Solar Spectroscopy

I LOVE finding out about different ways to appreciate the Sun and light in general. Use this forum to post your info or questions about various outside the mainstream ways to appreciate our life giving star!
Post Reply
User avatar
rsfoto
Way More Fun to Share It!!
Way More Fun to Share It!!
Posts: 6164
Joined: Mon Jun 18, 2012 8:30 pm
Location: San Luis Potosi, México
Has thanked: 9413 times
Been thanked: 5574 times

Solar Spectroscopy

Post by rsfoto »

Hi,

I dusted off my good old LISA Spectrograph and I will start again doing spectroscopy but mainly stars, nebula and night time objects.

As a member of Spectro ARAS I just read about the new development from Christian Buil called Sol'EX a 3D printed solar spectrograph and it looks very interesting.

For all those being a member of Spectro ARAS you can read it here

http://www.spectro-aras.com/forum/viewt ... 094#p15094

Also in Astrosurf he presented the new Spectrograph

http://www.astrosurf.com/topic/142370-l ... -de-solex/

So far nothing is on his website yet http://www.astrosurf.com/buil/index.html

Here some images of it.

vue_3D_4.png
vue_3D_4.png (165.51 KiB) Viewed 2051 times
vue_3D_5.png
vue_3D_5.png (106.01 KiB) Viewed 2051 times
vue_3D_11.png
vue_3D_11.png (192.43 KiB) Viewed 2051 times
_SoleEX_03122020.jpg
_SoleEX_03122020.jpg (391.78 KiB) Viewed 2051 times


BTW just as an add on here a spectrum of a Nova in Perseus called Nova Per 2020 which I took on the night of December 3 2020

Nova_Per_2020_NHSA_Rainer_Ehlert_03122020_BDF_normalized.jpg
Nova_Per_2020_NHSA_Rainer_Ehlert_03122020_BDF_normalized.jpg (61.41 KiB) Viewed 2051 times


regards Rainer

Observatorio Real de 14
San Luis Potosi Mexico

North 22° West 101°
User avatar
Montana
Librarian
Librarian
Posts: 34563
Joined: Mon Oct 17, 2011 5:25 pm
Location: Cheshire, UK
Has thanked: 17672 times
Been thanked: 8791 times

Re: Solar Spectroscopy

Post by Montana »

Very interesting Rainer, are you going to make one?

Alexandra


User avatar
DeepSolar64
Way More Fun to Share It!!
Way More Fun to Share It!!
Posts: 18823
Joined: Thu Sep 05, 2019 12:19 am
Location: Lowndesville S.C.
Has thanked: 17572 times
Been thanked: 16694 times

Re: Solar Spectroscopy

Post by DeepSolar64 »

And does anyone make a commercial ready-to-use solar spectroscope?


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

Image Visual Observer
" Way more fun to see it! "
User avatar
Carbon60
Way More Fun to Share It!!
Way More Fun to Share It!!
Posts: 14209
Joined: Wed Mar 07, 2012 12:33 pm
Location: Lancashire, UK
Has thanked: 8418 times
Been thanked: 8163 times

Re: Solar Spectroscopy

Post by Carbon60 »

Thanks, Rainer.

I’m just finishing off my redesigned solar spectrometer, which I hope to give a test run next time we get some Sun here.

Stu.


H-alpha, WL and Ca II K imaging kit for various image scales.
Fluxgate Magnetometers (1s and 150s Cadence).
Radio meteor detector.
More images at http://www.flickr.com/photos/solarcarbon60/
User avatar
rsfoto
Way More Fun to Share It!!
Way More Fun to Share It!!
Posts: 6164
Joined: Mon Jun 18, 2012 8:30 pm
Location: San Luis Potosi, México
Has thanked: 9413 times
Been thanked: 5574 times

Re: Solar Spectroscopy

Post by rsfoto »

Montana wrote: Sun Dec 06, 2020 5:05 pm Very interesting Rainer, are you going to make one?

Alexandra
Hi Alexandra,

I do not have a 3D printer. Some friends do have one but the printing quality is not good. I have a few pieces but honestly do not like the quality.

The point is not the 3D printer but to leran how to make the necessary files for 3D printing and so far I ahve not understood it yet :cry: :cry:


regards Rainer

Observatorio Real de 14
San Luis Potosi Mexico

North 22° West 101°
User avatar
rsfoto
Way More Fun to Share It!!
Way More Fun to Share It!!
Posts: 6164
Joined: Mon Jun 18, 2012 8:30 pm
Location: San Luis Potosi, México
Has thanked: 9413 times
Been thanked: 5574 times

Re: Solar Spectroscopy

Post by rsfoto »

Carbon60 wrote: Sun Dec 06, 2020 7:27 pm Thanks, Rainer.

I’m just finishing off my redesigned solar spectrometer, which I hope to give a test run next time we get some Sun here.

Stu.
Hi Stu,

Waiting to see the results. Would you please post an image of your Solar spectroscope ? Thanks


regards Rainer

Observatorio Real de 14
San Luis Potosi Mexico

North 22° West 101°
User avatar
rsfoto
Way More Fun to Share It!!
Way More Fun to Share It!!
Posts: 6164
Joined: Mon Jun 18, 2012 8:30 pm
Location: San Luis Potosi, México
Has thanked: 9413 times
Been thanked: 5574 times

Re: Solar Spectroscopy

Post by rsfoto »

DeepSolar64 wrote: Sun Dec 06, 2020 7:15 pm And does anyone make a commercial ready-to-use solar spectroscope?
Hi James,

Well the question here is if just a Solar spectroscope like this one

https://www.shelyak.com/solar-spectrum- ... 2/?lang=en

or a solar spectrohelioscope https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Spectrohelioscope in order to scan line wise the sun and build up an image ...

I have no experience in this regard and how this works but there is a wealth of info in the WWW

Shelyak is the best developped company so far as I know with this type of products in the wallet range of amateurs.

;) ;)


regards Rainer

Observatorio Real de 14
San Luis Potosi Mexico

North 22° West 101°
User avatar
rsfoto
Way More Fun to Share It!!
Way More Fun to Share It!!
Posts: 6164
Joined: Mon Jun 18, 2012 8:30 pm
Location: San Luis Potosi, México
Has thanked: 9413 times
Been thanked: 5574 times

Re: Solar Spectroscopy

Post by rsfoto »

Hi,

Here is a spectrum of the Sun which I took with my slit spectrograph from Shelyak model LISA

The blue line is a professional spectrum and the red is my result. This is more or less a star spectrum.

Sun-010SP-0013s-Stretch-graph.jpg
Sun-010SP-0013s-Stretch-graph.jpg (355.99 KiB) Viewed 1996 times
Sun-010SP-0013s-Labeled-graph.jpg
Sun-010SP-0013s-Labeled-graph.jpg (403.36 KiB) Viewed 1996 times
Last edited by rsfoto on Mon Dec 07, 2020 4:46 pm, edited 1 time in total.


regards Rainer

Observatorio Real de 14
San Luis Potosi Mexico

North 22° West 101°
User avatar
Montana
Librarian
Librarian
Posts: 34563
Joined: Mon Oct 17, 2011 5:25 pm
Location: Cheshire, UK
Has thanked: 17672 times
Been thanked: 8791 times

Re: Solar Spectroscopy

Post by Montana »

I'm guessing that the extra absorption dips you get are from our atmosphere?

Alexandra


User avatar
rsfoto
Way More Fun to Share It!!
Way More Fun to Share It!!
Posts: 6164
Joined: Mon Jun 18, 2012 8:30 pm
Location: San Luis Potosi, México
Has thanked: 9413 times
Been thanked: 5574 times

Re: Solar Spectroscopy

Post by rsfoto »

Montana wrote: Mon Dec 07, 2020 3:33 pm I'm guessing that the extra absorption dips you get are from our atmosphere?

Alexandra
Hi Alexandra,

Our atmosphere starts after 6800 Ångström


regards Rainer

Observatorio Real de 14
San Luis Potosi Mexico

North 22° West 101°
User avatar
Montana
Librarian
Librarian
Posts: 34563
Joined: Mon Oct 17, 2011 5:25 pm
Location: Cheshire, UK
Has thanked: 17672 times
Been thanked: 8791 times

Re: Solar Spectroscopy

Post by Montana »

So, yes then :)

Alexandra


MERRILL
The Sun?
The Sun?
Posts: 16
Joined: Tue Nov 19, 2019 6:03 am
Has thanked: 4 times
Been thanked: 12 times

Re: Solar Spectroscopy

Post by MERRILL »

Very impressive !
I try to get good spectro-heliogram again.
Quiet sun has gone.


User avatar
Merlin66
Librarian
Librarian
Posts: 3970
Joined: Tue Dec 13, 2011 1:23 pm
Location: Junortoun, Australia
Has thanked: 173 times
Been thanked: 615 times
Contact:

Re: Solar Spectroscopy

Post by Merlin66 »

Any slit spectrograph can be used to obtain a solar spectrum.
Just need to point it to a bright sky - no telescope required.
Add it to a telescope and you have a spectroheliograph.
To obtain spectrogram images, you scan the slit across the solar disk, select and isolate the line of interest ( CaK, Fe, Mg H beta, H alpha etc.) and extract and combine using Wah! Spectral line merge program.


"Astronomical Spectroscopy - The Final Frontier" - to boldly go where few amateurs have gone before
https://groups.io/g/astronomicalspectroscopy  
http://astronomicalspectroscopy.com
"Astronomical Spectroscopy for Amateurs" and
"Imaging Sunlight - using a digital spectroheliograph" - Springer
User avatar
rsfoto
Way More Fun to Share It!!
Way More Fun to Share It!!
Posts: 6164
Joined: Mon Jun 18, 2012 8:30 pm
Location: San Luis Potosi, México
Has thanked: 9413 times
Been thanked: 5574 times

Re: Solar Spectroscopy

Post by rsfoto »

Merlin66 wrote: Mon Dec 14, 2020 2:42 am Any slit spectrograph can be used to obtain a solar spectrum.
Just need to point it to a bright sky - no telescope required.
Add it to a telescope and you have a spectroheliograph.
To obtain spectrogram images, you scan the slit across the solar disk, select and isolate the line of interest ( CaK, Fe, Mg H beta, H alpha etc.) and extract and combine using Wah! Spectral line merge program.
Hi Ken,

That sounds good but
Add it to a telescope and you have a spectroheliograph.
I guess I need an ERF in order to protect the Heat production or not ?


regards Rainer

Observatorio Real de 14
San Luis Potosi Mexico

North 22° West 101°
User avatar
Merlin66
Librarian
Librarian
Posts: 3970
Joined: Tue Dec 13, 2011 1:23 pm
Location: Junortoun, Australia
Has thanked: 173 times
Been thanked: 615 times
Contact:

Re: Solar Spectroscopy

Post by Merlin66 »

Rainer,
No ERF used.
The telescopes used are generally smaller refractors 100- 120mm.
We want to get as much light as we can through the very narrow slit gap and use very fast frame rates.
The heat build up on the slit plate doesn't appear to be an issue.


"Astronomical Spectroscopy - The Final Frontier" - to boldly go where few amateurs have gone before
https://groups.io/g/astronomicalspectroscopy  
http://astronomicalspectroscopy.com
"Astronomical Spectroscopy for Amateurs" and
"Imaging Sunlight - using a digital spectroheliograph" - Springer
User avatar
rsfoto
Way More Fun to Share It!!
Way More Fun to Share It!!
Posts: 6164
Joined: Mon Jun 18, 2012 8:30 pm
Location: San Luis Potosi, México
Has thanked: 9413 times
Been thanked: 5574 times

Re: Solar Spectroscopy

Post by rsfoto »

Merlin66 wrote: Mon Dec 14, 2020 5:58 pm Rainer,
No ERF used.
The telescopes used are generally smaller refractors 100- 120mm.
We want to get as much light as we can through the very narrow slit gap and use very fast frame rates.
The heat build up on the slit plate doesn't appear to be an issue.
Hi Ken,

I have a Takahashi TOA 130 in front of my LISA ... :lol: :lol: :lol:
... slit plate doesn't appear to be an issue.
This for me is already a suggestion not to try it ... :o :o :o so I better do not do it


regards Rainer

Observatorio Real de 14
San Luis Potosi Mexico

North 22° West 101°
User avatar
Merlin66
Librarian
Librarian
Posts: 3970
Joined: Tue Dec 13, 2011 1:23 pm
Location: Junortoun, Australia
Has thanked: 173 times
Been thanked: 615 times
Contact:

Re: Solar Spectroscopy

Post by Merlin66 »

You could use (with a significant light loss) a Baader ND3.8 solar filter on the aperture.
Then you have absolutely no issues with possible heat loading.
An alternative would be to stop the aperture down to 60mm with a card disk/ ring.

The SimSpec SHG V1.3 allows you to assess the probable performance of the SHG.
SimSpec SHG V1_3.xls
(60 KiB) Downloaded 58 times


"Astronomical Spectroscopy - The Final Frontier" - to boldly go where few amateurs have gone before
https://groups.io/g/astronomicalspectroscopy  
http://astronomicalspectroscopy.com
"Astronomical Spectroscopy for Amateurs" and
"Imaging Sunlight - using a digital spectroheliograph" - Springer
User avatar
Merlin66
Librarian
Librarian
Posts: 3970
Joined: Tue Dec 13, 2011 1:23 pm
Location: Junortoun, Australia
Has thanked: 173 times
Been thanked: 615 times
Contact:

Re: Solar Spectroscopy

Post by Merlin66 »

Just a hint to new SHG users.....
How do you know if your slit gap is at the focus of the telescope?
Normal method is to check the top/ bottom edges of the solar spectrum being recorded. When in focus, they should appear tight and crisp.
A quick way to get you close....
Use a finder to look through the objective and check that the slit gap appears in clean focus.
Helps during initial set-up.


"Astronomical Spectroscopy - The Final Frontier" - to boldly go where few amateurs have gone before
https://groups.io/g/astronomicalspectroscopy  
http://astronomicalspectroscopy.com
"Astronomical Spectroscopy for Amateurs" and
"Imaging Sunlight - using a digital spectroheliograph" - Springer
Post Reply