Sun's darker areas (areas, not spots...)

[OzStarGazer]

I have noticed some dark areas in the photos I have taken of the sun. Really areas, not spots (the spots are there too, but separately). And not around the spots, really large areas. What exactly are they? I tried to find out, and found this article http://www.smithsonianmag.com/science-nature/the-source-of-the-suns-dark-spots-180686784/?no-ist, but it mainly mentions the area around the spots.

Thanks! :)

[pluto]

What scope and filter are you imaging through?
I find I get darker and lighter areas on the sun through my PST depending on how it's tuned, I've never noticed anything like that through a white light filter though.

[OzStarGazer]

Oh, I am using something very basic. A 70mm Celestron refractor somebody gave me for the eclipse (but I still have it) and a point-and-shoot camera. The darker areas are there also with the white filter on its own, although not so dark (but they are clearly evident if I use the curves function in Photoshop for example), and they are dramatically enhanced by adding a yellow or orange filter.

[OzStarGazer]

This is not mine, but very similar http://hyperphysics.phy-astr.gsu.edu/hbase/solar/picsol/sunwithspots.jpg.
If you look closely some areas are darker than other areas.

[pluto]

Yeah I see what you mean, hopefully someone in the know can enlighten us :)

[Blue Skies]

Linear areas are called filaments (I think) and larger areas are coronal holes. Although looking at spaceweather.com (http://www.spaceweather.com/) it says there are no coronal holes facing the Earth today. (Hoping someone else more into solar observing will come along and answer this!)

[OzStarGazer]

Thank you! It was a general question, not about the sun yesterday, so I think you answered my question. :thumbsup:

[Pinwheel]

I recently got a full aperture polymer solar filter & have been using it a lot this week. I've seen nothing like your describing other than some sunspots & a filament or two. I wonder if you seeing some form of polarization through your optics.

[OzStarGazer]

Try "coronal holes" in Google images... I think that's what I am seeing. :)

[Pinwheel]

Well I looked up "Coronal holes" & If I saw this through my telescope, I would have $hit myself.
However, I doubt you saw this image as it is an XRAY image & not possible to be seen by the human eye.
Your other link photo looks more like the granular layer of the photosphere, which is normal.

[OzStarGazer]

I didn't really see them like in the first photo (not that black), but they are also darker than in the second one, like dark shadows...
My image is flat (I cannot see the filaments), but just imagine something like this image without the filaments:
http://static.ddmcdn.com/gif/blogs/dnews-files-2014-05-sun-sibling-670x440-140509-jpg.jpg
It is probably normal, I was just wondering if there was a reason for the visible differences.

[Pinwheel]

Again that's an Xray image but I see where your going now. Exactly what filters were you using. Did you use a one of these-
http://www.bintel.com.au/Accessories/Solar-Filters/Baader-Solar-Continuum-Filter-2-/1776/productview.aspx

[OzStarGazer]

It's a Baader filter, but I insert it at the front (like a cap). The default colour is white, but with an orange or yellow filter the contrast is higher.

[Pinwheel]

A standard Baader full aperture solar filter. Suprising that you saw the Granular photosphere with just that & a yellow filter. You did very well then.:thumbsup:

[OzStarGazer]

Thanks. I am starting to enjoy the sun... :)

[Pinwheel]

This is just a question but do you suffer from any form of colour blindness. I ask as my son is colour blind to red & as such he see's things I can't see. It's just a thought.

[OzStarGazer]

I don't think so... I had my eyes examined just a few months ago.

OK, I didn't want to post my images because my equipment is so basic... :( But I will post a couple. Can you see the darker areas? Just two examples (more or less at random, I've got many photos.)