A few Sunday Solar images from our 7000 foot elevation Observatory

[Cschur]

Hi all,

Very windy indeed up at our second observatory in northern Arizona this weekend. Seeing was 2/5 but the wind made the tube rock back and forth so much half the frames are too jumpy to align in registax or avistack. However two white light and several calciums were obtained in the morning and while the seeing was not crisp, I found that the extra elevation made for extremely good transparency and clarity. I have never gotten the granulation in white this clear before. I will share these with you now.

White light - 80mm f/6 Zeiss with prime or 5x barlow:

PLEASE CLICK ON THESE FOR THE BIG VIEW!







Hows that for granulation, Ay?

And here are the Calciums, same scope, but with Lunt B600 CAK








Hopeing to get more images in the future from this world class site. (A 6 meter Discovery Channel telescope is within walking distance from our house there)

Finally, here are a few shots of my setup in Happy Jack:

[swisswalter]

Hi Chris

very fine shots, especially the CaK close ups

[marktownley]

Fantastic images Chris! You are fortunate to be able to observe from such places

[Derek Klepp]

Thanks for the pics of your set up Chris considering the aperture thats great granulation. Just a shame the weather wasn't more co-operative

[edobosz]

These are fine images. That blue colour with the cracking is sort of growing on me
Ted

[Cschur]

thanks guys! The CaK shots were unusually clear as well, a good thing since the activity on the sun right now is low.

[Montana]

Superb granulation Chris! you are very lucky to have such a site and clear skies.

Alexandra

[Pedro]

Fantastic images Chris. The granulation is very clear. I really like the CaK shots.

Activity is low right now but it will imporve.

best regards and thanks for sharing
PS- The Byers mount looks great

[Cschur]

Thanks Pedro! was beginning to wonder if you had dissipated or something. That mount has a byers gear - a Starmaster drive. I built myself the entire rest of that mounting. NO slow motion controls on the 60hz drive, so panning around the moon and planets is a pain. But man, does this mount track well.

[Pedro]

Hi Chris:

I had 8 hours of lecures yesterday...

The byers gears are the best I have used so far. I had a C14 with a byers retrofit (best gear I used) and another mount with a 6" byers gear. These mounts were also homebuilt in the 70's (with the exception of the C14). Check out these interesting links (35 years ago...)

http://www.astrosurf.com/re/re_tr300.jpg
http://www.astrosurf.com/re/mosaic2.jpg
http://www.astrosurf.com/re/reflector.jpg
http://www.astrosurf.com/re/mosaic3b.jpg
http://www.astrosurf.com/re/mosaic8a.jpg

Tha Paramount I now use also has Byers gears.

best regards

[MapleRidge]

Hi Chris...

The image details are exceptionally sharp, and the granulation in the WL is so crisp...great work. I can appreciate the efforts in image capture and the processing that follows...very nice :

Brian

[Cschur]

Thanks Brian! I cant wait till the seeing actually gets normal up there.

Pedro, that first picture has a familiar look to it. Check this one out for comparison:

http://www.schursastrophotography.com/i ... C-154F.jpg

Who are those young guys anyway? B)

[Pedro]

Hi Chris:

Great photo. Our reflectors look very similar (homemade wooden tubes). You're right, who are those young guys...

best regards

[florencior]

Beautiful, great captured and processed images, as always.