Today and tomorrow (5/11 and 5/12) an extremely large group of

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Discussion Overview

The discussion revolves around the observation of sunspots and the transit of Venus, focusing on photography techniques, experiences, and the visibility of these astronomical events. Participants share their methods for capturing images of the sun and Venus, as well as their experiences with weather conditions affecting visibility.

Discussion Character

  • Exploratory
  • Technical explanation
  • Debate/contested
  • Experimental/applied

Main Points Raised

  • One participant shares their experience observing a large group of sunspots using an ND 7.0 filter and discusses their photography setup.
  • Another participant expresses interest in the upcoming transit of Venus and mentions difficulties in converting time zones.
  • Several participants share images of the sun and Venus, with varying levels of success due to weather conditions.
  • One participant humorously suggests that Venus could be considered a 'sunspot' during the transit.
  • Participants discuss the challenges of capturing clear images, including issues with lens cleanliness and the need for specific filters.
  • Another participant describes their method of using binoculars to project the image of Venus, contrasting it with others' photographic techniques.
  • One participant mentions post-processing techniques used to enhance their images, including stacking frames to reduce noise and improve clarity.

Areas of Agreement / Disagreement

Participants share various experiences and techniques related to sunspot observation and the transit of Venus, but there is no clear consensus on the best methods or outcomes of their attempts. The discussion remains open with differing viewpoints on visibility and photographic success.

Contextual Notes

Participants reference specific equipment and techniques, but there are limitations in the discussion regarding the effectiveness of different filters and the impact of weather conditions on visibility. Some assumptions about visibility and photographic quality are not fully explored.

Who May Find This Useful

Astronomy enthusiasts, photographers interested in astrophotography, and individuals preparing for astronomical events may find this discussion relevant.

Andy Resnick
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Today and tomorrow (5/11 and 5/12) an extremely large group of sunspots is directly facing the earth:

http://abcnews.go.com/blogs/technology/2012/05/enormous-sunspot-could-lead-to-solar-flares/

I went outside this morning and using a ND 7.0 filter could see it by eye, so photographs could be quite spectacular. Note- if you are not sure what 'ND 7.0' means, then don't risk damaging your eye and/or camera.

Notes: when I photograph the sun, I use at least ND 5.0, no polarizers, but keep the UV filter. The order matters- the UV filter goes at the back end, after the ND filters, to prevent damage. The ND filters have been absorptive, but I just found a reflective one buried in one of the labs which I'll try today. Even at ND 5.0 I have to stop down to f/44 (f/22 + 2X tele) and expose at 1/8000 s. If I want to add a color filter, that goes last, after everything else.

Good luck!
 
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Are you going to try for the transit of Venus on June 5?
 


Definitely! It will be visible here around sunset... I've been getting dizzy converting universal time to local time.
 


Whoa:

http://img217.imageshack.us/img217/4374/dsc44051.jpg

http://img98.imageshack.us/img98/3820/dsc440521.jpg
 
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That thing must be at least twice the size of the Earth. Or even a dozen!
 


So I drove to the sea for the sunset and see if I could capture it.

Bummer, the sun hid behind frontal system clouds coming in, before it was dim enough to lock on.

I guess I need that seven stops neutral density filter (ND7).
 


I guess Venus counts as a 'sunspot' tonight- most likely I'll never find out as the clouds are heavy and getting heavier... :(
 


The skies miraculously cleared up right at 6:03 pm. Here's a sample:

http://img812.imageshack.us/img812/908/dsc009811.jpg

My lens is *filthy*- aside from all the sunspots...
 
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Andy Resnick said:
The skies miraculously cleared up right at 6:03 pm. Here's a sample:

My lens is *filthy*- aside from all the sunspots...
Nevertheless, nice!
 
  • #10


Nice Andy!
 
  • #11


Beautiful! Much better than the crude pictures that I produced by using a pair of binoculars as a "projector" and photographing the resulting image on a screen.
 
  • #12


Here's a few more, after some post-processing:

http://img826.imageshack.us/img826/306/montagesmall.jpg

and a close-up just as Venus makes 'second contact'- supposedly it's possible to see Venus's atmosphere, but I'm not sure I can:

http://img690.imageshack.us/img690/151/kisska.jpg

And then a cleaned-up version of the one I posted earlier: I stacked about 40 frames to get rid of the dirt, then added Venus later. One bonus- the solar atmosphere along the limb is visible (at the bottom):

http://img819.imageshack.us/img819/4420/tweaksmalll.jpg
 
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