February 17 2021 Observations. WL Only

[DeepSolar64]

Session time is 12:00pm EST local time ( US ). The skies are mostly cloudy. Seeing is about average. Not bad for once! The temperature is 36F.

Orion 70mm Solar Telescope. 27.5x and 83x ( WL )
I got two small sunspots in the northwest quadrant of the disc. Side by side with the easternmost one being slightly north of due east from the other. I also caught a faint area of faculae in the SE near the limb. Clouds got me at this point and I did not have a chance to examine the rest of the disc for faculae. I did notice the granulation being visible.

I left the scope outside for another 45 minutes after my quick view around noon but the skies never cleared and I had to leave a bit early before work to run errands so I could not wait any longer. Freezing rain is predicted for tonight so a clearing is unlikely anyway.

Stay safe and well everyone.

James

SDOHMIc_2-17-21.jpg (981.75 KiB) Viewed 222 times

[EGRAY_OBSERVATORY]

Thanks James and the SDO image shows these two little spots.

Cheers
Terry

[Montana]

Well done in spotting that little new dipole

Alexandra

[DeepSolar64]

I did finally get a clearing at 1:50pm but I could not see any more faculae. The seeing had gotten noticeably worse as well since noon. The temp has risen to 41F.

[marktownley]

Thanks James. Glad you got the emerging flux region today, nice to see we have some spots visible in white light, is an indication magnetic flux levels are increasing. Just grey skies for me - I took the opportunity to replace the power socket on my eq6 using the attached method; not bad for the £3.84 it cost me for the parts. Tomorrows job is to wind in the backlash on the mount before hopefully something in the way of clearer skies later in the day.

EQ6 Power Plug Modification.pdf

(595.5 KiB) Downloaded 21 times

[EGRAY_OBSERVATORY]

Thanks Mark for adding the PDF in relation to your EQ6 power-supply mod. As you know, I have the AZ-EQ6 model and certainly if I experience any problem with the plug/socket, will remember this mod you have done, especially as I have a number of the microphone type plugs and sockets acquired for my radio-usage...

Some are four or five poles units, but no problem, as the more poles per the negative and positive connectors, the better.

Good thinking - that man..

Cheers
Terry

[DeepSolar64]

Thanks James. Glad you got the emerging flux region today, nice to see we have some spots visible in white light, is an indication magnetic flux levels are increasing. Just grey skies for me - I took the opportunity to replace the power socket on my eq6 using the attached method; not bad for the £3.84 it cost me for the parts. Tomorrows job is to wind in the backlash on the mount before hopefully something in the way of clearer skies later in the day.

EQ6 Power Plug Modification.pdf

It's 1:13am here now as I type this. The spot group in the NW quad has grown just a little bit and I can see three additional pores besides the two spots in the SDO HMIc image. Tomorrow probably will be cloudy for me. Tonight we are having freezing rain and probably a fair amount of ice by morning. You Brits sure are patient people with so much cloudy skies that you have.

Nice improvement on the mount!

James

[Carbon60]

Thanks for your report, James.

Good to see something's emerging. Let's hope for more.....soon.

Stu.

[DeepSolar64]

It looks like no observing for me today. Clouds and a cold rain.

I thank everyone here for their input and kind replies.