Director: Richard Bailey
October 2010
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Rotation Nos. 2101,2102,2103
WHITE LIGHT
First , a warm welcome to a new Solar Section member , Paul Brierley. Paul specialises in observing in White Light and drawing the Sun , and we look forward to having his drawings .
During the first two weeks solar activity was low, NH AR1109 being by the W limb on the 1st, still bold with a good penumbra. Small NH AR1111 was seen ( just ) near the CM in midweek. The second week had some blank discs until SH AR1112 came into view at the E Limb as a sprinkling of small spots on the 9th., but then faded. On the 16th. three AR’s were on show , SH 1115 in the E as a single spot , NH 1113 ditto midway to the CM and 1112 had come to life again as a cluster of small spots . The 19th was the highlight of the month with 5 AR’s , NH1116 a small spot by the CM, SH 1117 at the E limb with four small spots joining the other AR’s going W. Week 3 ended with AR’s 1113,1115, 1117 visible , 1117 having developed rapidly into a shapely cluster. It remained the strongest AR to the end of the month when it was at the W limb with SH AR 1120 in view in the E. Ian Lee on the 3rd. noted the clear Wilson Effect to AR 1109 by the W limb. No AR’s became (protected) naked eye objects . Alan Heath reported limb faculae on four days ( he observed on 21 ). Bob Dryden had his highest MDF count since April 2006. Peter Paice and Ron Westmaas again took fine pictures of the ever changing AR’s, and Dale Holt and Paul excellent drawings. Activity was nicely balanced between the N and S hemispheres.
MDF 2.05 R 26.29
H-ALPHA
H-Alpha activity mirrored that of White Light , two weeks of subdued activity followed by the opposite . A highlight of the month was the splendid long, strong SH filament that stretched between AR’s 1112 and 1115 from the 10th. to the 23rd., being at it’s best around the 16th-19th. The NH also had good filaments around the 16th. Fine, detailed and varied prominences were on show through the month. On the 21st. the NW quadrant had former long filaments standing out in some length. Alan recorded flares on the 25th. and 30th., and the Director was lucky to catch strong flare activity to AR 1117 as he started to observe on the 24th . in mid-morning. Ian’s detailed drawings of his observations on 16 days show and describe prominences and other activity very well. He commented on the glorious view through his PST on the 12th., which included a huge spectacular prominence in the SE, looking like a fire breathing dragon . An example of the dramatic sights provided by H-Alpha filters.
MDF 3.29
Observers: Bob Dryden Paul Brierley Alan Heath Ron Westmaas Peter Paice Ian Lee Dale Holt and the Director
Richard bailey: SPA Solar Section Director
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