Page 28 - BBC Sky at Night - September 2017 UK

28

Hotshots BONUS
YOUR

CONTENT

A gallery
containing these
and more of your
This month’s pick of your very best astrophotos stunning images

PHOTO
OF THE
MONTH

S Sunspot region AR2665
DAVID SEARLES, KENT, 9 JULY 2017

David says: “With the BBC Sky at Night Magazine says: “David has then deep-sky objects and most recently
Sun heading towards solar captured an incredible level of detail in this hydrogen-alpha and white light solar
minimum, this shot chose solar image, not just in the sunspot itself but imaging. My particular interest in solar is in
itself! It was just good to see also the texture on the surface of the Sun. close-ups rather than full discs; hence the latest
some activity, the Sun having Patience is a virtue in any solar imager, setup using my CPC 925. Imaging in white
been quiet for a while. Working waiting for interesting and dynamic features light at a 5m focal length is not the easiest,
at a focal length of about to appear on the surface of our host star, and but I enjoy the challenge of getting decent
5m, achieving good focus is a big challenge in David’s case it has certainly paid off.” data captured and the subsequent processing
as the daytime seeing can be quite variable.” to get as much fine detail out as possible.
About David: “I’ve had an interest in The Sun is constantly changing so there is
Equipment: ZWO ASI120MM-S mono CMOS astronomy since being a student back in the usually something of interest to image,
camera, Celestron CPC 925 XLT Schmidt- 1980s and got into astrophotography about though it is a shame we are now heading
Cassegrain, 2x Barlow lens, white light filter. seven years ago. I started with planetary, towards solar minimum.”

skyatnightmagazine.com 2017