Thursday 28 October 2010

2010-10-26: Significant Solar Activity

The following picture was captured on 2010-10-26 at 12:58 GMT from Majadahonda with a C8 SCT with a Canon 400D in the primary focus. It shows the solar photosphere with the sunspot groups 1117 and 1115 and faculae near the limb.

Solar photosphere on 2010-10-26T12:58 GMT

Just later, two videos of 15 secs were captured attaching to the primary focus a Phillips Toucan Pro Camera with a NIR blocking filter. The pictures below were produced stacking the individual frames using Registax. In these images more details of the sunspots and their umbra, solar granulation and faculae can be observed.

Sunspot group 1117 on 2010-10-26T13:05 GMT

Sunspot group 1115 on 2010-10-26T13:15 GMT

The following pictures show cromosphere details in H-alpha. These images were produced stacking two videos of 15 secs captured around 14:00 GMT with a Phillips Toucan Pro Camera and a 2x Barlow attached to a Coronado PST. In the first image, cromosphere filaments and spicules can be observed above and around sunspot group 1117. The active area between sunspots suitable to produce flares is quite evident in the image.

Solar Cromosphere on 2010-10-26T14:00 GMT

The next image shows a large eruptive prominence produced by an active region behind the limb.

Eruptive Prominence on 2010-10-26T14:15 GMT