Uploaded March 2024 | Updated September 2026, 9 minutes ago
The Sun can be looked at in several different ways. The simplest and least expensive way is with a broadband filter that reduces the intensity of the light, but still passes all wavelengths. This shows the Photosphere where you can see sunspots, granulation, and faculae. To see solar prominences, filaments and details on the surface you need a hydrogen alpha notch filter which is very difficult and expensive to produce. This allows you to see the Chromosphere layer of the Sun.
This is how the Sun looked in my telescopes on Feb 29 2024, in both Ha and white light. I used my Lunt 100MT for the Ha view, and my TEC160FL with a Lunt herschel wedge for the white light view. I did the animation in Keynote.
If you find this sort of stuff interesting, I encourage you to subscribe!
The Sun can be looked at in several different ways. The simplest and least expensive way is with a broadband filter that reduces the intensity of the light, but still passes all wavelengths. This shows the Photosphere where you can see sunspots, granulation, and faculae. To see solar prominences, filaments and details on the surface you need a hydrogen alpha notch filter which is very difficult and expensive to produce. This allows you to see the Chromosphere layer of the Sun.
This is how the Sun looked in my telescopes on Feb 29 2024, in both Ha and white light. I used my Lunt 100MT for the Ha view, and my TEC160FL with a Lunt herschel wedge for the white light view. I did the animation in Keynote.
If you find this sort of stuff interesting, I encourage you to subscribe!
