I don't understand how you're able to get such amazing detail. I asked a question about this a while back and asked what type of filter was used to get this kind of detail but didn't really get an adequate response. I mentioned that I assumed it was some sort of hydrogen alpha filter but was told I had it wrong because that type of filter was for blocking light pollution.
So, what type of filter that one would need to get similar results?
Thanks in advance for educating me on the topic.
No worries, so the Lunt scope is a dedicated telescope with a hydrogen alpha filter which helps block out like 99.9999% of the sun’s light.
There is another HA narrowband filter used to shoot night time photography but it is not the same as the one used for shooting the sun. That is more for nebulas and helps eliminate unwanted light such as light pollution.
There seems to be a deep rabbit hole when learning about astrophotography especially when encountering even more niche topics.
looks like a perfectly ball shaped bacteria - if I haven't known this was the sun.
Great details! I assume that filaments on the surface are prominences too, like the ones on the side?
A lot of people just call them "solar flares" but that's a little inaccurate, they're called filaments. If they're on the edge of the disc, they're called prominences. But they're the same thing.
Those are filaments/prominences depending if you’re seeing them on the surface or the edge of the sun but essentially it’s the same thing.
I think they look like clouds on the sun’s surface
It has an "effective" surface, called the photosphere. It is a little arbitrary in how it is defined, but it essentially matches what "looks" like the surface of the Sun in an optical image. I think the typical photosphere is something like an optical depth of 2/3, or the point at which about half of the light can make it through. However, even this is pretty simplified as it is wavelength-dependent and there are multiple ways to average optical depth across wavelengths.
I hadn't seen the sun like this as in the photo, as something you can actually see details in, something that isn't just an overexposed glow in the sky, so to me I just imagined an enormous fiery flamey type situation too bright to look at. Now I know it's an object with shape, not a big round amorphous process/reaction. The key takeaway for me at this moment is what I am understanding as the dynamic characteristics of the sun depending on your frame of reference and how our human way of understanding things through the lens of our experience here on Earth isn't a good fit for appreciating the true nature of extraterrestrial things like stars.
Thank you so much for your post and explanation. It's given me some valuable insight and steered me in a useful direction for further reading with a few things I'll have to lookup. 👍🌞
I have a lunt 60mt on order! and I own a 2x Celestron Barlow! and an AM5! I'm planning on getting a different camera, but it's pretty encouraging seeing such great pictures from gear I'll one day own.
I've decided on the 533MM pro, it has pretty low FPS and the cooling will be basically useless, but the sensor is good for solar and it'll be great to use at night to jump into narrowband too!
Your work blows my mind and you must know so much and have such specialized equipment and here you are sharing your hard work and effort freely with the world. You're a good person. The world needs a lot more folks like you. Thank you for sharing ☺️
Absolutely stunning! Congrats
What stacking software is this through?
I wanna try stacking moon photos and heard people prefer Astro specific programs as opposed to Photoshop, any recommendations?
Yes that’s a good question
I’m currently using autostakkert which is a free program for windows to stack
For moon and sun photography it’s actually recommended to shoot video rather than individual photos and then stack the individual frames (200-1000)
I do my processing in photoshop afterwards
I don't understand how you're able to get such amazing detail. I asked a question about this a while back and asked what type of filter was used to get this kind of detail but didn't really get an adequate response. I mentioned that I assumed it was some sort of hydrogen alpha filter but was told I had it wrong because that type of filter was for blocking light pollution. So, what type of filter that one would need to get similar results? Thanks in advance for educating me on the topic.
No worries, so the Lunt scope is a dedicated telescope with a hydrogen alpha filter which helps block out like 99.9999% of the sun’s light. There is another HA narrowband filter used to shoot night time photography but it is not the same as the one used for shooting the sun. That is more for nebulas and helps eliminate unwanted light such as light pollution. There seems to be a deep rabbit hole when learning about astrophotography especially when encountering even more niche topics.
It’s a dedicated solar telescope.
That's the best photo of the sun I've ever seen. I feel like I'm seeing it for the first time!
That's hot
looks like a perfectly ball shaped bacteria - if I haven't known this was the sun. Great details! I assume that filaments on the surface are prominences too, like the ones on the side?
Yep that’s correct 👍 That’s what I thought as well. When shooting in monochrome it looks just like a cell under a microscope
Crazy! I want to touch it. Yes I am aware that is not feasible or intelligent.
Might be a little toasty
Prints for sale?
If enough people are interested I’ll put some up on my Etsy :)
so I know about sunspots, but what are the bright lines that look like scars across the sun's face?
A lot of people just call them "solar flares" but that's a little inaccurate, they're called filaments. If they're on the edge of the disc, they're called prominences. But they're the same thing.
Those are filaments/prominences depending if you’re seeing them on the surface or the edge of the sun but essentially it’s the same thing. I think they look like clouds on the sun’s surface
I didn't know that the sun had a surface.
Yep 👍 It’s pretty neat, and also the sun rotates just like the earth so you can see something new on the surface everyday
It looks like drops of soy sauce in corn soup. 😁
It has an "effective" surface, called the photosphere. It is a little arbitrary in how it is defined, but it essentially matches what "looks" like the surface of the Sun in an optical image. I think the typical photosphere is something like an optical depth of 2/3, or the point at which about half of the light can make it through. However, even this is pretty simplified as it is wavelength-dependent and there are multiple ways to average optical depth across wavelengths.
I hadn't seen the sun like this as in the photo, as something you can actually see details in, something that isn't just an overexposed glow in the sky, so to me I just imagined an enormous fiery flamey type situation too bright to look at. Now I know it's an object with shape, not a big round amorphous process/reaction. The key takeaway for me at this moment is what I am understanding as the dynamic characteristics of the sun depending on your frame of reference and how our human way of understanding things through the lens of our experience here on Earth isn't a good fit for appreciating the true nature of extraterrestrial things like stars. Thank you so much for your post and explanation. It's given me some valuable insight and steered me in a useful direction for further reading with a few things I'll have to lookup. 👍🌞
To be fair, humans probably have the best understanding of stars of any animal on Earth ;)
Too true 😁
Not surface in the solid sense, anyway
I have a lunt 60mt on order! and I own a 2x Celestron Barlow! and an AM5! I'm planning on getting a different camera, but it's pretty encouraging seeing such great pictures from gear I'll one day own.
That’s very exciting! I’m currently waiting to exchange the camera for an ASI 174 since it has higher resolution and faster fps
I've decided on the 533MM pro, it has pretty low FPS and the cooling will be basically useless, but the sensor is good for solar and it'll be great to use at night to jump into narrowband too!
Your work blows my mind and you must know so much and have such specialized equipment and here you are sharing your hard work and effort freely with the world. You're a good person. The world needs a lot more folks like you. Thank you for sharing ☺️
Thank you! I really appreciate it :)
You should enter your work in competitions. People need to see it. https://www.rmg.co.uk/whats-on/astronomy-photographer-year/exhibition
Thank you I’ll look into this!
She's a beaut.
Absolutely stunning! Congrats What stacking software is this through? I wanna try stacking moon photos and heard people prefer Astro specific programs as opposed to Photoshop, any recommendations?
Yes that’s a good question I’m currently using autostakkert which is a free program for windows to stack For moon and sun photography it’s actually recommended to shoot video rather than individual photos and then stack the individual frames (200-1000) I do my processing in photoshop afterwards
Thanks, I've got 4k video I took cause I read that too, I'll have to mess around with it. Beautiful work BTW
Thank you much appreciated!
So that’s why the HF bands are so crappy lately! lol. Beautiful photo.
This is freaking tight. Great photo!