Live Telescope view of the Sun

TL;DR

Two astronomers live stream their view of the sun, discussing their telescope setup and the phenomenon of sunspots.

Transcript

just going to live stream some views of the Sun just going to wait for Stuart to show up with his view from the telescope all right okay there we go okay I'm just going to push this live St okay cool 3 two one okay all right no warning but you can see it's a little windy it is a little windy yeah yeah that is fantastic yeah so so there's like some ... Read More

Key Insights

• ❓ The homemade filter used by the astronomers is inexpensive and effective.
• 🌞 The 140mm refractor telescope provides a great view of the sun, despite not being specifically designed for solar observing.
• 🫥 Sunspots are regions on the sun's surface where magnetic field lines emerge.
• 😎 Observing the sun requires precautions to avoid damaging eyesight.
• 😎 The sun's atmosphere affects the color of the sunlight we see, which can be adjusted in image processing.
• 😎 The granules on the sun's surface are caused by convection currents in its outer layer.
• 🫥 Solar flares and coronal mass ejections can occur when magnetic field lines on the sun reconfigure.

Questions & Answers

Q: How did the astronomers create their filter for the telescope?

The astronomers created a homemade filter by cutting a piece of Bader filter and placing it between two pieces of wood. It cost around $15-$20.

Q: What telescope and mount do the astronomers use?

They use a 140mm F7 refractor telescope by Telescope Engineering Company, mounted on a Skywatcher EQ6.

Q: How much would a similar telescope setup cost?

A new APO 140 telescope and mount would cost around $5,000. The astronomers purchased their equipment used for around $5,000.

Q: How do the astronomers recommend viewing the sun safely?

They suggest using a pinhole projection or projecting the sun's image through binoculars onto a piece of paper. It is important not to look directly at the sun with the naked eye.

Summary & Key Takeaways

• The astronomers live stream views of the sun using a homemade filter on their telescope.

• They discuss their telescope setup, including the cost and specifications.

• They mention the presence of sunspots and explain their formation.