20091107 Sun

Thin cloud scattering around and constrast was reduced greatly. Seeing 3/10, transparency 6/10. Low activity again.

1502 (GMT+8), captured with a DMK 31AF03:-


Canon 450D video mode capturing, surface detail at 1/320 ISO 100, prominences at 1/25s ISO 400.

(the results are too bad to keep, not to say to post)

20091106 Sun

There's some small scale activities on the surface, but prominence activity becomes low. Seeing 3/10, transparency 6/10.

1610 (GMT+8):-


1611 (GMT+8):-

20091105 Jupiter

Taken with my Canon 450D in video mode, Orion 100 ED f/9, seeing 3/10, transparency 5/10.

2116 (GMT+8), with 2x barlows, ISO 800 at 1/25s:-


2123 (GMT+8), with 5x Powermate, ISO 1600 at 1/15s:-


Feels like way too much compression in the AVI, hard to squeeze useful information.

20091102 Sun

Still lack in surface activities, but the prominences are pretty nice. I even pulled out my eyepiece to have a look :-)

1411 (GMT+8):-


1413 (GMT+8):-


While I'm adjusting my mount, I saw a plane passed through the solar disc! What a sight, but too bad that my camera was not recording.

20091101 Sun

Still silent, seeing 2/10, transparency 2/10.

1511 (GMT+8):-


1512 (GMT+8):-

20091031 Sun

Spotless again, seeing 3/10, transparency 3/10.

1604 (GMT+8):-


1605 (GMT+8):-


Firebird!

20091026 Sun

Very poor transparency today at 2/10, seeing 3/10. AR1029 can be seen in white light! Therefore, I pulled out my simple white light setup to have a shot first:

1525 (GMT+8), manual focus by looking into the view finder:-


1526 (GMT+8), autofocus by Live View contrast detection:-


My simple (lazy) white light setup consists of a Thousand Oaks Type 2+ Glass, Canon 450D with Canon 100-400mm at 400mm with Kenko 2x, handheld, spot metering.

And then I setup my H-alpha gear and it's definitely far more interesting. Again, taken with my Tele Vue Ranger with NGF-CM, Solarmax 40 with BF10, and DMK 31AF03. The full disc was taken with a reducer at the nosepiece of the BF10 and then the close up was taken with a Tele Vue 2x barlows:-

1547 (GMT+8):-


1548 (GMT+8):-


1553 (GMT+8), close up with 2x:-

20091024 Sun

Busy schedule together with lousy sky means no imaging. The sky was still hazy together and I'm still busy but yet, I need some short moments of relax and luckily, we have AR1029 around.

My usual setup: LXD55, Tele Vue Ranger with NGF-CM, Solarmax 40 with BF10, and then a DMK 31AF03, the close up were taken with a Tele Vue 2x barlows, and the full disc were taken with a reducer in the nosepiece of the BF10.

1547 (GMT+8):-


1548 (GMT+8):-


Closeup, 1552 (GMT+8):-


1553 (GMT+8):-


1555 (GMT+8), I found this prominence group very interesting:-

20091012 Sun

It's cloudy today, I just take the short moment which I can penetrate the thinner cloud by overexposure.



Taken with my usual setup. The sun has moved into a good position from inside my home, I've removed that long extension plate after this session since I can point to the sun from insde my home without it. More stability from now on.

Stuff for sales

I prefer local (Hong Kong) sales except the Herschel wedge which could be shipped.

1. Orion 100ED f/9 OTA with rings ($3888)

- Superb optical quality, the tube is not very long and it "fits" into a tripod bad which I will include in the deal. I usually unscrew the lens with its cell to store separately.

2. Unistar Light mount ($1500)

- With less than 2kg in weight, it supports even a C8 up to around 100x (stable!), the ultimate portable visual mount, 3/8" thread

3. 1.25" APM Herschel wedge with B+W ND3 and Polarizer ($1999)

- The best you can get for white light solar imaging, period.

All prices are listed in HKD, please contact me if interested.

20091004 Jupiter with Canon 100-400mm f4.5-5.6L

Yes, I am not joking, I just did it. Conventional snapshot won't work, and instead, I have used the software EOS Camera Movie Record so that I can take short video clip and then do stacking. The native 400mm focal length is very little for Jupiter and thus I've added a Kenko 2x into the optical path to get 800mm. Yes, 800mm is still little but then that's what I can do at this moment. f/11 is not pushing the optics for planet imaging and we usually use f/20 or more. Anyway, it's just a start.



Not bad, right?

20091004 Sun

There is a very interesting prominence today, nothing else.

1605 (GMT+8), with reducer:-


1606 (GMT+8), with reducer:-


1611 (GMT+8), with 2x barlows:-

20090926 Sun

My internet connection is still down but the scope is up and running... the room is very hot at 34 degrees, remember that's indoor temperature...

1545 (GMT+8), with reducer:


1546 (GMT+8), with reducer:


1548 (GMT+8), with 2x barlows:-


1549 (GMT+8), with 2x barlows:-


1550 (GMT+8), with 2x barlows:-:-

20090925 Sun

My internet connection is still down, I'm now using something very slow and unstable.

I reached home earlier today and the sun was sinking very low, anyway, I did a few shots since there're some active regions around, rare these days.

First two taken with reducer, 1727 (GMT+8):-


1728 (GMT+8):-


This one taken with a 5x (without reducer) and the seeing/transparency was so poor in that low angle, essentially useless shot, just a record taken at 1733 (GMT+8):-

Problem with my broadband connection

You might already notice that I have not been updating my blog these days. That's because my home broadband connection failed. Actually, I have no access to my home phone, and also my TV.

The service provider has been trying to fix it, but none of the technician made it. I am now planning to switch to another provider, however, I need to make sure that the existing service provider would terminate my contract first or otherwise, they will keep charging me every month. And as you might guess, the existing service provider won't give up so easily and they are still trying to send more people to check the connection out.

Therefore, at the time being, I cannot do anything but wait. Once my existing contract was terminated cleanly, I will subscribe to a new provider and by then, my network connection will become stable again.

Thank you for the wait, and wish that things will get fine soon.

20090912 Sun

It's pretty clear today, I would rate it 6/10 with some cloud floating around, seeing like 3/10, not too bad in day time standard. The sun is extremely silent. Again, all captured with my usual setup: Coronado Solarmax 40 with BF10, DMK 31AF03.AS, Tele Vue Ranger with NGF-CM and 0.5x binoviewer corrector mounted in the nosepiece of the BF10.

1553 (GMT+8):-


1554 (GMT+8):-

Scaling down from 31AF03 to 21AF04

Just wonder if it will fit into the field of view?

With the 31AF03, the solar disc will fit in a square of around 760x760 pixels (including medium sized prominences), and the 31AF03 has a pixel size of 4.65um.

With a 21AF04, the pixel size is 5.6um and thus the pixel will accomodate slightly more field.

By simple calculation, the 21AF04 will be able to fit horizontally, but not vertically with my existing instrument. Therefore, I would rather stay with my 31AF03.

20090907 Sun

The sun is still quiet, transparency 6/10, seeing 2/10. This time, I open the window to capture.

1710 (GMT+8):-


1711 (GMT+8):-

20090906 Sun

I'm breaking the rule. You people probably know that I had been taking solar images indoor with an open window.

It is 33 degree Celcius outside. Guess what?

I dare not even to open the window, yes, I'm shooting through the cheap and dirty window plate glass with my usual setup. I know the quality is going to be bad, but during solar minimum, I can try without missing too much valuable detail hopefully. So, I did it.

First two shots are taken with a 0.5x at the nosepiece of the BF10, of course, the Solarmax 40 is in the front as usual:-

1644 (GMT+8):-


1646 (GMT+8):-


Some small detail were kind of "washed out", and the effect is similar to poor seeing.

Finally, I even did a close up with a 2x, so it means 960mm effective focal length:-

1659 (GMT+8), this one is pretty similar with what I can do with an open window:-

20090905 Sun

Transparency 7/10, seeing 2/10. No sunspots nor active regions, not even big prominence. Solar activity remains low, let's hope when the "stored" energy released, it will deliver a great show.

1427 (GMT+8):-


1429 (GMT+8):-