I saw sunspots today!

stoneill

So I had a borrowed 8 inch reflector and decided to show the kids the method of observing the sun indirectly using the telescope.
Lovely image of the sun projected onto the wardrobe doors. and sunspots on the surface.

It always amazes me when you make the observation yourself.
Even though I knew Saturn had rings, the first time you observe them yourself it is an amazing moment, same with Jupiter moons, The Nebula in orion, even the craters of the moon and now sunspots!

Fantastic moment.

MagicMarker

I've been thinking of indulging myself and getting a telescope, always wanted one as a kid, reading this forum makes me want to even more!

rccaulfield

stoneill wrote: »

So I had a borrowed 8 inch reflector and decided to show the kids the method of observing the sun indirectly using the telescope.
Lovely image of the sun projected onto the wardrobe doors. and sunspots on the surface.

It always amazes me when you make the observation yourself.
Even though I knew Saturn had rings, the first time you observe them yourself it is an amazing moment, same with Jupiter moons, The Nebula in orion, even the craters of the moon and now sunspots!

Fantastic moment.

Agreed!!! What method do you use to view the sun indirectly? I'm in the throws of making a solar filter but even then i'd probably use the viewfinder on my handycam to view through the eyepiece-so risky if the baader films scratched-especially with kids/friends using it. If anything went wrong i'd never forgive myself!

stoneill

I used the tried and trusted projection method, where you point the telescope at the sun and project the image onto a white background.
You can use the shadow of the telescope to see if it pointing in the right direction. Once you get the disc out the eyepiece, adjust focus until the image on the white background is clear and crisp. You may have to move the background toward or away to get the distance right.
Be careful not to focus the suns rays to a point, it will burn like a laser!
(Don't tell the missus about the scorch marks)

For all those reading this and wanting to try it out:
Never never NEVER look directly at the Sun, either with the naked eye or through a telescope/binoculars. You WILL go blind.
Isaac Newton needed three days in a darkened room to recover his sight when he was studying the properties of light through a prism.

And just to make sure:

Never never NEVER look directly at the Sun.