Solar Sunday – See Our Sun Up Close

About this event

It’s there for us year round, lighting our days and providing energy for our lives, so maybe it’s time to give it a closer look. Join SJAA for amazing and detailed views of the Sun , and be assured that we’ll be using special telescopes that will keep your eyeballs perfectly safe.

We’ll have white-light telescopes with dense solar filters that reveal sunspots . Further, we’ll show you hydrogen-alpha telescopes that isolate a very specific color of red that reveals prominences (colloquially often thought of as solar flares ; see video below) and intricate texture within the Sun’s chromosphere (its atmosphere).

We can also share with you a little about how the Sun works and how complex magnetic fields drive the number of sunspots and prominences that we’ll see on a given day.

A few minutes after 1:30, we'll have a short, informal introductory talk , and at other times, you can enjoy the views and ask questions about the Sun, telescopes, or astronomy in general.

Often we also have a station where you can get a better feel for the huge scale of our solar system! And you'll get a solar system you can fold up and carry in your pocket.

You may bring your own telescope. If you have a properly filtered white light or H-alpha telescope and want to share views with others , please arrive at 1:00 or earlier, so you have time to set up before the event officially starts.

Since we'll be out in the Sun, consider coming prepared with a hat, sunscreen and water. Conditions may be hot!

And with this video you could prepare yourself with a better understanding of solar flares (and how they're different from prominences): https://youtu.be/EgKTeVQegbk

Many of SJAA’s events, like this one, are public and free to attend, but if you’re enjoying what SJAA has to offer, consider becoming a contributing member for only $20 per year: https://www.sjaa.net/membership/benefits-of-membership-2/

For more info on this public solar observing event, visit: https://www.sjaa.net/events/solar-observing/

[Photo: Sun image (at 304A) from NASA SDO ( https://sdo.gsfc.nasa.gov/ ) 2022-10-08]

From SJ Astronomy