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[Chicago Astronomer - Astro Joe]

Chicago Astronomer and Chicago Park District
joint all solar session

11 October 2014

The Chicago Astronomer and the Chicago Park District will conduct an all Solar joint Session at Northerly Island this Saturday, the 11th October 2014 - from 12:00 pm to 3:00 pm.


The weather will be great, clear and excellent for some sun gazing through safe filtered telescopes...including an H-Alpha scope.  This event is free and open to all who wish to celebrate the fall season and share views with Astronomers of our closest star.  Ample parking is available and just follow the trail up to our telescopic instruments.

Be there.

[Chicago Astronomer - Astro Joe]

UPDATE:

We are a solid go for this afternoon's Solar Observation session.

Hope we have good Sunspot activity to share!

[Chicago Astronomer - Astro Joe]

A great time gazing at the face of the Sun on a cool fall day....



Arriving at Northerly Island at twelve noon, we joined with the assembly of geologists, herpetologists, musicians, naturalists and historians as the resident Astronomer of the Chicago Park District and set-up the C11 beast.  Chicago Astronomer Support crew member Maria was on-hand to take pics and assist in attending our visitors for this session...

With the Astro Sunshade in place, (all good solar Astronomers should have one),  I had the C102 Refractor riding on top of the C11, using a yellow filter, while the main tube remained clean...both with full aperture Baader solar filters.  This time, with an extended loan from the Adler Planetarium, I mounted the 40mm H-Alpha scope on the C11.  Now we have three scopes to view different solar characteristics for our visitors.  The H-Alpha was a big hit.

Next to me was the reptilian handler, who was fun....and after his presentations, the crowd would drift over to the scope and we display the surface of our closest star...

Although I had three scopes, I reserved the two main scopes for the little one as they were easier to reach.   But for those who did take a peek through the H-Alpha scope....they were amazed at the prominences that were visible along the solar disk's edge...



The active solar disk gave opportunity to discuss solar mechanics and relative sizes to Earth...included a nice juicy sunspot....

Reflective mylar is wrapped around the tubes to keep the instruments cool and keeping the internal convection currents at a minimum...provider better images and experience in the eyepiece...

Co-Worker at work Luis tests the tensity strength of the Solar filter....

There were those that were just mesmerised at the actual experience of gazing at the solar features, sunspots, granulation, faculae, prominences...all there for those who wished to grab some time behind the eyepiece....

For many, this was the first time peering through a scope, especially for the kids....

Many were surprised that the actual color of the Sun is white and some could not understand what they were looking at....some round white ball.  But with the yellow filter on the C102, this made a connection and they could grasp the entire solar sphere.  It was then that I offered another peek through the main scope and they could now connect the images.  But it was the H-Alpha scope that really moved people, catching the solar activity along the edge...and for those who were really interested, I adjusted the Etalon to display different levels of the sun's surface and increasing magnifications....to the enjoyment of the observer...

I also made friends with a snake...

 

The temps were crisp and comfortable...and we continue....

This gentleman stopped and asked "Why would anyone set up a telescope during the day, after all....what is there to see?"  I offered the man a chance to peer through the scopes.....

...and is opinion changed...altered forever at the detail of the face of the Sun.....



At about 3:00 pm, the park activity was at and end...attending to well over 100 visitors and a great fall day at Northerly Island.

Our Chicago Park District Nature Oasis fantastic Coordinator Kathleen...

A solid solar session