Solar cycle 25

Alright, this is for sharing of your observation experience. Or, if you are arranging gatherings, star-gazing expeditions or just want some company to go observing together, you can shout it out here.
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superiorstream
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Re: Solar cycle 25

Post by superiorstream »

Hi Alfred
Thanks for the photo again.
It must be said that daystar filters are research grade and hence those spectacular photos from Alfred. Really showing lots of details.
However it must be said that even in the double stack,
activities are seen as decreasing and today the 3 regions of activities has become as 1 region...... Solely around sunspot 2781. However, in Cak, the 3 regions reappear as bright regions.
Sadly at 540nm/white light, 2781 has depreciated to a small circular umbra--penumbra sunspot.
Lets see what happens tomorrow.
Also note that for the past few days, the morning fine weather provides a good observing period.
superiorstream
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Re: Solar cycle 25

Post by superiorstream »

Just went through spaceweather. Com
and saw the pic of flare...... that's the region I said at the edge of the sun on the same belt as 2781.
Quite surprised at that as this morning its brightness had been down.
Let's see what happens tomorrow.
Really the sun is full of surprises.
superiorstream
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Re: Solar cycle 25

Post by superiorstream »

Finally that active region on the same belt as 2781 is assign sunspot 2782.
Its visible as a bright region in double stacked Ha with no spot, but with Cak, a spot show up within a bright region. Also, finally a small prominence show up at the edge where 2781 is.
The various views of 2782 is interesting.
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yltansg
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Re: Solar cycle 25

Post by yltansg »

This image, from Solar Dynamics Observatory shows the location of the 2 active regions on the full disk in Calcium-K wavelength (looking at the lower chromosphere of the Sun) on 14 Nov, 8am.

Image


I observed the 2 active regions with my Celestron C11 this morning in Calcium-K wavelength (extreme violet colour). Active Region 2781 is near the western limb of the Sun. I saw 2 micro flares. Can you spot it?

Image

I also observed Active Region 2782. I was able to pick up a small sunspot which SDO didn't.

Image

Right click to open up in a new tab to see the images in full resolution.

Alfred
superiorstream
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Re: Solar cycle 25

Post by superiorstream »

Today only the morning weather favour observation of the sun..... And indeed I made full use of it.
At 540 nm, sunspot 2782 is NOT visible. Again, 2781 is just an unimpressive dot., but
In Cak, both sunspots are impressive.
Again, 2782 shot up with a dot.
Hi, Alfred
I didn't manage to capture the two mini flare.
Most show come from Ha double stack.....
2781 do show up bright at the edge and there's some
mini prominence
2782 show up as a region with no dot, but some distance
away, three doted filaments in a row show up
On the north of the sun, three doted filaments in a row
show up also.
Thanks Alfred for the impressive photo.
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yltansg
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Re: Solar cycle 25

Post by yltansg »

superiorstream wrote: Sat Nov 14, 2020 10:09 pm Today only the morning weather favour observation of the sun..... And indeed I made full use of it.
At 540 nm.... Again, 2781 is just an unimpressive dot., but In Cak, both sunspots are impressive.
Hi Mr Chia,

I did not do any imaging at 540nm this time. I am "struggling" to focus and adjust the Gamma setting to see the details on the umbra and penumbra in CAK. A fellow astronomer in North Carolina U.S.A. saw the details. He wrote:

Orion 70mm Solar Telescope. 25x and 50x ( WL )
I can see the faculae and spot of AR12781 nearing the SW limb. The Wilson effect is seen strongly in the spot. I can still also make out both penumbra and umbra. The faculae itself seems more tattered and spread out than the more winding form it took yesterday. I can very faintly see the faculae of AR12782 in the SE. No pores are seen there. I can with some difficulty see the fine solar granulation covering the disc.

https://solarchatforum.com/viewtopic.ph ... 12#p272912

Meantime, images from STEREO show huge active regions coming in 1-2 days time.

Best regards.

Alfred
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yltansg
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Re: Solar cycle 25

Post by yltansg »

15 Nov 2020, I got the equipment ready at 7:35am even though there were clouds on the horizon. Eventually I was rewarded with 10 minute window of unobstructed view of the Sun. I made 3 recordings. One of the recordings on AR2782 turned out to be this beautiful high-resolution beauty.

Image

It has all the features of an active region. 30,000 to 35,000km supergranulation cells showing the convective flow of plasma and brightened areas called plages which are a good predictor of the occurrence of future sunspot formation.

Then came the clouds and I could hear the thunder and lightning.

Alfred
superiorstream
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Re: Solar cycle 25

Post by superiorstream »

Hi Alfred and all in solar viewing,
Thanks for the reply and interesting photo.
Today, I only manage in shotting inHa double stack and Cak. The early gap at 7.30 am was nice but shotlive.
The gap after 9 am..... a series of short gap...... till 11.30 enable me to complete my Cak session. However after I set up my 540nm scope, it rain and I never get my view in 540nm.
Ha view:-In single stack, small prominence was visible at the edges of the 2 active belts. Not really that spectacular. Also, 2781 was at the edge. The core was out of view, and only a small bright region visible.
2782 was more spectacular.... In double stack, bright regions are visible and accompanied by a filament south of it., but note that these activities CANNOT be seen with a single stack(I use a lunt 35mm)
Also in the north, a filament was visible, in both single and double stack, it showed up.
Cak view:-2782 dark core had disappeared and only bright regions are visible..... A clear sign of decrease in activities.
Although I never succeed at viewing at 540nm,as expected, spaceweather showed 2782 'disappeared'.
2782 is really interesting..... illustrated that sunspot can appear and disappear without showing up in the visible range.
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yltansg
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Re: Solar cycle 25

Post by yltansg »

Hi Mr Chia,

AR12781 making its exit on the western limb. It was taken 15 Nov, 07:46 am.

Image

Took a break today.

Alfred
superiorstream
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Re: Solar cycle 25

Post by superiorstream »

Hi Alfred, and solar observers
Nice photos.
Today weather favours obs throughout the day, but I basically did it between early morning to around 1 pm.
Here is what I saw
At 540nm,the sun is spotless. Blank, featureless sun.
At Cak, 2782 is still visible without its dark core., and it basically consist of 2 bright region., one brighter than the other.
In Ha, 2782 show a feature similar to the above Cak but surrounded in the east and west by filaments.
Also noted that a bright region is rotating into view. This region is lead by aabout 2 snake like filaments.
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