Sundays Sodium Sun - 3rd June

[marktownley]

Back from a week away on the boat, and Sunday dawned with clearish skies, bit of haze contributing to variable transparency. I got out the HaT to try with the Na Quark, but the seeing was not up to it so backed off to the 100mm Tal refractor. Initial impressions are it is like slightly more contrasty white light, but (at this scale) less of an emphasis on granule boundaries. It's interesting to see what this Q is capable of. Camera used throughout was the PGR Chameleon 3.

Bit of plage that has recently rotated into view...

ex-ar-na-bw by Mark Townley, on Flickr

ex-ar-na-col by Mark Townley, on Flickr

Then AR12712...

ar12712-na-bw by Mark Townley, on Flickr

ar12712-na-col by Mark Townley, on Flickr

Seeing was rapidly falling away so I dropped down to the 60mm f6 scope to do a full disk mosaic. I'm quite surprised at the detail I get from this small scope, especially when the image is viewed full size.

na-fd-bw by Mark Townley, on Flickr

na-fd-col by Mark Townley, on Flickr

I've been trying the flat field function in firecapture too, which, as long as transparency (and exposure) remain the same is quite effective. Not sure if anyone else is using this?

Mark

[rsfoto]

Hi Mark,

Very interesting that Sodium filter.

[MalVeauX]

Looks great to me, good convection cells!

Very best,

[eroel]

Mark:
A very interesting light.
Best wishes,
Eric.

[marktownley]

Thanks guys!

[Montana]

A nice collection Mark, I really like the full disc at full size, very nice indeed how about taking the HaT on the boat? then you could use it on those early morning sun days and it would be over water (perfect observatory).
Alexandra

[ffellah]

Those Sodium images seem very promising, Mark: how would you configure the HaT for use with the Quark Sodium ?

Franco

[marktownley]

Thanks everyone. It's easy to use on the HaT - just plug it in the back like you would a regular eyepiece / diagonal and use away.

[marktownley]

Yup. that's right Franco. I find I get better results with my Ha Quark using the native 4.3x telecentric than the HaT 2.7x.

[ffellah]

So, just remove the Airylab 2.7X telecentric and insert the Sodium Quark with the 4x Barlow built-in, right ?

Franco

[Valtori]

Hi Mark,

Lovely shots there with Na Quark!!

Val

[ffellah]

Thank you, Mark.

Franco

[marktownley]

Thanks Val!

A shot of the mid disk from yesterday with the Na Quark and 100mm Tal.

granulation-bw by Mark Townley, on Flickr

granulation-colour by Mark Townley, on Flickr

What are the small dark arches? There is an obvious one top right, one less so to top left?

Mark

[Carbon60]

Good images, there, Mark. The sodium Quark looks like a nice addition to the family.

I've no idea what the arches are. You'll have to see if they show up in future images using the same setup to check if they are some sort of artefact, although looking closely there appears to be lots of similar arches and 'curls' in other parts of the image.

Stu.

[ffellah]

I like this granulation, Mark. I may give Sodium a try.

Franco

[Montana]

Very interesting arches, we need one at higher power

Alexandra

[ffellah]

Hi Mark: when you user the HaT with the Quark, I assume you use a focal reducer. I do not believe you use it at F/43 (F/10 x 4.3x built in Barlow). If that is the case, what reducer do you use and at what position you place the reducer ?

Thank you,

Franco

[banjo]

really amazing these photos in sodium, bravo !!!!!
Paul

[THEO BAKALEXIS]

Very closed granulation Mark.

Great work but i `ll want to see compare with white light to understand.

At the first i see faculae with very low power but i want to see the same area in white light to see the difference

Great work to images.

For me you are one of the best observators here.

[marktownley]

Hi Mark: when you user the HaT with the Quark, I assume you use a focal reducer. I do not believe you use it at F/43 (F/10 x 4.3x built in Barlow). If that is the case, what reducer do you use and at what position you place the reducer ?

Thank you,

Franco

Yup, I use it at f43 Franco.

I managed to get some comparison shots on Sunday morning, the transparency was poor, but I could see the sun through the haze. First off using the 100mm scope Lunt wedge and 7nm Ha filter:

gran-white-light by Mark Townley, on Flickr

Then, same scope and the Sodium Quark:

granulation-Na-100mm by Mark Townley, on Flickr

The views are subtly different. Then, what things were looking through the Na Quark and the HaT - seeing not playing!

granulation-HaT by Mark Townley, on Flickr

[Montana]

These are amazing Mark!

Alexandra

[Carbon60]

Mark, Did you capture another sodium bridge??

Mark_Sodium_Animation.gif (3.72 MiB) Viewed 920 times

It's so difficult to distinguish if these are real features, or a trick of the eye. It's interesting to note, though, that this feature does appear to connect between two pores.

Stu.

[marktownley]

Yes, indeed it's difficult to say what that are, I may have to crack out my 5" scope and see how this works in Na. Certainly would be good skyburner if are capturing these features. Where did you get the diagram from? would be interested in more info about them...

[marktownley]

No sun, no time. Hopefully soon!