MARSTOWN OBSERVATORY

Outfitted for Solar Viewing The above view from outside the dome shows the 12.5 inch f/6 stopped down to an aperture of 4 inches at f/19 and equipped with a Thousand Oaks Type II solar filter.

Two images of the sun as seen through a 5" f8 Astrophysics Starfire refractor. The effective aperture was 4" (f10) due to the masking effect of the 4" solar filter. Each was taken using a hand held Fuji FinePix 2650 digital camera through the eyepiece. The camera is a simple consumer grade camera whose image size is only 2.0 megapixels. One image reveals the entire solar disc. A complex sunspot group is seen in the other. Click on either image to see a full sized view pop up in a new window.

The above images were 1/60 second exposures on Kodak PJ400 film using eyepiece projection from a TeleVue 19mm Wide Field eyepiece using the 12.5" f6 Newtonian equatorial reflector. The effective aperture was 4" (f19) due to the masking effect of the 4" solar filter.

A colossal sunspot group imaged by the Supercircuits PC-164C video camera and rendered with the RCA 5" active matrix LCD video monitor. (Click mouse on above image to view full size in a new window - 197 KB)

Contact the MTO Director at marstown@gmail.com.