February 10 2021 Observations

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DeepSolar64
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February 10 2021 Observations

Post by DeepSolar64 »

Session time is 11:17am until 12:12pm EST local time ( US ). The skies are mostly clear with above average seeing! The temperature is 54F.


Coronado SolarMax II 90 DS. 32x, 44.5x, 64x and 100x ( Ha )
The first thing I notice is a string of filaments that pass from the southeast under a plage going northwest ending in a small filament. They begin just inside the SE limb as a wide filament. I also notice a small dotlike filament southwest across the central longitudinal meridian from the northernmost part of the long string of filaments in the SE.

I see a nice bright double prominence on the NE limb. It's bottom element leans north a bit as if to get close to it's partner, Maybe she wants to do the " Promenade " ! :lol: She has a narrow base. The northernmost one has a wide base with a noticeable dark space near it's lower northern edge. I also notice a cap or arc of plasma above the northern prom reaching out from the southern one. Not at all hard to see in the 90. South of them I see their " kids ". A string of smaller proms showing considerable detail. One is lifted off the disc a bit!

I also notice proms on the SE limb and a comblike one on the SW limb and a couple of tiny ones on the NW limb. But the NE ones steal the show today.

The spicule layer at the limb is easy in single stack today and shows some of the tiny bladelike individual spicules at 100x with a close look. The discwide mottles show high contrast.



Celestron NexStar 102GT w/Altair wedge using 540nm and 430nm filters. 55x and 110x ( WL )
Using the Baader 540nm green filter I can see a small patch of faculae in the SE and the granulation of the disc is easy as well. I can also pick out two tiny pores within the facula being easier at 110x. Using the Edmund 430nm filter I was surprised on how much less sensitive the eye is to that violet wavelength. It gives me a healthy respect to anyone trying to use CaH or CaK filters visually. I had to cover my head with a hood with a hat over that and then I shielded around the eyepiece with my hands. And I am really glad the brightness can be adjusted on a Herschel wedge! Using it I can see the granulation and facula but not as well as I can see it in the 540nm filter. I had to look close and study the disc. I will have to get a solar blanket to cover my head to use this one and even though the seeing was above average today I don't think it was still quite good enough to maximize this wavelength. I am curious what 430nm will do on a large sunspot group. 540nm does very well in good seeing!


All while listening to Renee Fleming!

Carpe Lumen!

James


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Last edited by DeepSolar64 on Wed Feb 10, 2021 9:54 pm, edited 2 times in total.


Lunt 8x32 SUNoculars
Orion 70mm Solar Telescope
Celestron AstroMaster Alt/Az Mount
Meade Coronado SolarMax II 60 DS
Meade Coronado SolarMax II 90 DS
Meade Coronado AZS Alt/Az Mount
Astro-Tech AT72EDII with Altair solar wedge
Celestron NexStar 102GT with Altair solar wedge
Losmandy AZ8 Alt/Az Mount
Sky-Watcher AZGTI Alt-Az GoTo mount
Cameras: ZWO ASI178MM, PGR Grasshopper, PGR Flea
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Re: February 10 2021 Observations

Post by EGRAY_OBSERVATORY »

Interesting report James.
Yes the proms "have it" today.

Hopefully a large prom will come your way soon (not literally of course) so you can try out more experimentation with those filters.

Thumbs Up for Renee Fleming !!

Terry


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Re: February 10 2021 Observations

Post by JochenM »

Thanks for the report, James.

Colourful description of the proms there :D


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Re: February 10 2021 Observations

Post by marktownley »

Nice report James.

Tee hee hee, so you're 'seeing' first hand the effect of wavelength, resolution and seeing conditions. 540nm compared to 430nm doesn't sound much, but it really is quite a difference. When you're seeing is really bad try a nighttime 7nm Ha filter instead of a 540nm filter - this will help ;)


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Re: February 10 2021 Observations

Post by DeepSolar64 »

marktownley wrote: Wed Feb 10, 2021 8:04 pm Nice report James.

Tee hee hee, so you're 'seeing' first hand the effect of wavelength, resolution and seeing conditions. 540nm compared to 430nm doesn't sound much, but it really is quite a difference. When you're seeing is really bad try a nighttime 7nm Ha filter instead of a 540nm filter - this will help ;)
Marty Wise has given me the same advice. Today was probably the best seeing I have had in weeks but it’s still not optimum for that 430nm filter. I do have a red planetary and an orange planetary filter. I may employ them for solar use. I will have a continuum filter for all seeing conditions!!


Lunt 8x32 SUNoculars
Orion 70mm Solar Telescope
Celestron AstroMaster Alt/Az Mount
Meade Coronado SolarMax II 60 DS
Meade Coronado SolarMax II 90 DS
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Astro-Tech AT72EDII with Altair solar wedge
Celestron NexStar 102GT with Altair solar wedge
Losmandy AZ8 Alt/Az Mount
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Re: February 10 2021 Observations

Post by marktownley »

A 540nm filter is a good 'goto' filter for most conditions, the strehl value of a telescope tends also to be the highest around this wavelength too which gives an advantage, compared to either end of the spectrum where a scopes strehl value falls...


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Re: February 10 2021 Observations

Post by DeepSolar64 »

Marty suggested stopping the 102mm refractor down to say 60mm unless the seeing conditions are really good. It would then increase the focal ratio and the light would only pass through the best figured part of the objective. The middle! Seeing affects smaller apertures less than bigger ones. This should benefit the 430nm filter and may even help the 540nm filter when the seeing is bad.

I'll certainly have to cover my head with a covering while using a stopped down scope and brighten the image using the wedge. 430nm is certainly dimmer visually than 540nm is.

My AT72EDII may also be of some use with the 430nm filter.


Lunt 8x32 SUNoculars
Orion 70mm Solar Telescope
Celestron AstroMaster Alt/Az Mount
Meade Coronado SolarMax II 60 DS
Meade Coronado SolarMax II 90 DS
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Celestron NexStar 102GT with Altair solar wedge
Losmandy AZ8 Alt/Az Mount
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Re: February 10 2021 Observations

Post by Carbon60 »

Thanks for your report, James. Nice description of what I saw as well.

Stu.


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Re: February 10 2021 Observations

Post by DeepSolar64 »

Thanks everyone. I don't think I will get to observe today. I currently am completely overcast and rain is in the forecast.


Lunt 8x32 SUNoculars
Orion 70mm Solar Telescope
Celestron AstroMaster Alt/Az Mount
Meade Coronado SolarMax II 60 DS
Meade Coronado SolarMax II 90 DS
Meade Coronado AZS Alt/Az Mount
Astro-Tech AT72EDII with Altair solar wedge
Celestron NexStar 102GT with Altair solar wedge
Losmandy AZ8 Alt/Az Mount
Sky-Watcher AZGTI Alt-Az GoTo mount
Cameras: ZWO ASI178MM, PGR Grasshopper, PGR Flea
Lunt, Coronado, TeleVue, Orion and Meade eyepieces

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