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First light with 2nd generation Sol'Ex Slit - Observation of Sun in Spa-Francorchamps

A couple of weeks ago I installed my new slit which is the 2nd generation with a width of 7 micron is stead of 10 micron. The 3D slit holder was made by colleague Johan. Unfortunately I could not test the setting due to continious bad weather. 

This weekend I took my chance as a clear sky was predicted south of Belgium. My car was packed with all nescessary material including food and hot drinks. Special winter clothing due to freezing temparatures. I left early in the morning and picked of Walter to support the test. Destination was Spa-Francorchamps. Weather was perfect with a blue sky and an open space filled with snow.

For the test I used my EQAZ6 with Sol'Ex Pro and ASI678MM camera. My TS-TLAPO60/360 was also equiped with a Lacerta 2" Herschel Wedge. The mount was powered with a battery and PC with a Power bank Xtorm (in case of...).

Conclusion:

Weather conditions were very good, transparency and seeing very good. 

H-Alpha and H-Beta images with a lot of details. CaIIH en CaIIK have more details but unsharp. I made aswell images of Na D1, D3 and He D3; Mg b1, b2, b3.

My first image of H-alpha had a redshift of a filament of an incredable speed of 470.000 km/h (131km/s)

Second generation slit of 7micron gives more and finer details. 

Setting: 

Software : SharpCap 5, Inti, JSolex, CS4

Jupiter and Shadow transit of Ganymede

 

Temperature dropped to -5°C when shadow transit of Ganymede started.

Setting: TAL200K @f/26 with ASI224MC
ADC and IR/UC Cut
Exposure tim 27ms and 30.000 frames of which 3000 stacked.
Software: SharpCap 4, AstroSurface and CS4

Jupiter Jan 9, 2025 with GRS

I reworked by image by applying derotation using Winjupos. All in all, no huge improvements.

Jupiter and GRS

This evening some clear skies with 2 inches of snow and 0,5°C. Time to capture Jupiter with Great Red Spot. 

Setting
TAL200K f/23 with ADC and Barlow x2

IR/OV Cut filter

ASI224MC

16bit, 127fps, 30.000 frames of which 3000 withhold

Software : SharpCap 4, AstroSurface V3 Volcano, CS4

Sol'Ex Pro-AM 2024 Results (SOLAP Project)

SOLAP Project Abstract : Systematic observations of the chromosphere and the photosphere started in Meudon Observatory 115 years ago with Deslandres spectroheliograph. An exceptional collection of more than 100 000 monochromatic images in CaII K and Hα spanning more than 10 solar cycles is proposed to the international community by the BASS2000 solar database. We started in 2023 a “PRO-AM” collaboration between professional and amateur astronomers with the Solar Explorer (SOLEX), a compact and high quality spectroheliograph designed by Christian Buil, in order to record images every day, and several times per day, owing to tens of observing stations in various places. 

I joined the PRO-AM community last summer (August '24) and submitted serveral images. All of them are visible in the BASS2000 database. https://bass2000.obspm.fr/home.php

The contribution of the amateur community compared with the professional Meudon group is plotted in below table (anno 2024)

Sun Halo

 

Sun this afternoon with a faint Sun Dog, Circumzenithal arc and Sun Pillar.