Baader Planetarium AstroSolar Film is a specialized solar filter material designed for safe solar observation. In his article – DYI Solar Filter Project Using Baader Planetarium AstroSolar Film – Gary Parkerson, Executive Editor Emeritus Astronomy Technology Today, explains how he uses the film to create filters for white solar observing. […]
The Astro Hutech Solar Tracker, Hinode (”sunrize” in Japanese) SG, is an autoguider designed for casual solar viewing as well as photography. The Hinode Solar Guider with a dovetail bar and paddle does not require precise polar alignment, allowing for quick, convenient setup-and-go for public outreach or quick viewing with […]
By Gary Parkerson, Astronomy Technology Today Editor Emeritus. I demonstrate astro tech wherever people are gathered outdoors and when it comes to leveraging solar astronomy for outreach, no astro tech delivers enhanced hands-on solar-viewing experiences more naturally than Lunt Solar System’s SUNoculers. I’ve handed them to kids as young as […]
A CaK telescope is designed for observing the Sun in the Calcium K wavelength of light. The Calcium K line is a specific spectral line in the solar spectrum produced by ionized calcium (Ca II) atoms in the Sun’s chromosphere. It is located at approximately 393.4 nanometers (nm) in the […]
The Lunt Calcium K filter is a specialized solar filter designed to observe and image the Sun’s chromosphere, specifically the spectral line known as the “Calcium K” line. This filter is used in solar astronomy to reveal detailed features and activity occurring in the Sun’s chromosphere, which is the layer […]
By Eric Gentry Solar glasses typically need to meet two constraints: You need something which will block most of the light, and you need something that can provide structural support, so it won’t fall apart while you’re staring at the sun. Thanks to modern chemistry, most of the ‘solar eclipse […]
For the ATT Volume 14 Issue 9, I wrote an article describing my experiences under light-polluted skies using Astronomik’s 1.25” UHC, UHC-E, and CLS filters along with the absence of a filter. The upshot of that article was that such filters prove their value by revealing many deep sky wonders […]
Over the years, I’ve shared the eyepiece with family, friends, and myriad others. Telescopes so often capture the attention of onlookers, don’t they? Regardless of attention garnered, interested onlookers often don’t consider getting a telescope because they find themselves within the pale confines of light-polluted skies. While light pollution interferes […]
It was turning into a beautiful evening as the summer sun was beginning to set. The sound of children’s laughter competed for the chirping of crickets as they took advantage of the warm breeze and late summer sunset. To the southeast, mighty Jupiter and noble Saturn were beginning to become […]
Editors Note: In his Coat Pocket Astronomy article Rob Pettengil takes miniature astroimaging to the test with gear that literally fits in his pocket. Images 3 – 9 can be found at the end of the article. My affection for the miniature drove my interest in ultra-light astrophotography. I like […]
Editor’s Note: In his Astronomik visual filter review Matt Harmston does a deep dive into using Astronomik Filters for visual observing under light polluted skies. This article originally appeared in Astronomy Technology Today Issue 9, 2020. This article has been updated with new testing notes and can be found here. […]
Live High Dynamic Range (LHDR) techniques for video astronomy were discussed in the Issue 3, 2019 edition of Astronomy Technology Today. In it, techniques were presented that enabled video astronomers to access faint detail without overexposing bright areas … even before any postprocessing took place. In other words, these were […]