The first full disk with my newly double stacked SM90, there is still clocking of the etalon to do, and work with the blocking filter, all of which will make iterative improvements. Lots of potential in this new setup!
Taken with the 40mm f10 Coronado OTA, along with a Cemax 2x barlow, I was really pleased with how this full disk came out. Sky transparency was very good and this reflects in the final image; surging can be seen coming from the new active region on the limb, along with prominences and also a clearly defined spicule ring. Looking forward to being able to what this setup can do when we have a bit more solar activity.
Conditions weren't great following the passage of a weather front on Thursday morning, but it was nice to grab a quick Ha full disk in between the showers. Taken with the 50mm Lunt etalon on the 60mm f6 scope, double stacked with a Daystar Quark. Activity is slowly but surely picking up on the sun as we head towards spring and hopefully some better weather.
The Skywatcher Solarquest mount was proving it's worth again today, and a brief clear (hazy?) spell this morning meant I was out imaging in minutes. Only time for a quick full disk in CaK but better than nothing. Even if the sun is quiet it is possible to see the cycle 25 solar jet stream bands of sub surface activity marked by horizontal lines of inactive plage. Taken with the Coronado SM40 at f20 using a 2x Cemax barlow, home brew CaK filter and the FLIR Grasshopper GH3 91s6M camera. Given the haze, scudding clouds and how few frames I took i'm pleased with how this disk has come out.
Surprisingly the sun came out briefly around lunchtime today and I got chance to test out my new Skywatcher Solarquest mount, which, I have to say is very good indeed and comes recommended. Conditions weren't great with the scudding clouds but the mount coped admirably, and also surprisingly the image of the sun came out OK considering the background of haze. Taken with my Lunt 50 etalon on the 60mm f6 scope double stacked with a Daystar Quark. There wasn't a lot to see on the sun but the filaments trace out the magnetic fields of cycle 25. Fingers crossed for more clear skies and also more activity on the sun soon!
After a couple of weeks of what seems like never ending cloud and grey the sky turned blue late this afternoon to reveal old yellow face. I was messing around with some different potential combinations rather than doing 'serious' imaging. Good job really - the sun is blank! There were a couple of really small filaments on the disk and pretty much no other activity. The proms were the best thing and even these were small scale. Taken with a Lunt50 etalon on the ED80/600 and using the APM 1.6x telecentric to give f19 at the quark etalon. Visually this works well, however imaging wise I was struggling with the lack of surface detail. It's all about experimenting!
Using a 2x Cemax barlow and a IMX174 camera alongside the DS90, this setup shows it's potential. There's definitely a bit more magnification that can be had here which is going to work nicely as activity on the sun increases as we move through the start of cycle 25.