Views: 1067

The gargantuan AR 3354 (WL animation)

On Thursday morning I was still at the edge of a departing high pressure system, and managed to get some shots of this week's everyone's favourite AR 3354: wl1_275.png When viewing the animation, note the unusual areas indicated below: descr.jpg 20-second intervals, 20 min. total: https://cdn.astrob...
by GreatAttractor
Thu Jun 29, 2023 8:24 pm
Forum: This is SolarChat !!
Topic: First light: CaK with 180 mm aperture, WL with 250 mm (and some 180 mm Hα)
Replies: 12
Views: 536

Re: First light: CaK with 180 mm aperture, WL with 250 mm (and some 180 mm Hα)

Thank you, everyone. That’s a beautiful observing site. How often do you go there? Whenever there's >3 h good weather on a weekend/vacation morning... since this is Central Europe, it's less often than I'd like ;) Last year I managed 5-6 sessions or so (plus a few nights for Jupiter). It is nice a h...
by GreatAttractor
Thu Jun 29, 2023 8:12 pm
Forum: SPoD Archive
Topic: AR13354 across the spectrum 29th June 2023
Replies: 19
Views: 1317

Re: AR13354 across the spectrum 29th June 2023

Great shots!

What is the "125" telescope?
by GreatAttractor
Thu Jun 29, 2023 8:12 pm
Forum: This is SolarChat !!
Topic: AR13354 across the spectrum 29th June 2023
Replies: 30
Views: 1451

Re: AR13354 across the spectrum 29th June 2023

Great shots!

What is the "125" telescope?
by GreatAttractor
Wed Jun 28, 2023 7:38 pm
Forum: This is SolarChat !!
Topic: First light: CaK with 180 mm aperture, WL with 250 mm (and some 180 mm Hα)
Replies: 12
Views: 536

First light: CaK with 180 mm aperture, WL with 250 mm (and some 180 mm Hα)

On Sunday 6/25 the weather finally broke at my high-altitude site and I achieved first light with new hardware combinations: 1) Sky-Watcher 250PDS for white light 2) Intes M715 + Aries ERF + Lunt CaK module I was especially satisfied with the 10" SW Newtonian (which did really well on Jupiter l...
by GreatAttractor
Wed Jun 28, 2023 6:45 pm
Forum: This is SolarChat !!
Topic: New region growing by the hour ... !
Replies: 7
Views: 337

Re: New region growing by the hour ... !

Looks very enticing - and I will have a good weather window tomorrow morning.
by GreatAttractor
Tue Jun 27, 2023 9:24 am
Forum: This is SolarChat !!
Topic: CaK timelapse AR3340 little C class bursts
Replies: 23
Views: 1835

Re: CaK timelapse AR3340 little C class bursts

Great animation! I like those CaK flashes a lot. The quality of the animations end up quite reduced in a gif as you know. Do you mean - due to some reduction done by Flickr? If you make a GIF yourself, provided you stick to grayscale, the compression is lossless and full quality is preserved. But in...
by GreatAttractor
Mon Jun 26, 2023 12:36 pm
Forum: Solar Scope Modifications
Topic: Intes M715 used for Hα
Replies: 5
Views: 1319

Re: Intes M715 used for Hα

What makes me wonder is that you say the corrector lens of cassegrains absorbs so much ir energy that only with this the front erf works.. do they really absorb so much of it? It would appear so. Note that this is only for my type of ERF; Baader's D-ERF works fine for Christian with his Mewlon 250 ...
by GreatAttractor
Wed Jun 21, 2023 2:35 pm
Forum: This is SolarChat !!
Topic: Purple Rain. A CaK prominence timelapse.
Replies: 38
Views: 1408

Re: Purple Rain. A CaK prominence timelapse.

So many comments about it looking like h alpha (on here and Instagram) so I'm left wondering what CaK picks up and what h alpha picks up prom wise? That's a good question. On the one hand, plasma is plasma, and both H and Ca in a prominence are influenced by the same magnetic fields... on the other...
by GreatAttractor
Wed Jun 21, 2023 8:31 am
Forum: Solar Scope Modifications
Topic: Intes M715 used for Hα
Replies: 5
Views: 1319

Re: Intes M715 used for Hα

That's right. I'm reusing the whole etalon assembly, which contains a collimating and re-imaging lenses.
by GreatAttractor
Tue Jun 20, 2023 5:35 pm
Forum: Solar Scope Modifications
Topic: Lunt LS50THa modification to 200 mm aperture
Replies: 20
Views: 14255

Re: Lunt LS50THa modification to 200 mm aperture

Now that I've had a few successful sessions with my Intes M715 (in unexceptional, backyard conditions), which yielded much better results than anything out of the RC8, I think there had been a heat issue after all. The ERF apparently passes too much IR, and without a full-aperture chunk of glass (as...
by GreatAttractor
Tue Jun 20, 2023 5:23 pm
Forum: This is SolarChat !!
Topic: Hα animations: surge, penumbral waves, prominence (D = 180 mm)
Replies: 10
Views: 400

Re: Hα animations: surge, penumbral waves, prominence (D = 180 mm)

Thanks!
Ivan wrote: Mon Jun 19, 2023 5:11 pm Wow Philip, very impressive! I'd really like to see your setup. You don't shoot on RC anymore?
I've created a dedicated thread in the modding section.
by GreatAttractor
Tue Jun 20, 2023 5:23 pm
Forum: Solar Scope Modifications
Topic: Intes M715 used for Hα
Replies: 5
Views: 1319

Intes M715 used for Hα

For the past few days I've been using my Intes M715 (180 mm f/15 MCT) with Aries ERF and Lunt 50 etalon assembly to good effect: https://astrob.in/du95fd/0/rawthumb/gallery/get.jpg?insecure https://astrob.in/uy6euh/0/rawthumb/gallery/get.jpg?insecure https://astrob.in/hqccco/0/rawthumb/gallery/get.j...
by GreatAttractor
Mon Jun 19, 2023 4:55 pm
Forum: This is SolarChat !!
Topic: Hα animations: surge, penumbral waves, prominence (D = 180 mm)
Replies: 10
Views: 400

Hα animations: surge, penumbral waves, prominence (D = 180 mm)

Another reasonable session with Intes M715+LS50 etalon. Using 20-second intervals for animations, camera: Blackfly S (IMX 273), processed with AS!3 and ImPPG. Penumbral waves in AR 3335 (12 minutes):   https://astrob.in/uy6euh/0/rawthumb/gallery/get.jpg?insecure   (cf. penumbral waves taken with 90 ...
by GreatAttractor
Mon Jun 19, 2023 4:52 pm
Forum: This is SolarChat !!
Topic: AR210/F8 my final song.
Replies: 24
Views: 788

Re: AR210/F8 my final song.

What a great build!

All those beautifully machined parts are screwed together, no welding or brazing, is that correct?
by GreatAttractor
Mon Jun 19, 2023 11:20 am
Forum: SPoD Archive
Topic: h-alpha, June 18th, 2023, M class flare
Replies: 21
Views: 1585

Re: h-alpha, June 18th, 2023, M class flare

Great shots!
What was the telescope & filter used?
by GreatAttractor
Mon Jun 19, 2023 11:20 am
Forum: This is SolarChat !!
Topic: h-alpha, June 18th, 2023, M class flare
Replies: 25
Views: 1238

Re: h-alpha, June 18th, 2023, M class flare

Great shots!
What was the telescope & filter used?
by GreatAttractor
Fri Jun 16, 2023 7:56 pm
Forum: This is SolarChat !!
Topic: Hα animations of lively limb activity (D = 180 mm)
Replies: 10
Views: 481

Hα animations of lively limb activity (D = 180 mm)

On 13.06 I had the second light of the Intes M715 + Aries ERF + LS50 combination. I really like how forgiving it is; the seeing was nothing special as per SSM readings (which are coarsely-time-and-disc-averaged), but keeping to ~1 ms exposure and taking a few thousand frames per video yielded good r...
by GreatAttractor
Wed Jun 14, 2023 5:32 pm
Forum: This is SolarChat !!
Topic: Dynamic Prom Animation 14th June 2023
Replies: 29
Views: 1111

Re: Dynamic Prom Animation 14th June 2023

Beautiful. As if NASA has just flown a "solar Ingenuity" helicopter through there!
by GreatAttractor
Fri Jun 09, 2023 4:07 pm
Forum: This is SolarChat !!
Topic: Intes M715 first light in Hα
Replies: 11
Views: 479

Re: Intes M715 first light in Hα

Thank you, everyone.

Here are the SSM readings for the animations:

Quiet AR 3329:
ssm_ha2.png
ssm_ha2.png (249.33 KiB) Viewed 386 times
Prominence:
ssm_ha4.png
ssm_ha4.png (338.75 KiB) Viewed 386 times
Flare:
ssm_ha5.png
ssm_ha5.png (373.07 KiB) Viewed 386 times
by GreatAttractor
Thu Jun 08, 2023 8:28 pm
Forum: This is SolarChat !!
Topic: Intes M715 first light in Hα
Replies: 11
Views: 479

Intes M715 first light in Hα

On Wednesday I tested the Intes M715+Aries ERF+Lunt 50 etalon combination — and finally got good high-resolution Hα material. Even though the seeing wasn't exceptional (I'll post SSM readings later), the results beat anything I got out of the RC8 hands down. It seems I was having internal heating is...