July 2015 Skynotes: The Sun

The Sun is mostly composed of hydrogen gas and the main wavelength of light emitted from the Suns inner atmosphere is  called hydrogen-alpha. By using a  hydrogen-alpha filter on a telescope you can block out all other light except Hydrogen Alpha 656.281 nm.

Here is an image taken on the 3rd of July from Eynsham Oxon.

To the left of the image is a filament. These are a dense gas suspended in magnetic loops above the surface of the Sun – this one is edge on.

To the right side of the image is Sunspot 2378. Sunspots are temporary on the surface of the Sun and they can be changing as the Sun rotates. They are associated with changes in the Suns magnetic field and appear dark as they are around 3000 – 4000C compared to the Suns surface temperarture being around 5500C.

The equipment used is modified PST /4” refractor and a ZWO asi120mm cam

Matt Armitage