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Observing and Imaging Group
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After last night's very successful solar viewing training session, I've updated the solar observing group web page with some of the material that we covered last night.
See http://flamsteed.info/observing/solar-observing-group/
I'd be interested in any comments that people may have about the information, and also about the training session. We do hope to run a practical hands-on training session within the next few weeks, so that people can get used to setting up the solar telescopes at the ROG.
To volunteer to help out at these sessions, please contact us. You don't need any special skills... just enthusiasm... everything else can be learnt "on the job".
The public solar viewing sessions for the 2016 season will take place on the following dates (weather permitting):
- Monday 9th May – Transit of Mercury
- Friday 10th June
- Saturday 2nd July (weather back-up Sunday 3rd July)
- Friday 8th July
- Saturday 16th July (weather back-up Sunday 17th July)
- Friday 22nd July
- Saturday 6th August (weather back-up Sunday 7th August)
- Friday 12th August
- Saturday 20th August (weather back-up Sunday 21st August)
- Friday 26th August
Posted : 04/05/2016 8:23 pm
That was a fantastic solar training session on Tuesday night. I’m now armed with quite a few new facts that I look forward to being able to put to good use!
For those looking to quickly access the solar fact sheet that was passed around, a direct link can be found here (accessible via Mike's link above but this will save you scrolling):
http://flamsteed.info/docs/A4_Solar_Aid_March2016_02_RGB.pdf
Posted : 05/05/2016 11:58 am
Thanks for the fact sheet, Christina and to whoever did the attractive sheet.
Just one thing. The bottom right corner fact about the the size of the sun in comparison to the Earth and Jupiter is very easy to misread. It reads as if the Sun is only 10 times the size of Jupiter (its really a thousand times more in volume) and only 109 times the size of the Earth (its really 1.3 million times more). Of course, I know its referring to diameters but its just not so clearly stated for the learner. On the right hand side it states the Sun's diameter but the right hand text is too isolated from that so very likely a learner will not connect the text to realise its referring to diameters.
Also, I do notice so much fact sheets of solar system objects like to give diameters but I feel this misses a beat to really make an impact. A 1000 Earths fit into Jupiter, a thousand Jupiters fit into the sun, over a million Earths fit into the sun...that for me, draws gasps, especially from the youngsters!...heck, even from me, every time I think about it 🙂
Posted : 07/05/2016 10:26 pm
Thanks, Tej. It was Nick Phillips who came up with the idea - I merely made it look pretty 🙂
Your comments are certainly something to consider for solar observing aid mark two. I think it might be a little too late to amend for this print run... There are so many interesting Sun facts and such little space to display them all in a coherent and easy to read manner - less is often more. Let's, for now, keep the impressive Earth/Jupiter filling the Sun facts in our pocket as an added extra to present to people as we talk. Little bit of added value.
Posted : 08/05/2016 12:27 pm
Mike and Nick, sorry I missed the training session . But if needed I can help out on most of the weekend observing sessions. Will have to dig out some books and revise.
Posted : 08/05/2016 2:07 pm
