Photo of the Week for May 2, 2014
Specialized solar filters can reveal different details upon the face of the Sun. A typical white-light solar filter can show any sunspots that are visible. A Calcium filter, (the blue image) allows magnetic structure to be imaged. The image on the right was taken using a hydrogen-alpha filter that shows prominences and other surface features.
Brian Colville used two different telescopes to capture these images on the morning of March 21 from his observatory in Cambray, Ontario. The Calcium image was taken through an Istar Optical 150mm f/8 achromatic refractor using a 0.5× telescompresser and a Lunt Solar Systems B1800CaK filter. The hydrogen-alpha photo is a two-frame composite made with a Lunt LS80/B1200Hα solar scope. Both solar shots were recorded with a Point Grey Grasshopper Express camera equipped with an ICX674 chip.
