I'm really pleased with how well this image has come out with the new PGR Chameleon 3 camera, this smaller pixel size (3.45um) and larger chip size (2048x1536) means it is ideal for the shorter wavelengths and focal lengths of this setup. Apart from the monster spot the sun is quiet at the moment though!
The seeing wasn't up to the 1900mm focal length I was using with the 60mm scope with the jet stream screaming overhead, but it gives a taste of image scale that is possible with the PGR Chameleon 3. The smaller pixels (3.45um) of this camera are better suited to the shorter wavelengths of CaK, than the longer wavelengths associated with Ha.
When I observed this area coming around the limb in the HaT a day earlier it looked as if there was an active region associated with it going by the filaments and plasma that could be seen. However looking in CaK wavelengths there is no spot visible. What is likely the case is that there was a spot (in the past!) but it has long since decayed, but the choppy plasma where it was remains. There are actually some faint proms and the spicule layer visible in this image taken with the 60mm scope at 1900mm focal length with the homebrew CaK filter and the PGR Blackfly GigE IMX249 camera. I have a PGR Chameleon 3 arriving very soon, and, with its smaller 3.45um pixels, compared to the 5.86um pixels of the Blackfly I am very keen to see how it performs in CaK wavelengths!
It was really pushing it with the wind with the Skywatcher ED80 stopped down to 60mm aperture to record this image at 1900mm focal length. This active region has potential for M-class flares according to NASA, but, I have to say, unless it develops a bit more I don't expect much from it before it passes over the limb in the next couple of days.
It feels like i've been neglecting calcium wavelengths lately, with my attention focused on big guns in Hydrogen Alpha, however today was way too windy for the big scopes and so made perfect opportunity to image smaller scale in CaK - the 40mm at 700mm was pretty much impervious to the buffeting action of the blustery wind. Things are starting to look really quiet on our star now as we edge closer to solar minimum. Still, at CaK wavelengths the plage in the chromosphere shows up really well.
Today was way too windy for the big scopes, which is a real shame, as while there is no large scale activity on our star today, there was lots at the smaller scale, which is ideal territory for the HaT! This was taken with the triple stacked 40mm scope at 700mm focal length with the PGR Blackfly GigE IMX249 camera.
When I looked on the suns eastern limb with the Airylab HaT, this tell tale signature of prominences told me that while I couldn't see the sunspot itself directly there was a new active region coming around the limb. This was with a Daystar Quark and PST etalon double stacked at a focal length of 5.6 metres with the PGR BLackfly GigE IMX249 camera.
