Solar imaging by NASA’s Solar Dynamics Observatory (SD0) of the Sun has been going non-stop for over a full decade. From its orbit in space around Earth, SDO has gathered 425 million high-resolution images of the Sun, amassing 20 million gigabytes of data over the past 10 years. This information […]
It’s been a long day of taking in the Sun’s rays! The prominences have been glorious, the hot spots sizzling- but now the Sun is getting low and it is finally about time to pack away your Solar scope for the day. Or is it? Luckily for you, you have […]
A McDonald Observatory Solar presentation provides an opportunity to view live images of the Sun with specially filtered telescopes and cameras. During the presentation they discuss sunspots, prominences, solar flares, and other solar related topics. Summer solstices are also discussed in detail. Technical specifications about the equipment used include: – […]
Glorious solar eclipse videos proliferate the Internet. Taken by accomplished professional and amateur solar astronomers, the videos are imaged using dedicated solar telescopes and the latest astro imaging technology. However, one of the first videos of a solar eclipse was filmed by a magician, yet it was no sleight of […]
Using FireCapture for solar imaging is the subject of this video that walks through how to focus your instrument(s), create flat calibration and manipulate parameters for exposure to see various features and record them in one exposure, both the surface and the limb together. The video’s author, Martin (Marty) Wise, […]
Sometimes it’s just easier to show someone how to do something than it is to tell them, and telescope collimation video tutorials are a perfect example. Indeed, most astronomy enthusiasts are primarily visual learners for whom showing will always be more effective than telling. If you’re like us, you’ve often […]
How to capture and process solar images is offered in a deep dive from the team at Woodland Hills Telescope. This video is packed with information from capturing to stacking and all the way to image processing and coloring. The programs needed to follow along with this tutorial are: SharpCap […]
In this dovetail saddle video demonstration, you learn that, wether exploring the sun or the night sky, a secure mount is paramount in obtaining a pristinge view. If you’ve been involved in amateur astronomy long enough, you’ve seen it happen: A telescope owner is assembling or disassembling his or her […]
A perfect grab-and-go tripod option for steady viewing and imaging of the Sun, this versatile monopod features a fold-out mini tripod to provide both the mobility and the stability you need for on-the-go exploration with optical instruments like spotting scopes, cameras, and L-adapter equipped binoculars.
Bill Tschumy, formerly with Simulation Curriculum (the SkySafari app), has released the “Our Galaxy” app that helps users visualize the locations and physical properties of deep sky objects in and around our Galaxy. The Our Galaxy app serves as a reference to turn to when you read about an object […]
Have you ever wondered how the telescope optics are made in amateur telescopes? Even is the answer is no, you might want reconsider that answer and take a peek at this video where Explore Scientific’s Scott Roberts provides an inside look at the telescope optic’s manufacturing process. It’s a short […]
Many of us grew up firmly believing that 2001: A Space Odyssey was the coolest space sci-fi movie we have ever seen. Even if you didn’t feel that way, you had to admit, the elegance that Stanly Kubrick shot the film in makes it one of the most memorable of […]