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Study of the Sun

Started by Jef De Wit , Apr 23 2011 07:17 AM

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9 replies to this topic

#1 Jef De Wit

Skylab

topic starter

Posts: 4,316
Joined: 06 Mar 2009

Posted 23 April 2011 - 07:17 AM

I tried for a long time to see detail on the Sun. First I used a Meade ETX-70 with a Black Polymer filter from Thousand Oaks (it gives a nice orange Sun). I never saw more than "some spots". I blamed the (poor) optics from the Meade.
But with a new 8 cm William Optics refractor I saw not much more! This time I couldn't blame the telescope and changed the filter. An Astrosolar filter from Baader gives a white (somewhat cold) image of the Sun, BUT what a wealth of detail to see!
After some dancing around my telescope, I got my eclipse glasses and bino to join the Sunparty. The sketches had to be done fast, because clouds were rolling in.
Naked eye only sunspot 1195 could be seen (as one spot). In the bino sunspot 1193 joint the club. With the black polymer filter and the 8 cm refractor I had only a sharp image at x22. The two Baader filter sketches are close-ups from sunspot 1195 and clearly win the contest!

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#2 Rutilus

Soyuz

Posts: 3,714
Joined: 17 Dec 2010

Posted 23 April 2011 - 08:05 AM

Jef - Very nice drawings. This is a subject that I want to get into, Bought and made a Solar filter from Baader material about 3 weeks ago now, but still not had time for a serious look at the Sun yet.

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#3 niteskystargazer

Voyager 1

Posts: 10,414
Joined: 05 Oct 2009

Posted 23 April 2011 - 12:14 PM

Jef,

Very nice sketches of the Sun Spots :cool:

.

CS,KLU,

:thanx:

,

Tom

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#4 CarlosEH

Cosmos

Posts: 7,820
Joined: 19 Jan 2005

Posted 23 April 2011 - 12:23 PM

Jef,

Excellent observations of the solar surface and sunspot groups. The new filter does show more detail as you indicate. I am glad that you have obtained such good views of our closest star.

Carlos

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#5 frank5817

ISS

Posts: 21,196
Joined: 13 Jun 2006

Posted 23 April 2011 - 04:26 PM

Jef,

I like your zoom in sketching. Well done.

Frank

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#6 Jef De Wit

Skylab

topic starter

Posts: 4,316
Joined: 06 Mar 2009

Posted 24 April 2011 - 03:20 AM

Thanks for the nice words.

@ Rutilus: don't forget to sketch and post when you finaly find the time to look at the sun.

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#7 joelimite

Surveyor 1

Posts: 1,791
Joined: 01 Sep 2008

Posted 24 April 2011 - 01:46 PM

Great sketches, Jeff! I've been thinking about picking up a Baader solar filter for my ED80. I like the idea of sitting outside on a warm sunny afternoon looking at our nearest star.