1. © Sierra College Astronomy Department1 Photographing the Sun and Moon (II-C) Prime Focus Photography

2. 2 Additional Topic Slide, if needed Universal Time

3. Fun Solar Facts s As viewed from the Earth, the Sun has an average angular diameter of 31´ 59” and is at an average distance from the Earth of 1.496 X 10 8 km which is defined as 1 Astronomical Unit (AU).

4. Safely viewing the Sun s Pinhole projection s Eyepiece projection on a piece of paper s Through a proper solar filter  Ex: Mylar; #14 or greater welder’s glass s Through a telescope with a solar filter in the front of the telescope

5. Calculating the Size of the Sun R Sun D d r s By using the solar projection device we can calculate the linear size of the sun Projection of sun Pinhole projector  = 1.50 x 10 8 km = 1 m

6. The Corona as seen during a total solar eclipse

7. Sun in Optical Sun in UV 10-27-03 676.7 nm 28.4 nm http://umbra.nascom.nasa.gov/images/latest.html

8. © Sierra College Astronomy Department8 Total Solar Eclipse Total Solar Eclipse on August 21, 2017

9. s One can also use the afocal method s Use a camera mount to attach the camera to the eyepiece or use a tripod to point a camera towards the eyepiece  Camera looks directly into the eyepiece, just like your eye would. u Vignetting can be an issue Vignetting  The effective focal length of the camera + telescope: Taking pictures of the Sun and Moon – using the afocal method

10. Afocal setup © Sierra College Astronomy Department10

11. Procedure - Terrestrial s Use Prime Focus to take pictures of something outside (the further away the better). Use the focal reducer. s Use the afocal method to take pictures of the same target. Use the smaller 50 mm lens and the 40 mm eyepiece. s Download pictures! s Answer questions #1 and #2 in Lab 11

12. Taking pictures of the Sun and Moon s USE A PROPER SOLAR FILTER TO VIEW THE SUN! s Even with a 400-mm telephoto lens, the image of the sun or moon on the digital camera sensor is still fairly small s Use the telescope as a telephoto lens: Connect a camera with T-adaptor and T-ring  Prime focus photography  T-adaptor connects to telescope  T-ring connects to T-adaptor and camera  Use Focal Reducer to get all of Sun onto digital sensor

13. Procedure - Solar s Set up telescope and align it North. s Go through the star alignment procedure up to the point before the telescope slews to the first alignment star (through step 8 on star alignment guide). s Put on solar filter and manually move telescope to look at sun (by minimizing the shadow). Lock down telescope and move telescope by hand control. Then….  Prime Focus: Take off diagonal and put on focal reducer. Then put on the T-adapter and T-ring attached to camera onto the focal reducer and then adjust the focus of the telescope THEN s Have afocal apparatus set up (eyepiece + camera mount) and place it into the telescope. Keep extended camera lens about 5 mm from the eyepiece.  Focus camera and then focus telescope. Use focal length of 50 mm fixed lens Adjust camera-eyepiece to avoid vignetting and seeing the secondary mirror.

14. Procedure - Solar s Use Prime Focus to take pictures of the sun. Use the focal reducer and solar filter. s Use the afocal method to take pictures of the sun. Use the smaller 50 mm lens and the 40 mm eyepiece. s Download pictures! s Answer question #3 in Lab 14

15. © Sierra College Astronomy Department15 Prime Focus with C-8 and focal reducer

16. The Sun afocal

17. Vignetting and seeing the secondary mirror afocal

18. The Sun afocal

19. Sun Halo

20. Sun Dogs

21. Anatomy of the Sun

22. © Sierra College Astronomy Department22 Sunspots and the Solar Activity Cycle s Dark spots on the Sun were first reported by the Chinese in the 5 th century B.C. s Galileo and Thomas Harriott were the first Europeans to report these sunspots in the early 17 th century. s Sunspots are about 1,500° cooler than the surrounding photosphere and hence appear to be black.

23. Lab II-C: Epilogue Calculating the Size of the Sun R Sun D d r s By using the solar projection device we can calculate the linear size of the sun Projection of sun Pinhole projector  = 1.50 x 10 8 km = 1 m Green Book Q #3: Using the solar projectors and knowing that the Sun is 1.50x10 ­ 8 km away from the Earth, what is the diameter of the Sun?