My first photos of the Sun

[Filipp Romanov]

Hello all!

The first time I visually observed the Sun on November 15, 2010 (I was 13 years old): through my refracting telescope (60mm aperture, 350mm focal length) and black glass. I saw sunspots of AR1124 group.

The first time I got an image of the Sun using the projection from the eyepiece of this telescope onto a white sheet of paper: this was January 6, 2011. I saw only one sunspot of AR1140 group (I am attaching the photo of this projection, which I made with my compact camera Sony Cyber-shot DSC-W150).

[Filipp Romanov]

In mid-2011, I began to try to observe the Sun and take photos through a dark glass solar filter (with the same telescope and camera). I am attaching two photos: for the date of August 1, 2011 (AR1263, 1261 and 1260 are visible in the photo) and November 9, 2011 (AR1343, 1341, 1342, 1340, 1339 and 1338 are visible in the photo).

[Filipp Romanov]

In early 2012, I bought Baader AstroSolar visual solar film. On March 7, 2012, I observed the Sun through a film through the same telescope: I saw AR1430, AR1428 and very large group of sunspots AR1429 (I took a photo with my new camera Canon Digital IXUS 310 HS). Later I made aperture solar filter for my reflecting telescope (114mm aperture, 1000mm focal length), I am attaching a photo of the Sun for the date of May 12, 2012 (with groups AR1479, 1478, 1477 and large AR1476).

[Filipp Romanov]

On the morning of May 21, 2012, for the first time in my life, I watched and photographed a solar eclipse, the maximum phase was 0.76. It was very interesting for me to visually observe how the Moon covered a large number of sunspots on the disk of the Sun. In the photo you can see AR1486 and AR1484.

[Filipp Romanov]

On June 6, 2012, I observed the transit of Venus and for the first time I was able to take photographs through the Coronado solar telescope. I am attaching one of these photos. I published the full report here: viewtopic.php?f=4&t=23903 

All photos except the last were taken in Livadiya (near Nakhodka, Primorsky Krai), Russia.

With best regards,

Filipp.

[DeepSolar64]

Filipp
Like you I have many such pictures of the white light Sun taken using the projection method. I know I have some that date back to at least 1984.

James

[Filipp Romanov]

Hello James!
This is interesting information. Maybe here someone else will share the first (for this person) photographs of the Sun.

[DeepSolar64]

Filipp,
Here are two I took using my iPhone through my old Traq 60mm refractor back on 6-22-2015. Not too long ago.

James

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[Filipp Romanov]

Indeed, compared with 1984, it was not so long ago. I am also attaching my photo of the Sun for June 22, 2015, taken with my 114-mm telescope, with camera Canon EOS 60D (stack in RegiStax 5.1 of frames from video).

[DeepSolar64]

Filipp,
I never noticed that sunspot group near the limb until now. It shows up so well in your picture. I can see it on mine in the top image on the upper left limb. I took these using an iPhone 5S.

All my really old white light pictures are on old prints taken using Kodak 110 and 126 instamatic cameras. I got an Olympus 35mm point-and-shoot in 1996 which did a much better job than those cameras did.

James

[marktownley]

Great set of images and account of your solar career!

[Montana]

Wonderful!!! what a lovely story and fabulous images, a trip down memory lane

Here is my picture of the Sun taken in Iceland of the Venus transit. We projected it through binoculars onto white card so everyone could see.

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Before my PST I had only ever projected on to card and sketched the spots.

Here is my first Halpha picture through my PST 2009-05-31 I had bought the PST in 2008 but this was the very first active region I ever saw and I just had to capture it, it was the start of a long journey. I showed this image to everyone at work and family too I was so excited.

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Alexandra

[Filipp Romanov]

Filipp,
I never noticed that sunspot group near the limb until now. It shows up so well in your picture. I can see it on mine in the top image on the upper left limb.

James, in the center was group AR2371: it was so big that I saw it with the naked eye (through a solar filter) in the form of two points. Sunspots of AR2367 was near the limb.

Great set of images and account of your solar career!

Thank you for positive comment!

Here is my picture of the Sun taken in Iceland of the Venus transit

This is a good photo! It reminded me of how I saw the transit of Venus with the naked eye (through the solar filter): in the form of a black dot on the large disk of the Sun.

[yltansg]

Hi Filipp,

Thanks for sharing your journey in solar imaging. Your early pictures must be very precious to you. Looking forward to see more solar images from you.

Alfred

[Filipp Romanov]

Hello Alfred!
Thanks for your kind words.