observing
Guidelines for new solar observers
Guidelines for New Solar Observers
- Do not look directly at the sun without the protection offered by a filter. For naked eye viewing, a piece of #14 welder's glass provides adequate protection. Do not use overexposed film, dark glasses, or other media that are not designed specifically for solar viewing.
Useful links for new solar observers
A vast amount of useful and informative material relating to the appearance of the sun at different wavelengths, visual and instrumental observation, and analyses and records of sunspot data are available via the Internet. The list below is intended to provide the new observer with some initial points of contact with this resource. Some entries in the list present the full address required to get to a specific display or table.
Solar News
February 20, 2013
- The NASA SDO mission released a fascinating video showing "rain" from a magnetic loop falling back onto the surface of the Sun. It's not rain, but hot plasma magnetically levitated off the Sun!
February 15, 2013
Solar Photo Gallery
Here are a number of solar photographs obtained by AAVSO solar observers over many years. Thanks to all of the photographers for sharing their images with us!
Atmospheric seeing conditions for solar observing
Atmospheric Seeing Conditions
Contributed by Tom Fleming (FLET)
Reports and observations submitted to the AAVSO use the following ratings for atmospheric turbulence (Seeing): Poor, Fair, Good and Excellent.
Paul V. Temple
The Reverend Paul V. Temple
Serious Astronomy!
David Knisely - A Night With a Few Variables
A Night With A Few Variables
By David Knisely, KA0CZC, dk84538@navix.net
An Observing Tale by Janet A. Mattei
How have you made your "friendship" with variable stars? Has it been through your observing? Or through your reading? Or through your training?
Observing campaign to monitor TT Ari during minimum
From AAVSO Special Notice #172