Solar Observation Guide

The sun, as a representative of all life and beginnings. Day after day, the east rises and the west sets. No matter what the weather is like, it is always there, providing light and warmth, nurturing the earth. The sun pulls the eight planets. There is no doubt that it is necessary for all life on earth, providing the light and heat necessary for life, and controlling the weather and the growth of crops. Let’s get to know the star closest to us~

what is the sun

The sun is the center of the solar system, and our sun is not much different from the other stars in the sky. This huge, bright sphere is composed of a ball of burning gas, the main components of which are 91% hydrogen and 8.9% helium, with the rest being some relatively high-density elements such as carbon, nitrogen and oxygen. The continuous extreme high temperature causes all elements to exist in a state close to a gaseous state, which is called a "plasma state" in physics. This huge gas ball was formed in the Orion spiral arm of the Milky Way about 4.6 billion years ago. Composition of condensed matter.

The Sun is classified as a "main sequence star" or a "yellow dwarf" in astronomy. Like the Earth, the interior of this star is also divided into different layers according to the density of matter. Unlike the Earth, these layers are composed of gas rather than solid. There are six layers inside the sun, from outside to inside: corona, chromosphere, photosphere, troposphere, radiative layer, and core.

The sun has a strong gravitational field, which attracts eight planets and many dwarf planets or fragmented stars in the solar system. If the sun's gravity is lost, all these will fall apart, or even fail to form in the first place.

How to observe the sun safely

In astronomy, observing the sun is a profound knowledge. The sun's daily activities vary greatly and reveal many important astronomical messages. However, observing such energetic stars at close range is risky. Ultraviolet light and infrared light produced by the sun can damage our retinas, leading to vision impairment or even permanent blindness. When observing the sun, eye protection is very important, but as long as you follow the following rules, you can safely experience the fun of solar observation.

The most important thing is that you must observe through solar filters that comply with ISO safety certification. These filters effectively block infrared light, ultraviolet light, and up to 99.999% visible light, allowing you to observe at the most appropriate brightness.

Solar Observation Code

• Do not look directly at the sun with the naked eye or observe it through a telescope without a solar filter.

• Do not look directly at the sun with the naked eye or observe it through a telescope without a solar filter.

• Do not use a telescope for solar image projection. The heat accumulated in the telescope tube will melt the optical lenses or internal components and damage your equipment.

• During the observation process, always pay attention to your equipment and ensure that children around you are using the equipment accompanied by experienced operators. To avoid danger. 

• Never use uncertified solar filters or other equipment ( film, black cardboard, ND filters ...) . Many filters that seem to be effective at reducing light are actually unable to filter infrared and ultraviolet light. These light rays that cannot be detected by the naked eye can cause irreversible damage to the eyes.

• Properly inspect the solar filter before each use, and never use a damaged filter for observation.

• When using a telescope with a solar filter for observation, please make sure that the filter completely covers the light transmission surface of the telescope, and remove optical accessories such as the finder mirror and guide mirror in advance.

• Do not use eclipse glasses with telescopes. The high-energy light focused by the telescope may damage the solar eclipse glasses, or penetrate the lenses and cause damage to the glasses.

Safe ways to observe the sun

pinhole projection

You can poke a hole in the center of the cardboard, point it at the sun, and use the pinhole to project the image of the sun onto another piece of cardboard. Adjusting the distance between the two pieces of cardboard can change the size of the image of the sun. The farther the distance, the larger the sun projected on the paper, and the smaller the brightness of the image.

fingers crossed

This is an observation method that does not require any equipment. You only need to fold your hands to allow sunlight to pass through the fingers and form an image on the flat ground. When a solar eclipse occurs, a crescent-shaped shadow of the sun will be observed.

leaf observation method

The gap created by the overlapping leaves can also be used as a medium for pinhole projection. When a solar eclipse occurs, observe the light spots formed by the sunlight passing through the leaves on the ground or wall, and you will find a crescent-shaped sun projection pattern.

Observing through a telescope with a solar filter

Viewing through solar eclipse glasses

Special binoculars for solar observation

Celestron A special product line "Solar Binoculars" is designed for people who want to observe the sun. All lenses in the telescope use special lenses for solar observation. They have passed ISO safety certification, exclusively retain the orange tone, and filter up to 99.999% visible light, infrared light, and ultraviolet light. Provide you with a comfortable and safe observation experience.

Special astronomical telescope for solar observation

The telescope set comes with a tripod and a helioscope, and has all the necessities for observing the sun. This is a product that allows you to watch the sun instantly without any pre-work. All internal lenses use special lenses for solar observation. They have passed ISO safety certification, exclusively retain the orange color tone, and filter up to 99.999% of visible light, infrared light, and ultraviolet light. Provide you with a comfortable and safe observation experience.

Using a solar prominence telescope

The solar prominence telescope is an astronomical instrument specially used to observe the activities of the solar chromosphere. You can see the bursts of flames erupting from the surface of the sun. Scientists have discovered that in the continuous visible spectrum emitted by the sun's chromosphere, there is a hydrogen line with a wavelength of 6562.8 angstroms. Hα It has an absolute advantage in brightness, so the " H-α narrow-band filter" was designed to filter out the light outside the Hα spectral line. This in turn improves the clarity of solar surface activity in the field of view.

Solar activity observation

sunspot

Sunspots are dark areas produced in the solar photosphere, usually due to strong magnetic activity within the area, and appear in pairs. Sunspots will move slowly on the surface of the sun. The range of sunspots is variable. When the range is large, they can be clearly observed even without magnification equipment. Using a telescope with a solar filter will give you more detail. Sunspots follow an 11 -year cycle. The period with the highest sunspot activity in the cycle is called the maximum period, and the period with the lowest sunspot activity is called the minimum period. Early in the cycle, sunspots appear at higher latitudes, then toward the equator as they approach maximum.

oryzae

The rice grain tissue looks like the bubbles at the top of boiling hot water. To us viewing them from the Earth, they appear very small (about 900 miles in diameter). This phenomenon originates from the convection of high-temperature gases outside the core phase of the sun. The granular tissue is a convective cell spread out on the surface of the sun. Each group of rice granules is expected to stay on the surface of the sun for 5-10 minutes. Suitable for observation through high-magnification astronomical telescopes, using a solar prominence telescope will provide the best visual effects.

"Peripheral dimming" of the sun

sun spots

Magnetic field activity causes many bright areas to appear on the sun's surface. These areas generate more heat energy than the surrounding photospheric areas. Solar spots are easily observed in darker areas of the solar disk. There is a chance that solar spots will appear again after they end. sunspot. You can look carefully at the eastern edge of the sun to see if there are any spots of light swirling into your field of view. Remember to use a telescope with a solar filter installed for observation.

prominence

It is one of the most spectacular sights of all solar events, but it can only be seen through a prominence telescope or with the naked eye during a total solar eclipse. These ring-shaped "solar prominences" are large plasma and magnetic field nodes that erupt outward from the photosphere on the sun's surface. "Solar prominences" can extend hundreds of thousands of kilometers into space. Their composition is similar to that of the chromosphere, and Extending outward into the corona. "Prominences" can last for weeks or months when they form. These jets can be seen clearly with high-magnification prominence telescopes, which can be safely observed with the naked eye during a solar eclipse.

sunburst

The solar pattern is a long arch-shaped pattern on the surface of the sun. It is formed by dense ionized gas trapped by a strong magnetic field. It is located above the sunspots and lasts for about a few days to a month. It can be seen during a solar eclipse. Safely use naked eye observation, and be sure to use solar observation equipment at other times to clearly observe these details.

Sun profile

• The sun was born about 4.6 billion years ago, and astronomers point out that the sun has spent more than half of its life cycle.
• The sun was born about 4.6 billion years ago, and astronomers point out that the sun has spent more than half of its life cycle.
• The sun is the most massive celestial body in the solar system, accounting for approximately 99.8% of the entire solar system.
• The sun is composed of 91% hydrogen and 8.9% helium with small amounts of oxygen, carbon, iron, neon and other elements.
• The sun is located at the center of the entire solar system, 140 million kilometers away from the earth. This distance is called an astronomical unit (AU) in astronomy.
• Within the star family, the Sun is intermediate in size and is classified as a yellow dwarf. There are many stellar objects in the universe that are larger or smaller than the sun.
• Due to the powerful solar wind, the Sun's magnetic field is spread throughout the solar system.
• The sun is a huge, almost perfectly circular sphere of plasma with a diameter of about 1.3 million kilometers.
• The size of the sun is about three million earths.
• It takes about eight minutes for light from the sun to reach Earth.
• The interaction between the sun and the earth creates the earth's seasons, ocean currents, climate and aurora.
• The surface temperature of the sun is about 10,000 degrees Fahrenheit, and the temperature at the center can reach up to 27 million degrees Fahrenheit
• The strong gravitational field in the center of the sun aggregates hydrogen atoms and fuses them into tritium. Nuclear fusion generates huge energy and emits huge energy, bringing us sunlight, warmth and solar radiation.
• Coronal mass ejections ( CMEs ) are billions of tons of super-hot plasma erupted from the sun. When a CME strikes the Earth, our atmosphere usually protects us, and the Earth's magnetic field directs clusters of charged ions toward the north and south poles, creating auroras that light up the night sky. If a CME penetrates the Earth's magnetic field, it may cause serious damage to power networks, satellites, electrical and communication equipment, etc.!
• The Sun is labeled a G -type main sequence star or G2V
• Among the hundreds of millions of stars in the Milky Way, the Sun is the most important and influential star for Earth's ecology.
• Like the planets, the sun rotates on its axis. The rotation period of the sun at the equator is about 24 days on Earth and at the poles of the sun is about 30 days.
• The sun's powerful gravitational pull is not only strong enough to grab 8 planets, it also attracts many dwarf planets, countless meteorites, and meteors.
• 99% of the electromagnetic waves radiated by the sun contain visible light, infrared light, and ultraviolet light.
• When the sun exhausts all its hydrogen and helium elements, its life will begin to decline. All matter will collapse toward the center due to gravity, eventually forming a white dwarf star.
• The sun emits rays of all colors, but together they appear white to the naked eye.
• For residents of Earth's northern hemisphere, the sun is closest to us in summer and furthest away in winter.

Special astronomical phenomena related to the sun

eclipse

A solar eclipse is an astronomical phenomenon that occurs when the moon passes between the sun and the earth. A solar eclipse is visible in that area of ​​the Earth when the Moon's shadow cast by the Sun is reflected on Earth. Since there is an angle between the revolution planes of the moon and the earth, and the distance between each intersection may not necessarily form a complete moon shadow on the earth's surface, a perfect total solar eclipse will only appear at a very specific moment. Most of the time it is observed The most common solar eclipse phenomena are partial solar eclipse and annular solar eclipse. No matter what form of solar eclipse it is, solar observation equipment (eclipse glasses, solar telescopes, solar filters) is required for observation.

lunar eclipse

A lunar eclipse can be observed when the Earth is located between the Sun and the Moon, and the Moon happens to enter the Earth's shadow illuminated by the Sun. When a lunar eclipse occurs, it can be observed from all nighttime areas on Earth. Each occurrence lasts approximately 90 minutes and can be directly observed with the naked eye. When the Earth is illuminated by the sun, it will produce a lighter shadow on the opposite side of the outer circle. This area is called the penumbra in astronomy. When the moon passes through this area, a lunar eclipse that is difficult to observe will occur — called a penumbra. "Penumbral Lunar Eclipse". If we were astronauts on the surface of the moon when a lunar eclipse occurred, we would see the sun being completely obscured by the earth.

transit phenomenon

When a star passes between the sun and the earth, the astronomical phenomenon of "transit" can be observed. The transit of Venus and Mercury usually lasts for several hours. The next transit of Mercury is expected to be on November 13 , 2032 . The transit of Venus will occur on December 10-11 , 2117 .

green flash

The mysterious flash of green light is an atmospheric optical phenomenon. At sunrise or sunset, if there are just the right optical conditions, this flash can be observed at the upper edge of the solar disk. The entire process lasts only about two seconds. It takes patience and good luck to see this flash of green light. Pay attention to eye protection when watching. Even at sunset, it is not recommended to continue staring at the sun without proper eye protection.

rainbow

The rainbow is probably the most well-known celestial phenomenon, when the sun shines after a heavy rain. The sunlight refracted by small water droplets in the air will be divided into seven different colors. In fact, the shape of a rainbow is a complete circle, but from the ground we can only observe part of the arch. If you are lucky enough to see a rainbow from an airplane one day, you will be able to see it in its entirety.

Sundog

Sundog is also an atmospheric optical phenomenon, which is a point of light produced at 22 degrees to the left and right of the sun. It usually forms when the sun is close to the horizon. It is the sunlight that penetrates the ice crystals in the clouds and produces neat refraction, creating two virtual images of the sun on both sides of the sun. They are as colorful as rainbows; however, rainbows are seen with your back to the sun, while heliotropes are seen with your face toward the sun.

Halo

Looking towards the sun, a full halo of white light appears around the sun. This atmospheric optical phenomenon is called "solar halo". It is similar to the sun dog. It is also an aperture formed by the refraction of ice crystals in the clouds. This kind of halo is formed by the refraction of ice crystals in the clouds. The optical phenomenon formed by high-altitude cirrus clouds is different from the sundog in that it is not only produced near the horizon, but can also be observed when the sun is high in the sky.

sun beam

At sunrise or sunset, if the weather is cold, ice crystals in the air will reflect sunlight and form a columnar golden halo. Sunlight beams can even be observed when the sun is below the horizon.

aurora

Aurora - Named after the ancient Roman goddess of the dawn, this dancing light that appears in the polar circles is the brilliant brilliance caused by the collision of nitrogen and oxygen atoms with nitrogen and oxygen atoms along the Earth's magnetic field at the north and south poles. These moving and changing beautiful lights are mostly green and white light, and occasionally produce blue-violet and pink lights. The frequency and brightness of auroras also increase during times when sunspots are active or during phases of the solar cycle when coronal massive ejections increase and solar wind intensity increases.

sun halo