The Sun

SteveDallas • May 25, 2003 3:07 pm
This image shows the sun at 5:24PM EDT on May 19 (the ONLY clear day of the entire month at my location).

Taken with my Meade ETX-70AT telescope, a Scopetronix STWA14 telescope eyepiece/digital camera adapter (intended to take pictures of the lunar eclipse!), Scopetronix solar filter, and Nikon Coolpix 999 camera.
SteveDallas • May 25, 2003 3:18 pm
Hmmm. There's a fair amount of artifacting (concentric sircle patterns) in this image as I see it here. I do NOT see the same pattern on the original photo... it looks much better. Any thoughts on why it's different?
Tobiasly • May 25, 2003 5:01 pm
The picture looks a little blurry to me, but I don't see the artifacting you're referring to. Are you using a browser that automatically resizes large pictures?
SteveDallas • May 25, 2003 7:45 pm
I'm using Mozilla 1.3... I don't think it does. You're right, it's a hair blurry... it's not easy to get the exact focus right between the telescope, and the camera. I need some practice! :cool:
Billy • May 26, 2003 1:02 am
I desire to eat it. I think it must be sweet.
SteveDallas • May 26, 2003 11:01 pm
Mmmmmmmm fooood!

Well maybe this is better. I used some processing software to combine elements of three separate exposures, then I sharpened and compressed the brightness range to make the sinspots darker--but it also added some grayness around the edges. (I'm not sure this exposure-combining technique is even worthwhile for solar pics. Usually it's used for things like star clusters where there is really just black and white and not much else.)
Undertoad • May 26, 2003 11:55 pm
And when viewed from the side:

Image
wolf • May 27, 2003 12:02 am
mmmmmm Flan .....
juju • May 27, 2003 12:22 am
ahh ahh yes to yes
to ahh ahh to yes
why the sun?
why the sun?
SteveDallas • May 27, 2003 1:05 pm
Hey! You forgot to throw in some blackberries to stand in for the sunspots! :beer:
e unibus plurum • May 27, 2003 4:05 pm
Originally posted by SteveDallas
to make the sinspots darker

You devil, you!;)