Party addendum first: Excellent get-together! Had to depart early before talking with everyone, but lots of great conversation before going.

Next morning 10:30 to noon H-alpha view. This week both spots and limb details were very active. Starting with spots there were 3 main groups, all were just to the right of mid-sun and at different latitudes. Highest group was a single spot trisected with bridges and having a dark penumbra with a light colored ring surrounding that. The middle group, on the equator, was extremely complex, with a boomerang shaped group on the right, a riddling of small spots going left of there and becoming a swarm with several small flares coming and going between the most clustered of these. The final group was a chain of spots that paralleled the equator at its right hand side, drooping down on its left half. There were three major groups inside this, at the two ends and in the central bend. The group at right had a single oval spot with a dark penumbra that was itself studded with spots at the periphery. The group at the bend was like a sprinkling of pepper, with no large members. The lower left end had 5 large streak shaped spots all in a chain. Although I detail large groups and individual spots, I also sweep the disk for small lone spots. I found none this session. The one area where white light filters or projection may best the H-alpha gear is here in these small lone rouge spots. They can disappear into the surface granulation (the "orange peel" markings) in the H-alpha view.

To the prominences, large grass group at 1 o'clock with a dim wedge at the north end of the group. A flattened loop breaking up at 3 o'clock and another at 10, with the upper part of the arch missing. A outward spraying tuft of grass at 7 and next to it on it's left, the view of the day. This particular prominence started as a squat wedge, very bright, and expanded thirty-fold in as many minutes, it literally grew too fast to draw in detail, I had to settle for "thumbnail" sketches of its progress every 4 or 5 minutes. As it finally slowed and dimmed, it was the shape of a trumpet, pointing not straight outward but curved along the limb somewhat. In the gap between this and the limb, several bright spots appeared, some lasting a few seconds, others several minutes. A few seemed to rise from the limb and head upwards to join the horn.

Two small spikes at 9 o'clock, no movement. Viewing made at 40 80 and 150 x during the session, temperature and conditions very pleasant.

This account makes the fourth of a weekly series. It should note two things, first - we actually had 4 weekends with sun in them !!!!!!!! second, the period covers what is usually accepted as a full rotation of the sun. The sun in reality has different rotational speeds at different latitudes, but the 28 day figure is what is qouted most.

During this period I have tried to impart the view of this active sun in h-alpha light. I have detailed how prominences and spots appear, as well as the subtle forms on the disk, and also how the equipment responds and operates. The descriptions cover a large portion of the typical forms seen, and how they can evolve or remain.

As the next deep sky window opens, and hopefully one with good weather in it, I plan to switch emphasis to this and solar observing will be less scheduled. Solar reports will be made when opportunity presents , and I plan to concentrate now on documenting major new changes as this maximum progresses, and I will note large sunspots, groups of, and any unusual or massive prominences/ flares especially. The reporting will have to become a bit more abbreviated to save typing/reading time.