Sunspot 1054 is visible without a telescope, page 1
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Topic started on 16-3-2010 @ 06:43 AM by Chadwickus
SpaceWeather.com has posted some images of sunspot 1054, including an image taken with a 300mm lens.

I thought it was too good not to share:

Sunspot 1054 is so big, you can see it without a telescope. All you really need is a bank of thick clouds. Yesterday in Lusby, Maryland, a dark cloud drifted across the sun and "there was the sunspot!" reports Neil Winston. "I grabbed my camera and snapped this picture."




Larger image here:




And some additional images with more dedicated equipment:

Link 1

Link 2

Link 3

Bird is the word











[edit on 16/3/10 by Chadwickus]


reply posted on 16-3-2010 @ 07:22 AM by Chadwickus
reply to post by Karlhungis


A bit of both I'd say.

The sun had an extended minimum, it's now well and truly awake and doing what's it's supposed to be doing.


reply posted on 16-3-2010 @ 08:26 AM by noonebutme
reply to post by Chadwickus


Thanks for the heads up, Chadwickus

Very fascinating - simply amazing to be able to see it without the usual high tech equipment.

And to think of just how big that sunspot really is...


reply posted on 16-3-2010 @ 08:30 AM by SpacePunk
reply to post by Chadwickus


You can see most sun spots without a telescope. Just need a large piece of paper with a small hole in it, and something to project the sun onto. We used to do it in grade school of all places.


reply posted on 16-3-2010 @ 04:21 PM by Chadwickus
reply to post by mblahnikluver


Can't say I can buy into that one MB lol

There seems to be plenty of theories about sunspots and earth, even one that stated that the shape of the sunspot reflects the location of a large earthquake by being the shape of the land mass the earthquake hits.


reply posted on 16-3-2010 @ 04:32 PM by Maybe...maybe not
reply to post by Chadwickus


G'day Chadwickus

Thanks for posting that very interesting picture

I did not know it was possible to see a sunspot in that manner.

I also think it's uncanny how your body is such a perfect match for Wolverine's head.

Cheers mate
Maybe...maybe not


reply posted on 17-3-2010 @ 01:58 AM by Zeptepi
For those without optics or cloudy skys, Check it out here. Sometime next year these two satellites will give us all a live 3-D image of the entire Sun. Right now you can see about 80% From the website.

stereo.gsfc.nasa.gov...

This was About an hour ago. Nasa updates it all the time.


NASA's Solar TErrestrial RElations Observatory (STEREO) satellites have provided the first three-dimensional images of the sun. For the first time, scientists will be able to see structures in the sun's atmosphere in three dimensions. The new view will greatly aid scientists' ability to understand solar physics and there by improve space weather forecasting. This web page contains 3-D anaglyph video and images. This 3-D video can be seen with red and cyan + 3-D paper glasses


As you can imagine, There is an i-phone app for this as well:

A new free application for iPhones lets you access up-to-date global views of the Sun from STEREO along with solar activity alerts and other features. With this application, you can interactively view the Sun from any angle, and zoom in on features of interest, based on combined images from both STEREO spacecraft.


Thanks for the thread.



reply posted on 17-3-2010 @ 02:13 AM by Phage
reply to post by Zeptepi

Actually we are getting a 3D view now but we're going to lose that pretty soon.

Next year the two satellites will be located 180ยบ from each other (on either side of the sun) so we will no longer have a stereo view. But the good news is that we will be able to see the entire Sun all at once.


reply posted on 17-3-2010 @ 03:34 AM by Zeptepi
reply to post by Phage


Yes, It is in 3D now. at 87% currently.
And the seperation will be at 180 degrees on Feb 6, 2011.



stereo-ssc.nascom.nasa.gov...
2011:

* Jan 12 Both: HGA calibration
* Feb 6 STEREO spacecraft at 180 degree separation
* Mar 18 Messenger - Mercury orbital insertion
* Apr 11 Ahead: Switch downlink rate to 120 kbps
* Jul DAWN - Vesta arrival
* Jul 13 Both: HGA calibration
* Sep 19 Behind: Switch downlink rate to 96 kbps
* Sep 26 Ahead: Switch downlink rate to 96 kbps


Thanks for pointing out my admittedly ambiguous phraseology Phage.
Just trying to contribute an alternate source for your viewing pleasure.
Nevermind.

[edit on 17-3-2010 by Zeptepi]
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