Astrophotos: The Wispy Edge of the Sun

It’s like a total solar eclipse — without the Moon! Using a special hydrogen-alpha filter that completely blocks the Sun’s photosphere (visible surface) these images show just the Sun’s corona and the dancing solar prominences. The filter blocks all light from the Sun except for the red light emitted by excited hydrogen atoms, which are responsible for the distinctive color of prominences and the chromosphere, the wispy, hot layer of gas that overlies the photosphere.

Of course, never look directly at the Sun with the naked eye or through a telescope without a special solar filter.

The image above by Mary Spicer was taken with a Coronado PST, 2 x Barlow plus Canon 1100D. ISO-3200 1/400 second exposure, processed in Lightroom and Focus Magic.

See more below:

These images by Roger Hutchinson were taken with a Lunt LS60 Ha, Skyris 618C, and 2.5x Powermate.

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