DIY Astronomer captures amazing images of the Sun!

Teki187 · 15 Dec 2009 at 22:58

Friend sent me this in a email, so i thought i'd share.

No, these photographs weren't taken by an astrophysicist or whipped up in a special-effects lab. Photographer Larry Alvarez takes these pictures of the sun in his backyard using a camera, a telescope, and some homemade gear. With some tips from Alvarez, you can build your own solar telescope camera, too.

To get good images of the sun, you have to "take the law into your own hands," Alvarez writes. His site includes instructions on how to build a build a white light filter system out of cardboard and filter material, or a slightly fancier version made of plywood, glue and velcro. He also teaches how to convert your Coronado 60mm, 70mm or 90mm MaxScope telescope into a focuser for solar images. I love his workbench with the Rubik's cube next to his hacked telescope and camera equipment.

Source

Astronomer's website - Also includes how to make the lens to, for anyone interested.

Amazing pictures for something so "simple".

Enjoy.

Shakeel · 15 Dec 2009 at 22:59

amazing

PermaBanned · 15 Dec 2009 at 22:59

Nice.

Remember kids, Telescope + Sun = Head on fire.

Bennie-Mac · 15 Dec 2009 at 23:00

Those are awesome

Glaucus · 15 Dec 2009 at 23:01

Stunning which I had the money and skills to take telescope pictures.

Teki187 · 15 Dec 2009 at 23:02

AcidHell2 said:
Stunning which I had the money and skills to take telescope pictures.

I can't really begin to understand the equipment he is using, but if you can do this with a £500 telescope and half decent camera + DIY lens, then i'd be more then happy to learn.

Glaucus · 15 Dec 2009 at 23:03

Teki187 said:
I can't really begin to understand the equipment he is using, but if you can do this with a £500 telescope and half decent camera + DIY lens, then i'd be more then happy to learn.

I expect well maybe not for sun ones, but for star ones you also need low light pollution.

Vonhelmet · 15 Dec 2009 at 23:09

Superewza said:
Telescope + Sun = Head on fire.

True story.

john_s · 15 Dec 2009 at 23:22

Awesome pics!

Mik3 · 15 Dec 2009 at 23:25

Those are bloody awesome!

Just ordered some of that material myself after seeing those.

They have it here for £18 if any one's interested.

http://www.telescopehouse.com/acatalog/Baader_Astro_Solar_Film_A4.html

PhillyDee · 15 Dec 2009 at 23:30

I had my fiorst look through a solarscope at kielder in October. Shame theres not much happening. It looked just like a perfectly round orange. No flares, no sunspots nothing.

Ewanb75 · 16 Dec 2009 at 00:06

Sure ive seen these pics a while back, very awesome.

arknor · 16 Dec 2009 at 00:22

photoshop!

seriously no heat haze and i can tell by the pixels

Clum · 16 Dec 2009 at 01:22

Pfff doesn't look that hot to me.

timmy222 · 16 Dec 2009 at 08:51

Thing is when you see the raw power of the sun you know it will not last forever, and our planet earth will indeed die someday and all of mankind with it unless we get to the stars in time.

Guerrilla · 16 Dec 2009 at 08:54

Amazing pictures, thanks for sharing

gurusan · 16 Dec 2009 at 08:57

awesome.

floatindolphin · 16 Dec 2009 at 09:06

is that blue image when the sun has been turned off at night?

TheMightyTen · 16 Dec 2009 at 09:10

Stunning, we are truly insignificant. Thanks for the pics and links.

Ziggy · 16 Dec 2009 at 09:10