500.000 Visitors on my Blog. Big Thank You

Today my Blog reached 500.000 visitors. Wow half a million visitors. Thank you all for reading my blogposts.

Solex Processing HeID3 using INTI Software

While I previously relied on JSolex for spectroheliogram processing, I had not yet utilized Inti to process the neutral helium HeID3 spectral line. My motivation stems from the insights presented in Christian Buil and Valérie Desnoux’s book, Guide de l'observation solaire avec un spectrohéliographe. In particular, the potential of the HeID3 line to reveal low-contrast features such as coronal holes makes it a compelling target for high-resolution solar imaging. This post outlines a step-by-step workflow for processing HeID3 observations using Inti.

Version: Inti V7.0.3

After starting Inti, open the file and select "safe polynome coefficientt". Next run the proces by selecting Go! 

My ROI includes both the NaID2, FeI (5888,81) and HeID3 line. Inti uses the NaID2 line as reference. Christian mentiones that ROI with only FeI and HeID3 would be better.

Next, select Helium-Corona free page and mark "automatic polynome computation" and "Transversllium correction". The shift is currently not important and you can put in zero aswell. Offset 1 on -8 and Offset on 12. Run the process selecting Go!

Select Frame and Mean-Start. When doing this the shift from NaID2 to HeID3 will be calculated automatically. You can also select the line by clicking on the HeID3 line and pressing OK.  Next run the process by selecting Go!

Depending on the outcome, play around by changing the shift value by plus or minus 1 and find the most contrast image.

After editing in CS4, this is result... which also shows the coronal hole. 

Sun July 19 Sol'Ex

Imaging the Sun on July 19 using Sol'Ex on TLAPO80/480 and ASI678MM. On the eastern limb a new sunspot arises AR4492 with a nice peak prominence.

New Sol'Ex book

I finally bought the book "Guide de l'observation solaire avec un spectrohéliographe" by Christian Buil and Valerie Desnoux, subtitled "Explorer le Soleil invisible avec Sol'Ex".

There’s just one major catch... it’s written entirely in French, and there’s no sign of an English translation anywhere on the horizon. Since my French is pretty rusty, this is going to be a real challenge—but exploring the 'invisible Sun' with the Sol'Ex will be well worth the effort!

Moon and Venus with my Weatherstation

A beautiful alignment of the Moon, Venus and my weatherstation.

Heat waves 2025 and 2026 (so far)

A heat wave is an extended period of anomalously high atmospheric temperatures driven by synoptic-scale anticyclones, where sinking air warms adiabatically and suppresses cloud formation. This allows uninterrupted solar radiation to directly heat the Earth's surface, creating a thermal feedback loop amplified by dry, low-specific-heat sandy soils like those in Averbode. In Belgium, the official threshold requires at least five consecutive days reaching 25 Celsius or higher, with at least three of those days exceeding 30 degrees Celsius. The localized environmental and thermodynamic impacts of these specific atmospheric events in Averbode are outlined below with a comparison of the official data of KMI Uccle.

For Averbode we have more heat waves then official registrated by KMI in Uccle. Also the lenght of the heat waves are longer. 

Data is measured using weather station:  Levenhuk - WU ISCHER75 or EcoWitt EasyWeatherPro-16ACFC

Sun July 15 different wavelengts

The Sun in different wavelengths.

Setting: Sol'Ex by James R on TLAPO80/480 and ASI678MM

Herschel Wegde, 2nd Gen Slit and IR Cut Filter

Tilt <0,5° and Sx/Sy=1

Software: SharpCap, Inti, JSolex, DeNoise AI, CS4