The Sun

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The Contrasting Sun: Large Sunspot Group May 2016 and Spotless July 2016

Left: 24^th May 2016 at 14:36 UT. Large "Naked-eye" (i.e. protected) spot visible.

Right: 3^rd July 2016 at 14:20 UT. Spotless Sun, since 24^th June. This spell ended on 6^th July.

The cropped images were taken with a DSLR on a 70 mm refractor at 480 mm focal length. Thousand Oaks Type 2+ Solar Filter. Exposure 1/1000 s at ISO 400.

Sunspot Groups April 2015

21^st April 2015 at 10:17 UT. Seven groups are visible. However, by the end of the month there were virtually no spots on the Sun.

This all-disc image (cropped) was taken with a DSLR on a 85 mm refractor at 600 mm focal length. Thousand Oaks Type 2+ Solar Filter. Exposure 8 x 1/1000 s at ISO 400.

Huge Sunspot late October 2014

The giant spot 2192 was very prominent with just the solar filter at unit power.

23^rd October 2014 at 14:55 UT. Very windy. Exposure 1/750 s ISO 400.

24^th October 2014 at 15:11 UT. Windy. Exposure 1/1000 s ISO 800.

This all-disc images (cropped) were taken with a DSLR on a 85 mm refractor at 600 mm focal length. Thousand Oaks Type 2+ Solar Filter.

Large Sunspot March 2012

The complex spot 1429 was easy seen with just the solar filter at unit power.

Left: 5^th March 2012 at 18:56 UT. Seeing poor. Exposure 1/250 s

Middle: 6^th March 2012 at 14:50 UT. Seeing poorish. Exposure 1/350 s

Right: 7^th March 2012 at 14:29 UT. Seeing moderate. Exposure 1/350 s

This all-disc image (cropped) was taken with a DSLR on a 70 mm refractor (Pronto) at 480 mm focal length. Thousand Oaks Type 2+ Solar Filter. ISO 400. Labeled with NOAA Active Region numbers.

Sunspot Groups January 2012

24^th January 2012 at 15:21 UT. Spot 1402 produced strong aurorae over N.Europe, but not so much over N.America.

This all-disc image (cropped) was taken with a DSLR on a 70 mm refractor (Pronto) at 480 mm focal length. Thousand Oaks Type 2+ Solar Filter. Exposure 1/500 s at ISO 400. Labeled with NOAA Active Region numbers.

Sunspot Groups November 2011 on successive days

Left: 5^th November 2011 at 16:30 UT.

Left: 6^th November 2011 at 16:53 UT.

This all-disc images (cropped) were taken with a DSLR on a 70 mm refractor (Pronto) at 480 mm focal length. Thousand Oaks Type 2+ Solar Filter. Exposure 1/500 s at ISO 400. Labeled with NOAA Active Region numbers.

Striking Sunspot Group late September 2011

A Striking Sunspot Group with some other individual spots. 27^th September 2011 at 16:39 UT.

This all-disc images (cropped) were taken with a DSLR on a 70 mm refractor (Pronto) at 480 mm focal length. Thousand Oaks Type 2+ Solar Filter. Exposure 1/640 s at ISO 800. Labeled with NOAA Active Region numbers.

Sunspot Groups early September 2011

A host of groups of small Sunspots. 1^st September 2011 at 16:41 UT.

This all-disc images (cropped) were taken with a DSLR on a 70 mm refractor (Pronto) at 480 mm focal length. Thousand Oaks Type 2+ Solar Filter. Exposure 1/800 s at ISO 800. Labeled with NOAA Active Region numbers.

Sunspots Groups late July & early August 2011

Left: Three sunspot groups. 28^th July 2011 at 14:55 UT.

Right: Three sunspot groups. 3^rd August 2011 at 14:07 UT.

These all-disc images (cropped) were taken with a DSLR on a 70 mm refractor (Pronto) at 480 mm focal length. Thousand Oaks Type 2+ Solar Filter. Exposures 1/400 s at ISO 400. They are labeled with Active Region numbers.

Sunspot Groups February 2011

Left:A striking sunspot group and a few isolated spots. 14^th February 2011 at 13:30 UT. 130mm refractor at 1040mm focal length. Very windy.

Right: On 19^th February 2011 at 14:30 UT. 85 mm refractor at 660 mm focal length. Note the Faculae near the group on the limb.

Both images are cropped. Taken with a DSLR. Exposures 1/640 s at ISO 400. Thousand Oaks Type 2+ Solar Filter.

Two Sunspots December 2010

Two Sunspots. 12^th December 2010 at 13:43 UT. Exposure 1/1000 s at ISO 400.

The full frame image was taken with a DSLR on a 85 mm refractor at 660 mm effecive focal length. Thousand Oaks Type 2+ Solar Filter.

Sunspot Groups November 2010

Two sunspot groups. 15^th November 2010 at 13:06 UT. Exposure 1/320 s at ISO 200.

The full frame image was taken with a DSLR on a 85 mm refractor with a 2x barlow (about 1200 mm effecive focal length). Thousand Oaks Type 2+ Solar Filter.

A Sunspot Group March 2010

A nice double sunspot. Note also a separate spot near the limb.

27^th March 2010 at 16:07 UT. Exposure 1/750 s at ISO 200.

The image was taken with a DSLR on a 85 mm refractor (600 mm focal length) and is cropped. Thousand Oaks Type 2+ Solar Filter.

A String of Sunspots in February 2010

A lovely String of Sunspots, the first in a long time.

8^th February 2010 at 14:40 UT. Exposure 1/750 s at ISO 200. With field flattener to give a focal length of 660 mm.

The image was taken with a DSLR on a 85 mm refractor and is cropped. Thousand Oaks Type 2+ Solar Filter.

The Sun in December 2009: without and with Sunspots

December 2009 saw a welcome return of some sunspot groups. But other days were blank.

Left: Blank Sun. 23^rd December 2009 at 12.46 UT. 600 mm focal length, 1/1500 s exposure at ISO 400.
Right: Sunspot Group. 19^th December 2009 at 13:59 UT. Exposure 1/1000 s at ISO 200. With field flattener to give a focal length of 660 mm.

Both images were taken with a DSLR on a 85 mm refractor and are cropped. Thousand Oaks Type 2+ Solar Filter.

Hedge-Row Prominence in H-α June 2005

Afocal image with a Nikon 4500 digital camera. Processed including Un-Sharp Mask. 288 mm effective focal length. 60mm Hydrogen-α filter (Coronado SolarMax). 11^th June 2005.

Whole Disc/Details of Sun in H α in May 2005

At left: Prominence and Plages. Afocal image with a Nikon 4500 digital camera (not processed). Effective Focal Length 320 mm. 60mm Hydrogen-α filter. At right: Detail Processed but at 970 mm effective focal length. 10^th May 2005.

Prominence in H α in March 2005

Solar Prominence. Afocal image with a Nikon 4500 digital camera (not processed). Effective focal length 1000 mm. 60mm Hydrogen-α filter. 19^th March 2005.

Large Sunspot Group in January 2005

Taken through a 70 mm refractor, working at 528 mm focal-length. Thousand Oaks Solar Filter. 1/125 sec on Kodak Elite Chrome 100. 16^th January 2005 at 12:53 UT. The group was visible to the protected naked-eye.

Sunspot Groups in November 2003

Taken through a 70 mm refractor. Afocal setup with a Nikon 4500 digital camera. 1/125 s. Thousand Oaks Solar Filter.
22^nd November 2003 at 13:23 UT. The large group was visible to the protected naked-eye.

Large Sunspot in October 2003

Image taken through a 70 mm refractor (Pronto) and a Powermate 4X to give a focal length of about 1920 mm. The exposure was 1/60^th second on Fujichrome 100 slide film with a Thousand Oaks Solar Filter. It was a prominent spot to the protected naked-eye. 21^st October 2003.

Striking Sunspot in August 2002

Taken through a 70 mm refractor (Pronto), working at a focal length of 528 mm. The exposure was 1/1000^th second on ISO 400 slide film with a Thousand Oaks Solar Filter. Image cropped. It was a prominent spot to the protected naked-eye. 16^th August 2002.