This weekend was good for solar obs. both days but the better was Sat. 2/28. Went to H-alpha mode at 10:00 am on Sat. and recorded the following:

Prominences- Set of spikes at 1 o'clock position. Single arch with lots of streamers at 8, with a newer developing spike climbing out of the lower limb contact. At 9.5 to almost 11 o'clock there was a long feature I quickly named the aqueduct, after the Roman elevated waterways seen in history books. These were a series of arched columns, all joined together at the tops. This prominence had 5 columns, with the one at 9.5 the most bright and detailed, and from there moving upward, a less bright one, and dimmer still and then two brighter ones at the top end.

Disk details/spots- The sun is starting to LOOK active, with spots and active areas girdling the solar equator almost the entire way. No spots of naked-eye (filtered) size, though. From left to right, a spot group with two parallel lanes of small spots, and a dual-spot to thier left, all in a very active region with lots of swirls. Further in - a small spot with a bridge bisecting it. Near center a dog-bone shaped group with small spot groups at the ends and some field lines between them as well as a projection (prominence seen against the disk as a dark band) linking the ends and drooping to the south solar pole slightly. The disk markings surrounding this complex looked like the old science class experiment done with the iron filings and a bar magnet with paper between. This group really looked magnetic! Next group was about halfway center to RH edge and was a single spot with little surrounding structure. Some complex structure coming around the RH edge but no spot appearing yet. There was a small grouping at 10 o'clock about 8/10ths the way from center to edge under the aqueduct area's middle. This region had just a few spots, but lots of swirls, and extended granulation, maybe a new spot group starting up?

Magnifications used were 60 and 40. Seeing was poor for 100x and over viewing most of the time. Passing dog marked one of my tripod legs when I was busy viewing :-(.

Thought about night viewing, but TAC had been unable to concensus on a observing site(s) before I left my email for the weekend. Greatly encouraged by Mark's Pacheco report from 2/27-8, sounds like a good spot even when wet.