Solar Observing Page

SOLAR OBSERVING

Solar Filtered Scope

Solar Observing
is an observing technique that takes extreme care. A Solar Filter that is put on the front of your telescope is a must, if you are doing any kind of solar observing, be it prime focus or solar projection observing. NEVER look through a telescope without any filter, as this can cause permanent eye damage (blindness)

Solar Projection There is Eye Piece Projection Observing, which the sun is projected onto a white background through the eyepiece, as shown to the right. The picture shows using an 8" Dobsonian Telescope (A.Vibert Douglas) on loan from the Kingston Centre RASC.

With Solar Observing you can contribute to the Scientific Community as an Amateur by collecting sunspot numbers. I collect this data monthly and send it in to the AAVSOAmerican Association of Variable Star Observers. Each Solar Observer has their own code number for authenticity and database management.

Here is the instrument setup for my solar observations.

Scope	Schmidt Cassigran- Catadioptic F/12 100 mm
Solar Filter	1000 Oaks Type II+
Eyepiece	26 mm

My code number for observation submission to the AAVSO is HAYK.

I have been actively looking at the Sun over 10 years now, but just started to submit all my solar results in 1999. At the 88th Annual fall meeting of the AAVSO held in Hyannis Massaschusetts on October 30, 1988 I was presented with a certificate for the Solar Contributions that I have done over the years.

YEAR	MONTH	YEAR	MONTH	YEAR	MONTH	YEAR	MONTH	YEAR	MONTH	YEAR	MONTH	YEAR	MONTH
1999	JANUARY	2000	JANUARY	2001	JANUARY	2002	JANUARY	2003	JANUARY	2004	JANUARY	2005	JANUARY
1999	FEBRUARY	2000	FEBRUARY	2001	FEBRUARY	2002	FEBRUARY	2003	FEBRUARY	2004	FEBRUARY	2005	FEBRUARY
1999	MARCH	2000	MARCH	2001	MARCH	2002	MARCH	2003	MARCH	2004	MARCH	2005	MARCH
1999	APRIL	2000	APRIL	2001	APRIL	2002	APRIL	2003	APRIL	2004	APRIL	2005	APRIL
1999	MAY	2000	MAY	2001	MAY	2002	MAY	2003	MAY	2004	MAY	2005	MAY
1999	JUNE	2000	JUNE	2001	JUNE	2002	JUNE	2003	JUNE	2004	JUNE	2005	JUNE
1999	JULY	2000	JULY	2001	JULY	2002	JULY	2003	JULY	2004	JULY	2005	JULY
1999	AUGUST	2000	AUGUST	2001	AUGUST	2002	AUGUST	2003	AUGUST	2004	AUGUST	2005	AUGUST
1999	SEPTEMBER	2000	SEPTEMBER	2001	SEPTEMBER	2002	SEPTEMBER	2003	SEPTEMBER	2004	SEPTEMBER	2005	SEPTEMBER
1999	OCTOBER	2000	OCTOBER	2001	OCTOBER	2002	OCTOBER	2003	OCTOBER	2004	OCTOBER	2005	OCTOBER
1999	NOVEMBER	2000	NOVEMBER	2001	NOVEMBER	2002	NOVEMBER	2003	NOVEMBER	2004	NOVEMBER	2005	NOVEMBER
1999	DECEMBER	2000	DECEMBER	2001	DECEMBER	2002	DECEMBER	2003	DECEMBER	2004	DECEMBER	2005	DECEMBER

Here are a few more Web Links for Solar Information and Solar Photography

Todays Space Weather
Solar Terrestial Activity Report
Active Region Maps
ALPOAssociation of Lunar and Planetary Observers
Solar Observing and Astrophotography by Groenez Gunther
Observatorio Amateur Montaña Cabreja
The work of two French amateur observers using the 150mm coronograph of the Pic du Midi .
Solar Filter Safety

Last updated July 31,2005

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	Solar Observing is an observing technique that takes extreme care. A Solar Filter that is put on the front of your telescope is a must, if you are doing any kind of solar observing, be it prime focus or solar projection observing. NEVER look through a telescope without any filter, as this can cause permanent eye damage (blindness)

Solar Observing

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