by Michael Swartz
The sun was indeed very good today. The sun spots look quite different in h-alpha. The dark spot is not so obvious as it is against a somewhat plain background of white light viewing. The h-alpha view is full of surface detail that makes the spot itself less distinct. The spots are still there of course but when you also see the bright hotter areas around the spot, small but very dark hairs of gas, dark churning patterns and filaments jutting all over along with the bright red prominences shining against the blackness of space around the sun you don't really focus on the sunspots too much.
Today there were two particularly large spot groups and a very large and long prominence that were quite spectacular. There was so much surface structure and activity that one could just stare at it and be mesmerized. The longer you looked, the more you saw. While I was looking, alternating between studying the two large spots groups and the really spectacular prominence a group of small but very bright areas that looked like small splinters or fissures opened up. I think it may have been evidence of a flare or some other kind of venting event. There were some filaments that looked quite high above the surface and long with connect points at several places between ends. So it wasn't clear if it was all one event or structure or if I was seeing a series of structures in a line that just appeared to be connected. Some of the filaments seemed to be at a slight angle from my point of view so I could see some feather or lace like structure to them. Kind of like looking down at a fountain I guess.
It is always interesting to look at the sun since I never know ahead of time what I will see. But today was a good day to look at the sun.
I expect Wednesday to be a good day for solar viewing as well.
Bill: I have another commitment on Saturday but I think I should be able to get together with you on Friday. Do you have to work inside the whole time or do you want to plan an outside viewing activity and invite the group to join us?
Posted on sf-bay-tac Jul 20, 2004 22:12:12 PT
Converted by report.pm 1.2 Jan 03, 2005 19:35:26 PT