Lunt 60 Calcium K solar scope w B1200 BF and 2" FTF focuser
Posted: Thu Apr 18, 2013 5:55 pm
Wanted to increase my line of solar images. Finally decided on a Lunt-60mm Calcium Solar Scope with B1200 blocking filter and 2" Feathertouch focuser.
It arrived well packed in an aluminum casing on 12 Apr 13 evening.
After fitting a solar finder and dovetail, it was installed on an iEQ45 mount with a DMK 41AU01.AS camera. First light was on 13 Apr 13, 08:30 am. !!
Locating Sun was a breeze. The FTF focuser is a joy to use. Focus just snaps on
I have included an image from spaceweather so that it is easy for you to see the North-South-East-West orientation. Sunspots move across the solar disk from East (9 O'clock position of solar disk) to West (3 O'clock position).
This H-Alpha image is taken with a SF 50 solarscope etalon.
And this CAK-Line image is first light image with the new Lunt CAK scope.
Background Information On what's happening on the Sun
On 10 Apr 13 AR 1718 & 1719 showed potential for M-Class flares. Earth was facing a double-barreled threat. Compared to AR 1719, AR 1718's Beta-Gamma magnetic field which contained energy for M-Class flare was predicted to be more likely to erupt as it was growing rapidly and crackling with C-Class flares.
Instead the magnetic field of AR 1719 erupted On 11 Apr 13 UT 0716 with M6-Class solar (almost X-Class) flares. Excited observers on Earth watched anticipatedly for the CME emerging from AR 1719 to arrive 2 days later. The severity of the CME impact was unknown.
On 12 Apr 13 NOAA forecasters predicted that AR 1719 (which has Delta-Class magnetic field) has a 15% of X-Class flares.
On 13 Apr 13, AR 1718, AR 1719 and AR 1721 all have Beta-Gamma magnetic fields with energy for M-Class flares. On this day, the CME which was propelled towards Earth by a M6-Class eruption on 11 Apr 13 hit Earth at 22:45 UTC. The impact was not strong. It rattled the Earth's magnetic field and induced electrical currents in the ground around Artic Circle. Impact sparked faint auroras in several northern-tier US states. Eventually all 3 sunspots moved out of view without creating much impact.
Both H-Alpha and CAK Line images taken on 13 Apr 13 08:30 hrs showed AR 1718, AR 1719 and AR 1721. The H-Alpha image showed the features at the higher chromosphere whilst the CAK-Line image the lower chromosphere. The temperature at the lower chromosphere is lower compared to that of the higher chromosphere covered by the H-Alpha image. Both images showed plages (bright areas) near the sunspots and areas of intense magnetism. Plage are often seen a few days before the appearance of a sunspot. The CAK Line image which showed wider areas of plage (compared to H-Alpha) seem to suggest that the sunspots will be growing bigger and have potential for flares. But that did not materialise
It arrived well packed in an aluminum casing on 12 Apr 13 evening.
After fitting a solar finder and dovetail, it was installed on an iEQ45 mount with a DMK 41AU01.AS camera. First light was on 13 Apr 13, 08:30 am. !!
Locating Sun was a breeze. The FTF focuser is a joy to use. Focus just snaps on
I have included an image from spaceweather so that it is easy for you to see the North-South-East-West orientation. Sunspots move across the solar disk from East (9 O'clock position of solar disk) to West (3 O'clock position).
This H-Alpha image is taken with a SF 50 solarscope etalon.
And this CAK-Line image is first light image with the new Lunt CAK scope.
Background Information On what's happening on the Sun
On 10 Apr 13 AR 1718 & 1719 showed potential for M-Class flares. Earth was facing a double-barreled threat. Compared to AR 1719, AR 1718's Beta-Gamma magnetic field which contained energy for M-Class flare was predicted to be more likely to erupt as it was growing rapidly and crackling with C-Class flares.
Instead the magnetic field of AR 1719 erupted On 11 Apr 13 UT 0716 with M6-Class solar (almost X-Class) flares. Excited observers on Earth watched anticipatedly for the CME emerging from AR 1719 to arrive 2 days later. The severity of the CME impact was unknown.
On 12 Apr 13 NOAA forecasters predicted that AR 1719 (which has Delta-Class magnetic field) has a 15% of X-Class flares.
On 13 Apr 13, AR 1718, AR 1719 and AR 1721 all have Beta-Gamma magnetic fields with energy for M-Class flares. On this day, the CME which was propelled towards Earth by a M6-Class eruption on 11 Apr 13 hit Earth at 22:45 UTC. The impact was not strong. It rattled the Earth's magnetic field and induced electrical currents in the ground around Artic Circle. Impact sparked faint auroras in several northern-tier US states. Eventually all 3 sunspots moved out of view without creating much impact.
Both H-Alpha and CAK Line images taken on 13 Apr 13 08:30 hrs showed AR 1718, AR 1719 and AR 1721. The H-Alpha image showed the features at the higher chromosphere whilst the CAK-Line image the lower chromosphere. The temperature at the lower chromosphere is lower compared to that of the higher chromosphere covered by the H-Alpha image. Both images showed plages (bright areas) near the sunspots and areas of intense magnetism. Plage are often seen a few days before the appearance of a sunspot. The CAK Line image which showed wider areas of plage (compared to H-Alpha) seem to suggest that the sunspots will be growing bigger and have potential for flares. But that did not materialise