First "Official" Solar Spectrograph Images are here!

[Cschur]

Greetings Solar Friends,

Today was a poor day for imaging, fierce winds made the seeing impossible. But I have a backup plan. The Solar spectrograph is finished and and fully operational now. I wish to share with you some of the first results with this instrument on the Sun, and then a few other scans to demonstrate its capability.

For all these images and graphs, the spectrograph used the low resolution 300 lines per mm grating. This yeilds a 15 A resolution over the full span from UV to IR. It takes 3 - 5 shots to cover the full spectrum. The focus changes depending on wavelength. The IR focus is way different than the UV focus! All shots DMK31 camera...

Here is a shot just before I painted in the inside flat black showing the optical train for this f/4 spectrograph:

spectro 021AF.jpg (127.23 KiB) Viewed 2521 times

SO lets start with this initial result, 3 images over the visual band, constrained by the Baader UV/IR blocker to omit the rather extensive and un interesting IR:

1-3COMP1WF.jpg (48.68 KiB) Viewed 2530 times

Ive labeled the interesting details that our solar minds desire.

Next, a five part composite of the full range from just below 400nm on the left including Cak, H and to the right is deep in the IR:

1-5COMP2WF2.jpg (69.3 KiB) Viewed 2530 times

Note that I gain only a bit in the UV without the blocker filter, but tons in the IR! Nearly all those bands there are from the earths atmosphere, including gasses and water vapor. And at 800nm, something strange occurs - the UV from the second order spectrum starts superimposing it self on the first order. You must be careful in this area! (If you block the Visible and UV you can clean it up)

Now using a superb piece of software I bought (cheap but not free) called RSPEC, I can scan the images and produce spectral graphs I can then label and generate a color spectrum image below the graph:

Here is the final hard earned effort for my big solar spectrum, a plot made in Rspec that is labled and calibrated for wavelength:

SolarSpectrum Uv-IR-300lpmm copy.jpg (245.05 KiB) Viewed 2519 times

Light source corrected filter scan, Lumicon Halpha filter:

LumiconHalpha6nm.jpg (112.2 KiB) Viewed 2530 times

Note the color image below it showing its narrow red band.

When you do filter scans, you use a Quartz Halogen lamp for a source, because it has all wavelengths available. First you image the lamp (avi file) the the filter. In RSPEC you divide the lamp into the filter scan to get the final filter response. Now look at the left edge of the graphs - thats the actual transmission of the filter, with 1 = 100%.

Here is another, a Lumicon H beta filter:

LumiconHbetaFilter.jpg (116.55 KiB) Viewed 2530 times

Note the huge red leak! obviously a visual filter.

a wratten 92 red gel filter, since many solar imagers use these for boosting solar details and contrast in poor seeing:

Wratten92-400.jpg (37.71 KiB) Viewed 2530 times

This is a Lumicon Swan band filter, for imaging and viewing the CN emissions in comets:

LumiconSwanband.jpg (114.36 KiB) Viewed 2521 times

I will be posting many more on my web site, Ill post the link later when Im finished uploading them!

Also I have ordered another Imaging Source camera. OPT had a sale on the color version of the DMK41, and i got THE LAST ONE. I want to be able to do some spectra color imaging for solar, and with Mars coming...

Well, this is my first results with this new tool, and I want all of you to learn along with me some of the details of yet another exciting aspect of solar imaging and observing!

Thanks for looking. Comments Appreated...

Chris

[mbucky]

hi chris, very interesting results, looking forward to more

[marktownley]

Great stuff Chris! Keep us updated as it develops

[Nick]

Phenominal - good clean data there too!

I've just been setting up ready for a first solar light myself this morning!

Nick

[Derek Klepp]

Thats very good Chris now you can check all your filters as well.

[Cschur]

Thank You Micheal, Mark, Nick, and Derek! I am gearing up for a solar spectrum now with the as of yet untested 600 lpmm grating. Here is the good news - tuesday Ill be getting a brand new Imaging Source color camera - the color equivelent of the DMK41. This will be used for solar spectrum images and will add much excite ment in the form of color to them!

Chris

[MapleRidge]

Well done Chris...spectra look amazing

Brian

[swisswalter]

Hi Chris

congratulations

[Cschur]

Thanks Brian and Walter! This has been a long difficult road for me, this is the third version I have done, and happily this one works fine. Merlin66 has infinite patience!

Chris