museum

Introduction

Our Sun is a main sequence G2 yellow dwarf star that is in a continuous state of transformation. It can be one of the most interesting celestial objects to observe through a telescope. There is always something new to see as the sunspot groups evolve during their westward journey across the Sun's surface.

I use a telescope fitted with a Baader white-light solar filter to safely observe the active regions and sunspots on the Sun.  Some of the features I observe are sunspot groups, umbrae, penumbrae and faculae. Accuracy, rather than artistic talent, is all that's needed to sketch an observation of the Sun. 

Museum

My March 4th solar observation was featured as part of a special exhibit for Sun-Earth day at the Boston Museum of Science on March 18, 2003. It was placed next to NASA’s March 6th SOHO spacecraft photo of the Sun.

The request to use my observation in the museum exhibit was an unexpected surprise. The museum contacted  the Solar Division of the American Association of Variable Star Observers (AAVSO)  and asked them to participate in the Sun-Earth Day event and the AAVSO chose my observation for use in the exhibit. They sent me this copy of my observation that was used in their exhibit at the Boston Museum of Science on March 18, 2003.

Although my drawing was used as a white light comparison with an image taken from the SOHO spacecraft, the features and positions of the sunspot groups in the NASA photo are not an exact mirror of my observation. This is due to the fact that sunspot groups grow and decompose daily. The NASA photo was taken 2 days after my observation was made and the sunspots groups had evolved and moved further westward over the course of the 2 days.


Instrument: 102mm f/10 refractor, undriven

Filter: Baader white-light

Magnification: 100x, 60x

AAVSO initials: DELS

Seeing Scale: American Association of Variable Star Observers (AAVSO)

The museum has 2 white dome observatories on the roof. One is dedicated to night-sky observing and the other to solar observing. I was given a private tour of the solar observatory. All of the telescopes were being used for H-Alpha observing with the exception of one that was fitted with a white-light filter. The museum also has a feed from the telescopes in the observatory to the large screen inside the museum for observing the Sun in real-time directly from the Exhibit Hall. I enjoyed spending time with the professional solar astronomers from the AAVSO, Harvard and the on-staff astronomers who work in the 2 Observatories and Planetarium at the museum. 

American Association of Variable Star Observers

I am an active member of the Solar Division of the American Association of Variable Star Observers (AAVSO), an International organization that collects and archives solar data from amateur and professional astronomers who collaborate globally to provide continuous coverage of the Sun. I send my daily solar observations to the AAVSO who monitors sunspots, computes and publishes the monthly American Relative Sunspot Numbers(RA) index. Universities, scientific organizations, and professional and amateur astronomers around the world use the data.

Note: Never look directly at the Sun with the naked eye or optical instrument without using safe observing procedures.

Outreach

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Enrichment Classes

When I lived in Fairfield, CT, the school PTA asked me to design and coordinate enrichment classes in observational Astronomy:

Observing the Sun and sunspot sketching

Did you know that our Sun is a yellow dwarf star that is in a continuous state of transformation? It can be one of the most interesting celestial objects to observe through a telescope! There is always something new to see as we observe the sunspot groups evolve during their westward journey across the Sun's disk. We will use a telescope fitted with a Baader white-light solar filter to safely observe the active regions on the Sun. Some of the features we will observe: sunspot groups, umbrae, penumbrae, faculae, and maybe even a rare white-light solar flare! Accuracy, rather than artistic talent, is all that's needed to sketch your observation of the Sun. 

Night sky orienteering: identifying stars and constellations

The starry sky twinkles and shines with countless stars. The Milky Way, a river of blazing Suns, spans the sky overhead in brilliant splendor. Where among these stars is Polaris - the North Star? And where is the constellation Orion? Or the asterism of the Big Dipper? Are you interested in learning how to locate the North Star and recognize some of the major constellations and guide stars? Once you discover how the star patterns resemble animals, people, and objects, navigating your way around the night sky will be fun!  


Observing Deep-sky Objects: Messier Catalog

Have you ever wondered what the Andromeda galaxy looked like? Have you heard of the Ring Nebula? These and other deep-sky objects are part of the Messier Catalog: a listing of galaxies, star clusters, and nebulae visible through a telescope or binoculars. Take a tour of these celestial objects and witness first hand the wonders of the universe!  

Observing the Moon and lunar sketching

Have you ever wondered about the dark areas and other features of the Moon? Observing the moon is great fun! We will use a telescope to see detailed views of the major lunar features including: craters, maria, highlands, mountains, domes, and ray systems. Artistic skill is not a requirement, just diagram what you see!  

Equipment: Telescopes, eyepieces, filters, and their usage

Are you thinking about purchasing equipment for observing the night-sky or Sun? We will explore what type of equipment will best meet your observing requirements before you invest in expensive equipment. You will use a refractor and Dobsonian reflector to become familiar with their motions, pointing and aligning objects in the finderscope and eyepiece, focusing, eye placement, using different eyepieces and magnifying powers, and filter usage. 

Supplies

Solar and lunar observers

Night sky and Messier observers

Wear Layers

Why a “red beam flashlight”?

To see faint objects through a telescope, your eyes must undergo a process called dark adaptation. This process takes about 30 minutes. White light from flashlights, car headlights, street lights, any light other than red, will destroy your dark adaptation in seconds. You will then have to wait another 30 minutes to become fully dark adapted again. 

If you don’t have a red beam flashlight, you can convert an old flashlight using one of the following methods to dim and redden the light: