Sky & Telescope - July 2024 - 60

ALL IMAGES COURTESY OF THE AUTHOR
IMAGING TIPS by Chris Schur
Solar Image
Processing
Use these helpful tips to make your Sun
images shine.
A
pril's total solar eclipse drew the attention of many
observers, turning many of us into solar imagers,
at least temporarily. And though the big event has
come and gone, it's still a great time to continue the focus
on our nearest star. The peak of the 11-year solar cycle
is due to occur this year, with numerous sunspots, active
regions, prominences, and flaring events that make the Sun
such an exciting target.
The Sun is a continually churning ball of plasma, and its
appearance can change dramatically day to day and even
within minutes. Solar imaging is pretty easy, and unlike
deep-sky photography, it can only be accomplished during
daylight hours, so you won't lose sleep recording solar
photons. But like all forms of astrophotography, capturing
the Sun requires special considerations during the processing
stage in order to produce the best images with your
particular gear.
60 JULY 2024 * SKY & TELESCOPE
Here are some of the techniques I use to get the most of
my solar imagery through a variety of filters.
Which Wavelengths to Shoot
The Sun transmits across many wavelengths, but the three
most accessible to amateurs are white light, calcium K (CaK),
and hydrogen alpha (Hα).
White light encompasses the entire visible spectrum
from about 380 to 750 nanometers. You only need a simple
solar filter that reduces the Sun's brightness to a safe level
in order to see the photosphere, where sunspots, faculae,
and solar granulation are visible (see the May issue, page
52). The Ca-K filter passes light near the ultraviolet end of
the spectrum at 393.4 nanometers, where one of the two
strong absorption lines of calcium are found in the solar
spectrum (the K and H lines). This filter reveals part of the
chromosphere, a region of the solar atmosphere just above
the photosphere, and displays large areas of supergranulation.
Prominences are also faintly visible in Ca-K. The
third region of the solar spectrum of interest to imagers
is the Hα line centered at 656.28 nanometers, and it is

Sky & Telescope - July 2024

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of Sky & Telescope - July 2024

Contents
Sky & Telescope - July 2024 - Cover1
Sky & Telescope - July 2024 - Cover2
Sky & Telescope - July 2024 - 1
Sky & Telescope - July 2024 - Contents
Sky & Telescope - July 2024 - 3
Sky & Telescope - July 2024 - 4
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Sky & Telescope - July 2024 - Cover3
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