Tuesday, 12 November 2019

The Transit of Mercury 11-11-2019


Mercury can be seen against the Sun's corona centre right
The above image created from the SDO 'Sun Today' (171 angstroms filter) image by Pip Stakkert

Credit "Courtesy of NASA/SDO and the AIA, EVE, and HMI science teams."



Mercury's tiny silhouette can be seen against the Sun's corona at the left edge of the disc
The above composite filter image created from the SDO 'Sun Today' images by Pip Stakkert
Credit "Courtesy of NASA/SDO and the AIA, EVE, and HMI science teams."

 
Mercury can be seen against the Sun's chromosphere centre bottom, active prominence visible on the limb above
The above image created from the SDO 'Sun Today' (304 angstroms filter) image by Pip Stakkert

Credit "Courtesy of NASA/SDO and the AIA, EVE, and HMI science teams."


The above image created from the SDO 'Sun Today' (composite 171,211 and 304 angstrom filters) by Pip Stakkert
Credit "Courtesy of NASA/SDO and the AIA, EVE, and HMI science teams."
NASA Solar Dynamics Observatory

Screen grab from the Slooh Internet Site live broadcast
Credit: Slooh.com. Solar Scope Canary Islands

Canon 600d DSLR with a 66mm Altair Astro Lightwave telescope with white light solar filter plus x 2.5 Barlow lens acting as a composite telescopic lens the whole arrangement hand held. Single 1/640 sec exposure at ISO 400.
" On the 11th November 2019, the weather at the Jodrell Plank Observatory was truly appalling. Grey clouds from horizon to horizon and intermittent rain like 'stair rods'. I made the strategic decision to have Karl Seguine monitor the data downloads from the NASA Solar Dynamics Observatory whilst I kept an eye on the local weather conditions in case there was a break in the clouds. Just before sunset the weather began to improve and at the last moment I climbed to the highest vantage point at the observatory and managed to capture a few images of Mercury more or less in the centre of the Sun's disc". - Kurt Thrust acting CEO and current Director of the Jodrell Plank Observatory.

The last Swan of Summer


The Nebulosity around Alpha Cygni aka Deneb - Canon 600d DSLR with EOS 90-300mm zoom lens mounted on a Star Adventurer equatorial mount. A stack of 30x60 sec lights at ISO 800
"The team took advantage of an almost clear night to capture a last chance image of the star clouds in and around Deneb" Not the best of images but Pip Stakkert is going a bit 'bonkers' as a result of the bad weather enforced stargazing lay off" - Kurt Thrust acting CEO and current Director of the Jodrell Plank Observatory.