The Weekend Sun

iceman (Mike) · #1 17-01-2005, 08:32 AM

After stating my intention to image that huge sunspot on the weekend, the weather did what it could to prevent me for most of Saturday, but by Saturday afternoon the skies cleared and I was able to get some video.

These are my first attempt at imaging the Sun with the ToUcam, and it's much harder than imaging the planets.. the heat, the glare, not being able to see the laptop screen properly, not being able to use a star to focus, it all works against you.

I had to get my son Jacob to hold his umbrella up over me and the laptop screen just so I could see it to try and find focus!

These were taken at 10fps with 1/500s shutter speed. Full details on the Sun page on the website.

AR718:

AR720:

AR720 @ 2500mm (2x barlow):

The next day, I also took a few handheld shots with the Sony DSCP100. The following is 3 images stacked in registax 3.

Click on the image for the full size.

Comments or suggestions welcome!

vindictive666 (John) · #2 17-01-2005, 09:48 AM

wow

is that the closest you can get ?

bewtiful work

rumples riot · #3 17-01-2005, 11:39 AM

Lovely work Mike, good close images of the sunspot. Keep em coming.

astrodave (David) · #4 17-01-2005, 02:21 PM

Wow Mike that is something else... There's a lot of sweat and care in those images - well done.

I never tried anything with the sun before - but with such a large sunspot I wondered what my binolculars would show up. I was pleased to get nearly as much detail as the public low res soho image..

[1ponders] (Paul) · #5 17-01-2005, 02:34 PM

Nice one Mike. Damned good imaging of a tough subject.

silvinator · #6 17-01-2005, 08:16 PM

Great images Mike!

Wow Dave, your bino's do an amazing job of showing those sweet sunspots! Very cool image!

Mick (Michael) · #7 17-01-2005, 08:20 PM

Nice work Mike.

gbeal · #8 17-01-2005, 08:47 PM

Ice,
now you can see why I actually preferred the Leica Digilix point and shoot, to the ToUcam. I have used a dark jacket over my head and the camera/eyepiece, just to compose and shoot. If I lived in town I would have received some weird looks, fortunately I am out in the country.
Nice shots though. You are certainly getting some use from that dob.
Gary

Striker (Tony) · #9 17-01-2005, 08:48 PM

3 cheers for Mike.....hip hip...horaaaay...hip hip....horaaaay....hip hip....horaaaay.....

Well done....

iceman (Mike) · #10 18-01-2005, 05:55 AM

Thanks for the comments all - Dave, they are nice shots with the binos!

And yep Gary, afocal is much easier than the ToUcam for subjects like the sun. The ToUcam does give a higher resolution, but not by much if I zoom the camera in and crop the 5mp photo down. I still need an afocal adapter though.

De-Gen · #11 18-01-2005, 10:25 AM

Nice and clear images, thumbs up

tornado33 · #12 19-01-2005, 12:59 PM

Hi all.
Nice images. heres my effort

6 inch F 3.6 schmidt newtonian Meade "cometracker" + full aperature solar filter, and EOS300D 100 ISO 1000sec speedhttp://www.users.on.net/~josiah/sun/IMG_7075.jpg

ving (David) · #13 19-01-2005, 01:17 PM

very nice ice ice baby!

on the full sun pic, is that another sunspot at the top of the pic or a bug transiting the lens?

iceman (Mike) · #14 19-01-2005, 01:27 PM

I'm pretty sure it's another small one, as I think I remember seeing it when the eyepiece was in.

Though it's not in Tornadoes, which was taken a day or 2 later..