tanichols
25-February-2004, 09:39 PM
All,
I had an enjoyable SAFE solar viewing session today with my Coronado BinoMax Whitelight Solar Binoculars.You can see what the sunspot grouping currently looks like from your computer along with details by going to:
www.spaceweather.com
What did I see? At the center of the sun's disk the small sunspot grouping 565 is visible, I've observed this grow over the past few days. This small "Hawaiian Islands" looking chain of sunspots should continue and grow over the next few days.
But the neatest feature is the rather large Sunspot Grouping 564 just right and a little low of center on the western side of the suns disk. It's right now about eight Earth diameters and has grown from barely observable a few days ago to naked eye visible! A neat animation of the sunspot group crossing the sun is available by going here: http://science.nasa.gov/spaceweather/image...b04/564_big.gif (http://science.nasa.gov/spaceweather/images2004/25feb04/564_big.gif)
If you're interested in learning about how sunspots are numbered, go to:
http://www.spaceweather.com/glossary/sunsp...spotnumber.html (http://www.spaceweather.com/glossary/sunspotnumber.html)
This same entertaining naked-eye observing session could be had by you if you have a clear daytime skies and a pair of specially made for solar-obseving eclipse shades or #14 or higher rated welders glass handy. SAFETY NOTE- Take caution when looking at the sun with your eyes, it must be done safely, or blinding could occur! Be SAFE!
Or, if you'd like to see how you can view the sun safely here are some neat websites to coach you through the process:
http://www.spaceweather.com/sunspots/doityourself.html - Covers how you can view the sun by projecting it with Binoculars
or go to:
http://www.mreclipse.com/Totality/TotalityCh11.html - And scroll down to the bulleted list of several different techniques
The sunspot should be observable for the next few days, after that it will be on the far side of the sun, and we'll have to wait until it rotates around again to see if the sunspot has grown or disappeared.
Have a look SAFELY!
Regards,
Ted A. Nichols II
President - ASH
www.astrohbg.org
I had an enjoyable SAFE solar viewing session today with my Coronado BinoMax Whitelight Solar Binoculars.You can see what the sunspot grouping currently looks like from your computer along with details by going to:
www.spaceweather.com
What did I see? At the center of the sun's disk the small sunspot grouping 565 is visible, I've observed this grow over the past few days. This small "Hawaiian Islands" looking chain of sunspots should continue and grow over the next few days.
But the neatest feature is the rather large Sunspot Grouping 564 just right and a little low of center on the western side of the suns disk. It's right now about eight Earth diameters and has grown from barely observable a few days ago to naked eye visible! A neat animation of the sunspot group crossing the sun is available by going here: http://science.nasa.gov/spaceweather/image...b04/564_big.gif (http://science.nasa.gov/spaceweather/images2004/25feb04/564_big.gif)
If you're interested in learning about how sunspots are numbered, go to:
http://www.spaceweather.com/glossary/sunsp...spotnumber.html (http://www.spaceweather.com/glossary/sunspotnumber.html)
This same entertaining naked-eye observing session could be had by you if you have a clear daytime skies and a pair of specially made for solar-obseving eclipse shades or #14 or higher rated welders glass handy. SAFETY NOTE- Take caution when looking at the sun with your eyes, it must be done safely, or blinding could occur! Be SAFE!
Or, if you'd like to see how you can view the sun safely here are some neat websites to coach you through the process:
http://www.spaceweather.com/sunspots/doityourself.html - Covers how you can view the sun by projecting it with Binoculars
or go to:
http://www.mreclipse.com/Totality/TotalityCh11.html - And scroll down to the bulleted list of several different techniques
The sunspot should be observable for the next few days, after that it will be on the far side of the sun, and we'll have to wait until it rotates around again to see if the sunspot has grown or disappeared.
Have a look SAFELY!
Regards,
Ted A. Nichols II
President - ASH
www.astrohbg.org