Hi Mark,
Well thank you so much for the kind words and for your interest. I am
really glad that my postings have at least to some been entertaining and
informative. I'll be happy to continue posting my solar OI's and OR's here
because the reason I do it is because I want to make friends and share my
hobby with my friends. Amateur astronomy for me is not only a kind of
spiritual outlet or pursuit but it is a social activity and a means of
seeking knowledge and a connection to that greater cosmic realm out there.
It is such a wonderful gift to able to look out and up and beyond what my
simple mind can really grasp and just admire it and wonder about it's
vastness and beauty.
Solar observing is really awesome because with the h-alpha filter you don't
just see spots and subtle texture. You can actually see real time events.
You can see the explosions. You can see structures that consist of billions
of tons of hydrogen plasma moving and changing shape and color over a very
short period of time. You can see the violence of the solar surface. You
can see huge structures of gas suspended above the solar surface tens of
thousands of miles high and sometimes these structures extend hundreds of
thousands of miles long. It is incredible! I mean you know this last week
there was this spot 652 you read about. It was already wider than Jupiter
when it came into view. But then it split into two Jupiter sized spots.
The activity around this monster was amazing. I just stared at it for 5 -
10 - 15 minutes at a time. And the longer I looked, the more detail I would
see. Sometimes while I was watching it I would see bright white/yellow
cracks open up, get wider and then close up again. I could see changes in
some of the filament and spicule like features in just a short period of
time. A few days at the beginning of last week on one side of the sun there
was this long filament/prominence that extended maybe 15 to 20% of the
diameter of the sun and it had such beautiful swirling structures in it.
The bright red against the blackness of space at the edge of the sun is
awesome. I would just watch and wonder at the immense (see I used that word
too) forces at work and just at the sheer size of these things. I mean if
it is 93 million miles away and I can see it at just 26x or even less, it
has to be really big! Pretty darn cool, huh?
Anyway, sorry I waxed on a bit there. But if you are interested in a solar
OR now and then. I'll keep posting them.
Thanks for your interest, friendship and input.
Michael Swartz
By the way, I'll be set up at the Fremont Art and Wine festival tomorrow
(8/1) somewhere around the edge of it. I have to find a place where the
foot traffic is good and I'll be somewhat shielded from the wind. But most
importantly I want to find a safe place where I won't be chased away by
police or drunks. I expect to set up around noon or so and then remain
there most of the day up to maybe 5 or 6pm. If you happen to come by I'll
spot you a cold drink. Howz that? :-)
If anyone is interested, the Fremont Art & Wine festival is featured on the
Fremont Chamber of Commerce website at http://www.fremontbusiness.com
<http://www.fremontbusiness.com/> and they have a map and activity
description. To find me once you get there, you can either just wander
around until you get lucky or too tired and just go home or you can call me
on my cell phone at 510 * 377 * 0694
Have a great weekend!
_____
From: M. Bracewell [mailto:markb@akiva.com]
Sent: Saturday, July 31, 2004 10:08 PM
To: michael@itsupportnet.com; 'The Astronomy Connection'
Subject: RE: [TAC] new solar observing group
Michael - though I haven't yet made it to one of your solar cafe lunches, I
have to say I have been *immensely* entertained and educated by your posts
and the responses on this list - it is after all an observers list and
that's what you do. So, while I wish you much success in your new list, I
would still love to love to receive at least the notifications you send
about where you might be observing via TAC - I promise I'll show up one of
these days. Did I say *immensely*?..., really, it's been a welcome education
for a newbie. I wouldn't have given the sun a second thought were it not for
your magnanimous contribution..
-- Mark
Rather than clutter up the message log of this group with my postings about
solar lunches and solar observing parties, etc..
Received on Sat Jul 31 23:08:53 2004