H-Alpha Solar Sketch
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Observation Notes:
A beautiful set of proms and dynamic active regions decorated the sun today. AR 1027 was alive and three regions fizzed with pores amid a network of plages and filaments. These spots appeared and disappeared within a span of mere minutes. I did not spend as much time on AR 1026, but its most prominent feature was a triangle of three lighter spots. Three other filaments were strewn across the northern hemisphere. One prominence at PA 210 degrees exhibited a magnificent cockscomb shape right next to a blazing, triangular pyre. At PA 320, a braided prominence swirled away from the solar limb.
| Subject | Solar H-Alpha |
| Sunspots | Undetermined |
| Sunspot Groups | 1 |
| Date/Time | SEP 27, 2009 2:00 – 2:30 PM MST (SEP 27, 2009 21:00 – 21:30 UT |
| Observing Loc. | Flagstaff, AZ – Home |
| Instrument | Coronado PST – 40 mm f/10 |
| Eyepieces/Mag. | Pentax XW 10 (40X) |
| Conditions | Clear, light breeze |
| Seeing | Ant. II |
What? Actual activity? Every time I have looked through an Ha scope lately it has been rather boring. I am getting tired of explaining the featureless Sun to visitors using the solar scopes at the Mauna Kea VIS.
These were the first really good active regions I’ve been able to observe since getting the PST earlier this year. It was amazing to observe the structures changing as I watched. I can’t wait to see how it looks when things really get churning.
Over the weekend, Flagstaff hosted a few events for the Festival of Science, and there were a couple large H-Alpha filtered telescopes set up in different venues. Unfortunately, the views from both were fairly soft, possibly because of focus or tuning issues. But it was so busy, I wasn’t able to slip the suggestion in that they tighten it up a bit. That way folks would get a better idea of how crisp things can look. …I think I may be spoiled by my scrawny little PST 🙂