Sun does not show very much in broadband light but narrowband images reveal "hidden" details.

Solar Continuum (nb):

Sunspots (nb):

K-Line (nb):

H-alpha (nb):

Equipment: Skywatcher EVOSTAR ED80 Pro ED APO 80/600mm, Lunt LS35TH-alfa, Imaging Source DMK 41AU02, ALccd5, Baader Herschel Prism, Canon 60Da, Baader Solar Continuum 2", Baader K-Line 1.25", Solar Filter ND 3.8, Astrotrac TT320X-AG.

Two new little sunspots have appeared and have been numbered as 1758 and 1759.

Solar Continuum with Canon 60Da:

Same as above with numbers and without colours:

K-Line with ALcc5 and Herschel Prism:

Sun in H-alpha with Lunt LS35THa and DMK 41AU02:

Equipment: Skywatcher EVOSTAR ED80 Pro ED APO 80/600mm, Lunt LS35TH-alfa, Imaging Source DMK 41AU02, ALccd5, Baader Herschel Prism, Canon 60Da, Baader Solar Continuum 2", Baader K-Line 1.25", Solar Filter ND 3.8, Astrotrac TT320X-AG.

Today was a couple of days postponed first light for Baader Cool Ceramic Herschel Solar Prism or just Herschel prism or wedge in short. I am still waiting for 4x PowerMate barlow so the difference here in second image compared to images taken with Astro Solar foil is minimal.

Ikharos and 5Dmk2 with Solar Continuum:

Ikharos, Herschel Prism, K-Line and ALccd5:

A nice little case was included with the prism:

T-mount with EF-adapter are options NOT included in delivery:

Total of 1 + 3 ND 2" filters were also included with the wedge. One 2" ND filter and 2" Solar Continuum filter have been pre-mounted into prism's body and you can easily change them:

Equipment: Ikharos 102/717mm, ALccd5, Baader Herschel Solar Prism, Canon EOS 5D mk2, Baader K-Line 1.25", Baader Solar Continuum 2", Solar Filter, no tracking whatsoever.

Sun today was again worth looking at.

Solar Continuum:

Sunspots and active regions:

K-Line:

H-Alpha:

Equipment: Skywatcher EVOSTAR ED80 Pro ED APO 80/600mm, Lunt LS35TH-alfa, Imaging Source DMK 41AU02, Canon 60Da, Baader Solar Continuum 2", Baader K-Line 1.25", Solar Filter ND 3.8, Astrotrac TT320X-AG.

My two first FIT-images ever were taken today early morning:

Our Moon:

This one looks like a flat field but it is light frame actually:

Equipment: Skywatcher EVOSTAR ED80 Pro ED APO 80/600mm, Starlight Xpress SXVR-H18, Astrotrac TT320X-AG

Sun today was not so boring at all. New sunspots and active regions are coming visible behind Sun's eastern edge.

Solar Continuum:

Sunspots:

K-Line:

H-Alpha:

Equipment: Skywatcher EVOSTAR ED80 Pro ED APO 80/600mm, Lunt LS35TH-alfa, Imaging Source DMK 41AU02, Canon 60Da, Baader Solar Continuum 2", Baader K-Line 1.25", Solar Filter ND 3.8.

Two other imaging tasks which were scheduled a couple of days ago got completed today morning. I noticed that pictures need some post-processing which can be done either on-line or processing downloaded images yourself with any software you like. I did the latter with Nebulosity for FITS-files.

Image (c) Bradford Robotic Telescope
Request ID R436914
Job ID J194743
Object Type MESSIER
Object ID 51
Object Name The Whirlpool Galaxy
Exposure Time 120000 ms
Filter Type BVR
Dark frame Instant
Site Name Tenerife
Telescope Type Name Galaxy
Telescope Name Galaxy Camera
Request Time 17:45 on Thursday 16 May 2013 (16:45:54 UTC)
Completion Time 01:06 on Sunday 19 May 2013 (00:06:36 UTC)
Comments
Status Complete

Image (c) Bradford Robotic Telescope
Request ID R436913
Job ID J194471
Object Type MESSIER
Object ID 101
Object Name The Pinwheel Galaxy
Exposure Time 120000 ms
Filter Type BVR
Dark frame Instant
Site Name Tenerife
Telescope Type Name Galaxy
Telescope Name Galaxy Camera
Request Time 17:45 on Thursday 16 May 2013 (16:45:09 UTC)
Completion Time 01:52 on Sunday 19 May 2013 (00:52:20 UTC)
Comments M101 first test
Status Complete

At the same time when imaging pictures shown in previous blog post I was witnessing M-class flare at AR1748 all time.

Video:

This morning I visited our observatory at Kauppi and found out that we are missing tracking capable mount at the moment. This fact of limited device setup can be seen in pictures too where there are some strange artifacts created during post-processing.

ALccd5:

Imaging Source:

Canon DSLR:

Equipment: Lunt LS60T H-alfa, Ikharos 102/717mm, Imaging Source DMK 41AU02, ALccd5, Canon EOS 5D Mark II, Solar Filter.

Last night I tried Bradford Robotic Telescope for the very first time and scheduled three jobs. This unprocessed image of M27 (The Dumbell Nebula) completed during the night.

Image (c) Bradford Robotic Telescope
Request ID R436915
Job ID J194814
Object Type MESSIER
Object ID 27
Object Name The Dumbell Nebula
Exposure Time 120000 ms
Filter Type BVR
Dark frame Instant
Site Name Tenerife
Telescope Type Name Galaxy
Telescope Name Galaxy Camera
Request Time 17:46 on Thursday 16 May 2013 (16:46:54 UTC)
Completion Time 05:03 on Friday 17 May 2013 (04:03:50 UTC)
Comments
Status Complete

Atmosphere was quite stable today so I deciced to take all photos. Sky wasn't 100% clear however and one could see thin white clouds everywhere.

Solar Continuum:

H-Alpha:

K-Line:

Equipment: Skywatcher EVOSTAR ED80 Pro ED APO 80/600mm, Lunt LS35TH-alfa, Canon 60Da, Baader Solar Continuum 2", Baader K-Line 1.25", Solar Filter ND 3.8.

It's getting better and better in Sun all the time. AR1748 in east is producing X-class solar flares. Unfortunately weather conditions today were not so good and I took only normal wide band images:

Equipment: Skywatcher EVOSTAR ED80 Pro ED APO 80/600mm, Canon 60Da, Baader Solar Continuum 2", Solar Filter (ND=3.8).

Today was almost a perfect day for Solar imagers. At least if you compare it with other days do far during this spring.

Solar disk seen through K-Line filter:

Sun contrast enhanced with Solar Continuum filter:

Sun in H-Alpha:

AR1745 close:

After playing for a while with previous setup it became obvious that it could not reach focus as such because imaging camera was too far away in optical axis. I deciced to remove filter wheel between OAG and CCD-camera and place it as the first device in imaging train. Even after that a short extension ring was needed between OAG and Lodestar guide camera.

Here is new setup where filter wheel is installed before OAG and AO units:

During summer holidays I will not lay on beach but instead make myself familiar with the equipment we (TaUrsa) own. This setup consists of SXVR-H18 CCD-camera with external extra cooler, filter wheel with four 2" LRGB filters in place, sophisticated adaptive optics unit and Lodestar guide camera (OAG). Especially AO device is interesting and should be able to improve guiding accuracy and make imaging possible even in quite bad conditions. If I have installed all the pieces correctly together there are total of seven wires: 2 for power, 3 USB, guidecable and serial cable.

11th May was sunny saturday and perfect day for Tampereen Ursa to visit Tuorla observatory near Turku. The trip was quite a success and most of us likely enjoyed it:

Entering Tuorla campus area:

Leaving bus and going in:

Our host told us stories about telescopes in desert:

Listening presentation telling us what ESO does:

Esko Valtaoja's book is found here of course:

Reminder note in door:

One dome for a dog and another for humans:

First dome we saw:

Going up to a hill:

Main observatory tower:

There is something BIG here:

CCD cameras:

More cameras:

Main mirror in close:

A view from the tower:

Second view from the tower:

Guide scope and camera ;-)

Information leaflet:

Computer screens in control room:

Computer systems in control room:

Goodbye Gigant:

Main tower:

Older equipment by Väisälä:

Twins on the hill:

Going under ground:

Here are those world-class mirrors made:

Tunnel going up:

Pictures provided by ESO:

Going inside planetarium:

Leaflets in planetarium: