Solar viewing prep for Venus Transit

[DavidP]

Seeking comment as to set up for Venus Transit:

Before parting with some hard earned money, wondering if those views shown in the mags of a red/orange sun, flares etc, would be seen with a celestron 102SLT and a Celestron (Baader) solar filter together with combination of Baader fringe killer/moon skyglow/red filters (apprantly this is meant to achieve a small bandpass of hydrogen-alpha)?


Great to hear from you.


Regards,


David

[steve000]

Not sure about the filters but from what I read the Baader film produces quite a white sun. My setup was going to be a 100mm refractor short tube with film. I never considered the filter, id be keen to also get others opinion on this.
Personally I would prefer more orange sun rather than white

[steve000]

http://www.astroshop.com.au/products/details.asp?id=MAS-062S

[lepton3]

The Baader solarfilm does indeed give you a white light image. It is still so bright that you can add an orange eyepiece filter, say a Wratten #12, if you prefer.

In my opinion white light will give a fine view of the Venus transit, and it will be spectacular if there are some sunspots at the same time.

Note that no simple glass filter is going to give you views of prominences and flares -- for that you need an etalon type filter a la the Lunt or Coronado solar telescopes.

-Ivan

[CapturingTheNight]

I have a Coronado PST that I will be using to observe and image the transit. Being a Ha scope the prominences around the edge of the sun are easy to see but the colour that our eyes (and cameras) see at that end of the spectrum is red, red and even more red. The images you see of the sun yellow and/or orange are generally captured in monochrome and a false colour is added to the images later in processing. That's what I do.....
104204

[Paddy]

A good etalon filter or dedicated Ha scope is a great investment. The sun is a constantly changing delight. I'd recommend getting one that filters to <7 angstrom - lots more detail visible. 2012 is the year for it with and eclipse and transit!

[matt42s]

Are images like the one you posted composites? The black outline looks like the border of the 'surface' exposure and there is another exposure added for the flares. Is that right?

[CapturingTheNight]

Yes, two exposures Matt. The surface exposure is pasted on top of the prominence exposure. I find it the best way to bring out detail in both the surface and around the limb. I have tried a few middle ground exposures to try and get it all in one so to speak, but find it hard to pull out the detail in the proms without blowing out the surface. I'm still very much learning. Only had my PST for about two months