SunSpots galore

[Marcy]

I like to photograph sunspots - serves as practice for Sun Eclipse photos that I am planning on making in October in Blanding Utah - these are with my R5 mirrorless camera ,100-500mm+ 1.4 extender = 700mm - using a solar filter on my lens - 1/500 , iso 2500, f/11- the spots are larger than the earth I think it is amazing you can get such shots like this without a telescope -

 

[Ben Egbert]

Amazing. This is Astro within my reach

 

[JimFox]

Awesome work here Marcy! Those sunspots are so cool looking! How did you focus this?

FYI, Your lens is longer then my telescope. My first 2 years of Astrophotography was done with a very similar set up, the Nikon D850 and the Tamron 150-600mm. All I did was buy a SkyGuider Pro for $400 so it could track the stars and I was capturing objects in deep space! You are well on your way to doing that. You should pick up a little tracker like the SkyGuider Pro, and start imaging Orion, Andromeda, the Rosette Nebula, the California Nebula, etc. The list goes on with what you can capture with your R5 and the 100-500mm.

 

[AlanLichty]

Nice work - You have me interested in a solar filter now

 

[Marcy]

Awesome work here Marcy! Those sunspots are so cool looking! How did you focus this?

FYI, Your lens is longer then my telescope. My first 2 years of Astrophotography was done with a very similar set up, the Nikon D850 and the Tamron 150-600mm. All I did was buy a SkyGuider Pro for $400 so it could track the stars and I was capturing objects in deep space! You are well on your way to doing that. You should pick up a little tracker like the SkyGuider Pro, and start imaging Orion, Andromeda, the Rosette Nebula, the California Nebula, etc. The list goes on with what you can capture with your R5 and the 100-500mm.

I have a small tracker this set up is too heavy/and long - but I am going to try it with my 70-200 later this summer - used manual focus and magnify the back of the camera view that helped with the focus

 

[Mike Lewis]

This is great - really nice result! I am encouraged too as I have all that same gear other than the extender, so would be at 500mm instead of 700, but likely still useable with the 45mp of the R5. I am also excited for the sunspot proliferation, as I am a Amateur Radio operator. Time to get that hobby going again I think. Let's go, Cycle 25!

Is it the annular eclipse that you are getting ready for in Blanding? I gotta think about that one too. Already planning on the next total eclipse in April of next year. The last one of those in the USA was EPIC!

ML

 

[Marcy]

This is great - really nice result! I am encouraged too as I have all that same gear other than the extender, so would be at 500mm instead of 700, but likely still useable with the 45mp of the R5. I am also excited for the sunspot proliferation, as I am a Amateur Radio operator. Time to get that hobby going again I think. Let's go, Cycle 25!

Is it the annular eclipse that you are getting ready for in Blanding? I gotta think about that one too. Already planning on the next total eclipse in April of next year. The last one of those in the USA was EPIC!

ML

we were going to look at the Eclipse in April but due to its path we felt it would be pushing the weather in Texas as that is Tornado season and lots of rain - we live in an RV - we did the one in 2017 in Oregon right on the line- it was great

 

[Mike Lewis]

Ok very cool. I would plan on this, but I think our Australia trip (still in the final planning stages for this fall) is going to conflict with it. Will be somewhere for the total version in 2024 though - after being at the 2017 one in person hard to miss trying for another one of those. But I think this would have been unique too so will be disappointed to miss it.

ML