Why does the sun have a black point and is it an optical effect?

[chuy]

Why? It's a optic effect? It's taken with digital camera.

http://img166.imageshack.us/img166/15/solplayahm9.jpg

http://img83.imageshack.us/img83/7657/phot0047zc4.jpg

 

[MeJennifer]

Well it is certanly not an accurate picture of the sun.

Perhaps some faulty red eye detection mechanism.

 

[GeoMike]

Just a guess, but maybe the sensors on that part of the CCD are "off" (to protect the chip from possible damage from the high intensity sunlight)?

-GeoMike-

 

[moose]

Someone else recently posted similar pictures... Probably due to the high intensity of the sun.

 

[chuy]

Have you observed that in each photography also is a white point?

 

[ZapperZ]

If you read the instructions on your digital camera carefully, it will clearly indicate that you should never point the camera directly at the sun. You may have destroyed several of your CCD sensors.

Zz.

 

[chuy]

But when I don't take pictures to sun, don't appear black points.

 

[DaveC426913]

This is typical. The CCD detectors are simply overloaded.

 

[moose]

Have you observed that in each photography also is a white point?

That's interesting

 

[chroot]

That's interesting

Not really. It's just an reflection off some internal lens element.

The reason the black spots appears is because some kind of anti-blooming circuitry is kicking in for the severely over-exposed pixels. I'm no CCD expert, but I suspect there's a diode connected to each pixel well, and, when the charge in a well gets too large, it's completely dumped to ground, leaving the pixel black.

- Warren

 

[TuviaDaCat]

looks like a black circle made by the windows painter.

btw, there are two circles in each pic

 

[hypatia]

there's a little black spot on sun today...The Police
{thats my soul up there}

 

[russ_watters]

But when I don't take pictures to sun, don't appear black points.

Well, then consider yourself lucky and don't do it again...

 

[DaveC426913]

Have you observed that in each photography also is a white point?

That is interesting. Thouigh I think chroot has hit the nail on the head.

 

[chroot]

The white spot, as I said, is just an internal reflection off one of the camera's lenses. Note how it's always directly opposite the optical axis (center of the picture) from the Sun itself.

- Warren

 

[DaveC426913]

Which is what I mean by 'hitting the nail'... i.e. a classic lens reflection.

 

[chroot]

Oh, heh, I misunderstood your response. Leave it to me to hit the nail on the head, and then promptly lose the hammer.

- Warren

 

[DaveC426913]

... and then promptly lose the hammer.

Heeeeaaaads uuuuuuup!


*Thunk*

 

[Moonbear]

Oh, heh, I misunderstood your response. Leave it to me to hit the nail on the head, and then promptly lose the hammer.

- Warren

I need to remember that line; I think it'll come in useful.

 

[tribdog]

I'm almost positive you'll find several situations daily to use it.

and to hypatia. good one. at least someone is paying attention.

 

[Nomy-the wanderer]

The next time try using a mechanical camera :D

 

[simbambili2]

this photo has made me think but made me think in a different angle. it is strange because the subject matter itself is strange but wonderful. All I can say at the moment is give me more time to come with a reason.

 

[Mk]

I suspect there's a diode connected to each pixel well, and, when the charge in a well gets too large, it's completely dumped to ground, leaving the pixel black.

- Warren

So you're saying it is safe for the camera to be pointed directly at the sun?

 

[Andre]

Well, you know how to make fire with a magnifying lens and the sun, don't you?

 

[adx24001]

Isn't it the same as looking at the sun? We 'burn' out part of our eye? Same applied to the camera?

 

[russ_watters]

Similar, yes. I'd call it a bug in the camera's software, though. (I have an image editing program that does the same thing).

 

[chroot]

It shouldn't permanently damage a properly-designed camera, at least over the duration of a snapshot.

- Warren