Solar Activity Mg (b2 and b1) 9th Jan 2022

[Merlin66]

After four days of complete cloud and rain (28mm in one day!) finally had the opportunity through broken cloud and increasing wind to try the MiniSHG on the Mg lines.
Using the Astronomik L1 UV-IR filter, Baader 0.9ND, #56 Green and the 1mm exit slit (approx 70A)

I collected a SER video in both the b2 and b1 lines - just to see the difference (if any)
Certainly not the best images I've obtained, but under the circumstances better than nothing.
I think there is marginally more detail, faculae and penumbra showing in the b2.
What do you think?
Oh, no prominences visible...... ;(

The weather should improve next week so I'll try to image in Mg again.

Magnesium b2

125009b2_shift=0_clahe.jpg (178.43 KiB) Viewed 725 times

_124737b1_clahe.jpg (185.84 KiB) Viewed 662 times

[DeepSolar64]

Hey, Ken! It's a start. Nice! Keep at it.

JP

[pedro]

great stuff Ken

best regards

[EGRAY_OBSERVATORY]

Good effort under the bad-seeing Ken.

Thanks
Terry

[Stardust5858]

Good effort Ken, are these in the magnesium wavelength?

[DeepSolar64]

I am so glad to see you back, Ella! I hope you have been OK with no COVID issues.

[Stardust5858]

I am so glad to see you back, Ella! I hope you have been OK with no COVID issues.

Hi, no not covid although begins with c, I'll call it a little c. Nice to be imaging and observing again though.

[DeepSolar64]

I am so glad to see you back, Ella! I hope you have been OK with no COVID issues.

Hi, no not covid although begins with c, I'll call it a little c. Nice to be imaging and observing again though.

Whatever it is I hope you get to feeling better. I have certainly missed you here. So welcome back!

James

[Merlin66]

Ella,
Good to see you on the forum!
Yes, the Magnesium I Triplet. b2 is the usual target (5172.8A)

Mg lines.JPG (101.68 KiB) Viewed 661 times

[marktownley]

These are excellent Ken, thanks for sharing!

[Merlin66]

Thanks for the positive feedback.
The prominent Fe lines either side of the b2 line might pose a problem with the processing software. There doesn’t seem to be a way of positively selecting a target line for subsequent processing, a feature available in Wah’s SLiM.
I’ll probably process using both INTI and SLiM to look for consistency.

[KMH]

Very nice! The SHG must be a very interesting project. How long does it take to scan an image?

Kevin

[Merlin66]

Kevin,
Depending on your setup it can take between 120 sec and 9 sec.
If you just let the solar disk drift across the slit it's 120 sec. If you use the slew buttons on your mount (ie x2 or x3 sidereal) you can get down to 9sec.

The other issue is obtaining sufficient frames during the scan video.
The size of the solar disk is close to 1/100 the telescope focal length. An ED80 for example gives a solar image of 5.6mm, using an ASI 178 camera with 2.4 micron pixels this equals 2327 pixel.
To get a pretty close to circular scanned image (to minimise geometric corrections) you then need to record approx 2327 frames. This leads to a frame rate of 2327/9 = 258 fps.
(With the drift method you'd only need 2327/120 = 19.4 fps)
Hope that helps.
(Oh, it takes around 3-4 sec (!!!) to process the video into an image. The INTI software is very fast.)

[Montana]

Well done Ken I'm looking forward to lots of different views of the Sun from you

Alexandra

[ffellah]

First time I see images at the magnesium line, Ken. Interesting and thank you for posting them.

Franco

[DeepSolar64]

Keep em’ coming Ken!!

[MapleRidge]

Great post Ken

I like the extra 'flavors' of solar energy you get to share with us

Brian

[MAURITS]

Nice to see Ken.

[DeepSolar64]

Great post Ken

I like the extra 'flavors' of solar energy you get to share with us

Brian

Ditto that!!!

[thesmiths]

The prominent Fe lines either side of the b2 line might pose a problem with the processing software. There doesn’t seem to be a way of positively selecting a target line for subsequent processing

Actually, using the INTI type of software, you can use the pixel shift feature to offset versus a major line in order to look at a minor line.

[Merlin66]

Doug,
I agree, but that assumes the initial image is generated from the absorption line you think you have targeted.
There’s no way with INTI to be 100% sure of the line being used.
With Wah’s SLIM you have the definite option of selecting where the reference is positioned.