Sunny Saturday 21st January 2023

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Montana
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Sunny Saturday 21st January 2023

Post by Montana »

Heaven, a sunny Saturday :beanie: after a week of work hell and another coming up, it was lovely to relax and enjoy the sunshine today. I've been so busy I haven't even been on the internet since Tuesday I think, I can't remember :(

I tested out a fix that Helmut told be to try on my blocking filter to remove the need for a dew heater, we will see if this works. However, it may not work as the Hubby was over helpful and hampered the fix, bless him, he was trying to help, but never answer the phone and turn your back in the middle of a fix :( I have been wondering whether to confess this to Helmut or not this week, however, it did work today so nothing lost, hopefully.

I also made some proper flat caps for making flats, I should have done this years ago. I use a bag flat, but these fruit bags have been discontinued due to the removal of plastic from supermarkets and my bags are getting tattered by use with elastic bands. I also wobble the scope putting them on with elastic bands, the bags flap in the wind and are in general a nuisance. So I spent £11.99 on a range of assorted embroidery rings and made proper flat caps with my bags today. Hopefully this will preserve the plastic, not flap about and not wobble the scope. They simply slot on and off. I made one for the C11 using cling film instead, so this will also save plastic not having to use a fresh piece each time.

ImageCreating a flat cap by Alexandra Hart, on Flickr

ImageCreating a flat cap by Alexandra Hart, on Flickr

ImageCreating a flat cap by Alexandra Hart, on Flickr

ImageCreating a flat cap by Alexandra Hart, on Flickr

ImageCreating a flat cap by Alexandra Hart, on Flickr

Solarscope DSF100 / 1.6x Barlow / FLIR Grasshopper 3

Floating cloud prom, very faint but I am sure it is tethered
ImageSun_131457_21_01_2023_f colour by Alexandra Hart, on Flickr

Image2023-01-21 Halpha solar disc 01 a by Alexandra Hart, on Flickr

Image2023-01-21 Halpha solar disc 02 f colour by Alexandra Hart, on Flickr

and another Aphelion / perihelion image, I will stop at the end of this month I promise
Image2022-07-09 Halpha solar disc Ap-Perihelion f colour by Alexandra Hart, on Flickr

Alexandra


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Re: Sunny Saturday 21st January 2023

Post by DeepSolar64 »

Beautiful work Alexandra. Your limb prom image actually looks like mine and if that's true I am doing ok to even remotely compare to anything you do :-) I really like your Ha colored full disc. It's soft but the resolution is still there. The filaments have a nice silky look.

Nice homemade flats! You could do this and sell them!!

James


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Re: Sunny Saturday 21st January 2023

Post by KMH »

Beautiful images and processing! Too bad that huge filament didn't survive till the weekend.
May I ask, what Grasshopper version (which sensor) are you using these days?

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Re: Sunny Saturday 21st January 2023

Post by rigel123 »

Great shots Alexandra! Looking closely at the floating prom I believe I see some fine tendrils going off to the right which is probably tethering it to that much brighter prom on the limb. Great job with those flat filters!


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Re: Sunny Saturday 21st January 2023

Post by Rusted »

Great stuff and beautiful images. Thanks for sharing. :bow

As to your "little helper:" Handcuffs spring to mind. ;)


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Re: Sunny Saturday 21st January 2023

Post by banjo »

:bow :bow :bow :bow :bow :bow :hamster: :hamster: :hamster: :hamster:

Thank You for this Great idea


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Re: Sunny Saturday 21st January 2023

Post by Martin_S »

Hi Alexandra, what a great idea for flats, we can still buy freezer bags over here( for now). You have some great images in this post, thanks for sharing them.

Martin


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Re: Sunny Saturday 21st January 2023

Post by Carbon60 »

Some nice 'wood engineering' there, Alexandra. These should make things a lot easier for you when making flats.
Your FDs are beautiful....so very detailed :)

Stu.


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Re: Sunny Saturday 21st January 2023

Post by nicspenceryork »

Glorious images as always 😍
Can you tell us a bit about the blocking filter fix?
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Re: Sunny Saturday 21st January 2023

Post by Montana »

Thanks everyone :) handcuffs :lol: :lol:

Kevin, I still use my trusty Grasshopper 3 SONY ICX674, I've had it for years now :)

Alexandra


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Re: Sunny Saturday 21st January 2023

Post by marktownley »

You got a lovely disk ALexandra! The embroidry rings work very well.


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Re: Sunny Saturday 21st January 2023

Post by MAURITS »

The images are outstanding Alexandra, even the embroidery rings are a great idea.


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Re: Sunny Saturday 21st January 2023

Post by ffellah »

Great shots, Alexandra. I always like your soft processing, it makes it very real. The Ha disks are splendid: very nice work with the embroidery rings !

Franco


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Re: Sunny Saturday 21st January 2023

Post by Averton »

Very nice images Alexandra and tidy work on the flats masks.
Glad you got to enjoy the Sun :)


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Re: Sunny Saturday 21st January 2023

Post by Ibbo »

Very nice and confirms my "cloud prom"


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Re: Sunny Saturday 21st January 2023

Post by Peterm »

Amazing detailed disks Alexandra. Do you do these through that window? I really like the color you have used in these. Hmmm Martin and I may have to raid our supermarkets here in QLD OZ for a roll of plastic bags and black market them! Would cling warp work?


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Re: Sunny Saturday 21st January 2023

Post by Montana »

Thanks guys :)

Peter, I bought a full opening bedroom window a couple of years ago, it is the best money I have ever spent and means I can solar view in winter. The window is like a patio door and fully opens 2/3 one way, or 2/3 the other way, so I have a massive open hatch. Probably breaks all health and safety laws for children but as I have none who cares :)

Cling warp does work and I have used that in the 10" ring. I have found that the larger the aperture the less opaque the film needs to be to cause blurring / reduction in light. The Solarscope 100mm ring needs to be more opaque to work and a fruit bag is perfect :)
Alexandra


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Re: Sunny Saturday 21st January 2023

Post by MapleRidge »

Superb images Alexandra :bow

I like the modded embroidery rings for your plat masks...very resourceful ;)

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