Our Sun happens to be a celestial subject that when looked at more closely, has the potential to transform the way it is commonly viewed. Instead of it just being that blinding spot above our heads that is much too intense to be looked at, it becomes an awe-inspiring burning sphere that is constantly warming up and brightening our home, and its true power and closeness can be appreciated. In spite of this, many of us fail to think about the Sun when we bring to mind observable sights in the sky, despite it actually being the absolute brightest body around in our skies, simply because of the fact it’s only around in the day instead of the nighttime.
The Sun is really a fantastic source of enjoyment for observers when the proper safety measures are taken to be sure that zero injury to the stargazer’s eye sight happens. Simply looking at the Sun using the naked eye may cause lasting eyesight damage, and trying to observe it by means of binoculars or a telescope, in traditional fashion, is not safe because this will certainly cause the loss of one’s sight very rapidly. Fortunately there are numerous safe methods of look at the Sun and enable one to observe the Sun’s remarkably lively surface.
While viewing the Sun you may take note of one of its more interesting phenomena, the sun spots upon its exterior. These darkish patches are actually parts which are cooler than the majority of the Sun’s outer surface. They’re caused by magnetic activity found at these locations blocking heat transfer through convection. Sunspots undoubtedly are an active phenomena, always forming and diminishing. They can remain present for several hours to many months at a stretch. The greatest ones are known to be 50,000km and can be successfully observed by way of a telescope with a appropriate solar filter.
Looking straight at the Sun just isn’t safe, fortunately there exist three basic means to view the Sun besides the expensive equipment which are only found in observatories or astronomical satelites. The first one is pinhole projection. This can be done by making a tiny opening into a piece of paper or a card and then holding it right between the Sun and another white sheet. The sunlight coming from the Sun will now project through the tiny hole and make a picture on the white surface that is perfectly safe to view.
The next technique is to project an image using an optical device. Using this method is comparable to the last, with the exception of, opposed to using a card that has a tiny opening, a pair of binoculars or a telescope is pointed at the sun so the picture is focused using the eye piece right onto empty page instead. Make certain not to look through the telescope or the binoculars when pointed it in the direction of the Sun since it will destroy your eyesight. The third technique is to buy a solar filter, which are offered for your telescope, or to start using a solar telescope which happen to be specifically designed for viewing the Sun risk-free.
Daniel Stewart is a Mechanical Engineer who also studied Astronomy and Astrophysics at Villanova University.
