Sun

The view from outside the Royal Observatory Greenwich of the expected best Partial Eclipse of the Sun as to be seen from the UK for many years! Which gives an idea of some of the trials and tribulations of doing astronomy in the UK. Anyway, what the heck, over 1500 people came along and, despite there being no sign of the Sun, they all seemed to have a good time! 

Looks better in pink! I think that the colour version shows marginally more 'information' than the adjacent 'black and white'!

The Sun imaged from Petts Wood, Kent at 15:53 on 6th March 2015 using a Williams Optics Megrez 80, together with a Daystar QUARK Hydrogen Alpha Eyepiece (Chromosphere) plus a Canon 60D set at exp. 1/60 secs. ISO 3200. Image converted from RAW to JPEG for uploading. MJPorter

This was only my second session with the QUARK. The visual images are very good, however, as with the Coronado, I struggled to get well focussed and exposed images using the Canon 60D and this is about the best so far! Technical detail - The Sun imaged from Petts Wood, Kent at 16:17 on 18th February 2015 using a Williams Optics Megrez 80 together with a Daystar QUARK Hydrogen Alpha Eyepiece (Chromosphere) plus a Canon 60D set at exp. 1/125 secs. ISO 4000. MJPorter

$This image of the Sun was taken from Petts Wood, Kent on the 21st February 2014 at 15:26 GMT using an Astro Physics Starfire 130 F8 refractor together with a Hershel Wedge, a 10mm eyepiece with a thread which screws into a T-ring which was then attached to the Canon 60D. The Canon was set at 1/1250 second and ISO 800. Numerous images were taken in order to get the correctly focused exposure, whilst trying to complete the process before the next cloud arrived! – MJPorter$ This image of the Sun was taken from Petts Wood, Kent on the 21st February 2014 at 15:26 GMT using an Astro Physics Starfire 130 F8 refractor together with a Hershel Wedge, a 10mm eyepiece with a thread which screws into a T-ring which was then attached to the Canon 60D. The Canon was set at 1/1250 second and ISO 800. Numerous images were taken in order to get the correctly focused exposure, whilst trying to complete the process before the next cloud arrived! – MJPorter

Solar Image – Petts Wood, Kent – 9th April 2014 16:18GMT - Coronado 60mm + 2xBarlow + Canon 60D at 1/160 sec. ISO 4000 – MJPorter

Partial Phase of the Total Solar Eclipse viewed from near Hangzhoo China on 22nd July 2009 at 00:23UT– Canon S5 IS F/3.5 1/1600 secs. ISO 100. Shortly after this time, we were clouded out and prevented from seeing a total solar eclipse of duration 6 minutes 39 secs!

Total Solar Eclipse - Novosibirsk - 1st August 2008 - 10:45UT - Lumix FZ18 (F4.2:F/L83mm:1/25sec) - Sue Hines/Processed-MJPorter

Partial Phase of the Total Solar Eclipse viewed from near Hangzhoo China on 22nd July 2009 at 00:15UT – Canon S5 IS F/4 1/1600 secs. ISO 100. As per the other similar image, we were clouded out and prevented from seeing a total solar eclipse of duration 6 minutes 39 secs!

For the UK 1999 total eclipse I had, at the time, a basic digital camera, however, the thin cloud cover and my inexperience prevented me from imaging totality. However, I had prepared a template and used that to create the above drawing - the original of which now sits on my dining room wall!