SolarChat!

Good day everyone...

I was fortunate to have another clear day on Friday (Jan 4th) and managed to get some time to image over the lunch hour. Seeing was typical for winter (poor, but not as bad as some days ) and most of the images were usable with the exception of the prom shots.

The sequence started with full disk Ha thorough the LS80T/LS75FHa/B1200Ha solar scope. These composites were made form separate disk and limb images with PGR Grasshopper Express camera (ICX674 chip), shown with a variety of styles:
I did not get any full disk WL or CaK images, but I was able to get images of AR2732 at prime focus and through a 3x barlow on the iStar 150mm, f8 scope using the ASI 174MM camera. The WL images were through a Lunt solar wedge/Baader Continuum filter (sorry, image brightness is too high) : The CaK images used a modified Lunt Solar Wedge/B1800CaK/Baader K-Line filter set: The remaining images were taken through the modded CR-150/DSII/B1800Ha scope with a 3x tele-extender in front of the ASI174MM camera. The four images below show the views as you tune the DSII pressure tuner form 0PSI to 20PSI, where the 0PSI gives a WL view and 15PSI seems to be closest to on band based on the contrast of the features: I cropped each of the full frame images to highlight AR2732 and laid them out in order in the pic below: To finish off, an animation was made form the four frames to show the changes as you proceed from 0 PSI (Continuum) to 7.5 PSI (Red Wing) through to 20 PSI (blue wing)...click to open: Overall it was a good day at the scope

Questions and comments are always welcome,
Brian

A very nice set of images, Brian. It looks like you have a continued luck with the weather in 2019... I am jealous

Franco

Thanks for your feedback Franco

We are only a few days into the new year, so I'm not sure if this is enough clear weather to set the trend for the next 360 days

Brian

Brian:
Very nice session in spite of bad seeing.
I have the same problem at my home observatory, plus high contamination.
Best regards,
Eric.

Many thanks Eric...the feedback is always appreciated !!!

Brian

Nice image session ...

These are great Brian. Glad the weather has been obliging for you over the holiday period. I like the off band sequence.

Maurits and Mark...

Thanks for your comments and feedback guys, always appreciated

I like to adjust the tuning and see what differences appear, but the Lunt makes the change very quick with the pressure tuner. Teh Daystar filters can be tuned, but takes more time than I have patience to stabilize the etalon after changing the set point

Brian

Brian,
Great set of images and quite informative. I can see the rapid tuning via pressure is a big plus over the heated etalons I use. Twenty minutes to bring the Solar Spectrum up to temperature and about ten for the Quark.

Thanks,
Phil

Hi Brian,

Nice images. Especially the sequence of different CWL positions. Thanks for sharing.


Valery

Astrophil wrote: ↑Mon Jan 07, 2019 1:55 am rapid tuning via pressure is a big plus over the heated etalons I use. Twenty minutes to bring the Solar Spectrum up to temperature and about ten for the Quark.

Thanks,
Phil

Hi Phil,

I always use tilt tuning etalon for quick overview of active areas with dark surges and streams. The same with large eruptive prominences. This shows how much the difference I can expect from the CWL scan.


Valery

Beautiful set as always Brian. I enjoyed the tuning images/animation again what happened with the pattern noise in the CaK shot though? I have not seen this before.

Alexandra

Thanks Alexandra, I figured you would like the tuning set

I can't explain the horizontal lines in the one CaK shot, but not the first I've seen them (thankfully only show up a limited number of times before). I will have to keep better track of the settings/conditions in the future.

Brian

Thanks Brian, great post and discussion, off band imaging can be a plus

Nice images!

Pedro and Pepe...

Thanks for your comments and feedback on this session, it is always appreciated!!!

Brian

A fine set ! Brian

The interlaced artifact consistently happens to me, too, whenever I push fast exposures (<1ms)

You've been busy, Brian..... Nice set of images. The tuning sequence looks great.

Stu.

Mike and Stu...

Thanks fro your comments

Mike, you raised an interesting point about the horizontal bands...I pretty much had to have the exposure as low as it would go to take the image. Will have to check this more closely next day its clear.

Brian