February 14th Images

[MapleRidge]

Hi everyone...

Valentines Day was crystal clear and continued the cold weather set in over the past few weeks. I was out early to clear the snow that fell over night and grabbed the epic below of the spruce tree decorated with snow:

Snow-spruce.jpg (467.93 KiB) Viewed 324 times

It was mid morning when I went to the observatory and the air temperature had risen to around -14C when i got started. Inside the dome it didn't feel that cold with the sun shining in.

The first views were thought he LS80T/LS75FHa/B1800Ha solar scope, and the disk had several small filaments, two brighter regions and several proms.. It was looking like a promising imaging session. The full disk Ha image below is a composite of separate disk and limb exposures (limb inverted). The larger prom in the NE was not easily visible to the eye:

Full-Ha_02142021.jpg (409.09 KiB) Viewed 324 times

This image below is a slightly longer exposure that pull sup the fainter parts of the proms;

Full_Limb.jpg (187.15 KiB) Viewed 324 times

I changed the camera over to the modded iStar 150mm, f8 OTA fitted with a pair of DSII etalons, and B1800Ha blocker. A 1.3x below was added to the camera to get some higher resolution images of the main features:

SE_Quadrant.jpg (508.71 KiB) Viewed 324 times

NE_Quadrant.jpg (307.13 KiB) Viewed 324 times

NW_Quadrant.jpg (177.11 KiB) Viewed 324 times

Seeing was still poor, but some detail in the proms was captured:

SE-Prom-2.jpg (43.8 KiB) Viewed 324 times

NE-Prom.jpg (63.47 KiB) Viewed 324 times

To finish up, the etalons were removed and replaced with the 2 inch focuser to image in WL and CaK using the ASI1600MM camera. A Lunt Solar Wedge and Baader Continuum filter was used for the WL image...very blank to the eye too

Full-WL.jpg (785.76 KiB) Viewed 324 times

And the final images were in CaK using a modded Lunt Solar Wedge/B1800CaK module and Baader K-Line filter:

CaK-Full.jpg (888.07 KiB) Viewed 324 times

This rounds out the imaging session for Sunday.

Now, I know I get out and observe in the cold weather but I closed the day off by BBQing steaks on the back deck on the snow and -10C for our Valentines supper

Take care everyone,
Brian

[DeepSolar64]

It looks very calm today. And cold. Nice images!

[marktownley]

That's a great set of images Brian, love the snowy opener! I think we've seen the last of the winter weather now, Atlantic air, warmer temperatures, grey and rain has moved in from the west again melting the last of the snow we had on the ground. Just hoping we get some brighter skies later in the week. Foggy so far this morning...

[Carbon60]

That's a stunning blue sky, Brian and a beautiful scene with that snow dappled tree.

Lovely images. You're a brave man in the cold and a gluten for punishment BBQing in it as well. Brownie points well earned on Valentine's day though.

Stu.

[yltansg]

Hi Brian,

That is a bountiful haul of great images in extremely cold weather (by tropical country standard).

The proms on the south-eastern limbs turned out very well. The seeing condition was very poor and I couldn't get a good shot of them.

Alfred

[EGRAY_OBSERVATORY]

Fab set of images Brian and so well done in the cold.

Who needs to buy a Christmas Tree - when you've got one like that in your property ? To put lights etc., on it would be a problem though..

Cheers
Terry

[MapleRidge]

My thanks go out to everyone for all of the comments and feedback on the session...always very much appreciated

James, yes it was quite calm all day so that helped to moderate the feel of the cold while outside. It never got above -7 in mid afternoon, but working in the bush in the full sun wasn't cold at all.

Mark and Alfred, I imagine that most will welcome the warmer weather and end snow...well, Nigella may still be looking for some Even here, after 3 or 4 months of constant cold and snow I'm glad to have it go. In some years it takes a couple of hours out of the day to clear driveways and walks...sometimes it needs to be done 2-3 times daily to stay ahead of it. So far this winter has been pretty tame

Stuart, Valentines day or not a nice BBQ steak is good reward for the effort!!!

Terry, some folk do manage to put lights on threes that size but I'm not that ambitious

Brian

[EGRAY_OBSERVATORY]

Yes Brian, you've sent much of your snow this way, so thanks for that - not It has almost cleared here today...

I've got a safety-harness for you for next Christmas - if you want to give it a try...

Best Wishes
Terry

[MapleRidge]

Terry...I can't take credit for the snow you've had this winter. Forces beyond my control are to blame/credit depending upon your opinion of it

Safety harness isn't the hold up on lighting the tree...I have access to all that from work I just can't be bothered

Brian

[ffellah]

A beautiful series of images, Brian. It is great that you can image in such extreme cold. I love the picture of the tree, gorgeous. Here is what my home looks like these days, with a solid 12-13 inches crust of frosted snow on the ground. The red dot is where I usually set up the mount. I could use the driveway, but it is sloping and makes things more difficult. And yes, believe it or not, this is a color photo.

Franco

[Montana]

What lovely pictures of snow but I am glad all ours is melting and it seems like spring today, even the birds are excited.

I love the images of the prominences, they look fantastic

Great idea to have a BBQ, you are brave, but then at least the cook gets to stay warm

Alexandra

[rsfoto]

Hi Brian,

Well done. Interesting is that the proms and filaments shape have not changed that much in 24 hours comparing it to my images.

[MapleRidge]

Alexandra and Rainer...

Thanks for your comments on the images from Sunday...much appreciated

Franco, I can see that setup in that much snow is not very easy nor comfortable to work in! The winter landscape tends to make much of it look monochrome I assume this is considerably more snow than you typically have?

Brian

[ffellah]

Brian: it is not so much the amount of snow that is a problem. The problem is that we had a cycle of snow, ice and cold weather for the last three weeks or so and the snow is now frozen and compacted. We did not have any warm weather to melt the snow, so I am hoping for a warm up before the end of the month.

Franco