Partial Solar Eclipse March 29, 2025

 

Sun March 29 - One hour before partial solar eclipse

Imaging the Sun one hour before the Partial Solar Eclipse. This test was done at my home before moving to the public perfornace.

Partial Solar Eclipse

The partial solar eclipse imaged during public performance at "Het Moment" (Abbey of Averbode). I used my TLAPO80/480 f/6 with ND3.8 solar filter, IR/UV cut filter and OIII filter.

Editing using CS4 after conversion to DNG format. 

Sun in H-alpha Sol'Ex

Both seeing and transparency was poor but the objective was to optimize fps and testing connectivity of USB hub.

First I fine tuned the ROI as small as possible; with the used setting the ROI for H-alpha is now 125pixels. 

Next I changed SharpCap settings: memory usage for camera maximized and camera control setting all max eg. Turbo on.

WIth and without the USB hub I was able to get to 400pfs and keep it stable during capturing.

Setting

TLAPO80/480 with Sol'Ex pro and 678MM camera

Herschel Wedge

USB hub connected with Camera and external SSD

Software: SharpCap, Inti and CS4

Sol'ex images inside outside

I reworked my Sol'Ex images of H-alpha, H-beta and CaIIH from March 9 to get the sun inside outside.
In this way the prominences are now in the inner circle in stead of on the outside solar disk.

Space Weather Training STCE

This week I could attend the Space Weather training at STCE (Solar-Terrestrial Center of Excellence @Uccle Belgium). This introductionary training was open for all amateurs of the astronomy club VVS. In total 11 people participated the course.

The three main trainers (Petra, Elke and Jan) gave very well, detailed and interactive information about all aspects of space weather. Beside classroom lectures we participated a space weather forecast, visited the Uccle Solar Eqautorial Table (USET), Library of the Royal Observatorum and the headquarters of Solar radio-astronomy for Humain. 

A lot of information was given and how to understand the different parameters and how they are measured. I'm looking back to a succesfull two day training. Thx to STCE and all trainers. 

Attending Space Weather forecast meeting

Selfie with Walter in the Library

Library of Royal Observatorium

USET 

USET Control Room

Historical drawing with huge sunspot

The Solar Dome

Exercise 

left to right Ivo, Roel, Stijn,Pascal, Fleur, Niels, Claude, Jan, Petra, Walter, Elke, Rudy, Ann, Ruben

Sol'Ex Lecture @ Astronomy club Altair

My Sol'Ex project and Journey since 2023 was subject of my lecture @ Astronomy Club Altair in Sint-Truiden. About 14 people attended the lecture which took about 1h. Many questions were asked and could be answered.

After the lecture we could talk futher at the bar and a thank you gift was handed over by chairman of Altair, Steven Lambrechts. Looking back on a succesfull evening!

Click on image to see the lecture

Selfie with colleagues Jean-Marie and Walter

Chairman of Altair Steven Lambrechts