Sunny Days

On sunny days, you want to take the opportunity to photograph the sun, which is quite active now with nice prominences on the edge of the sun and quite a lot of activity on the solar surface as well. All images from the Carpe Noctem Observatory and taken with a Ha solar filter.

The sun is the undisputed powerhouse of our solar system. Constantly fusing hydrogen into helium in its core, it radiates a staggering \(3.8 \times 10^{26}\) Joules of energy every single second. This output completely dwarfs human energy consumption, providing a nearly limitless engine for life on Earth

A prominence on the western edge of the sun is escaping into space. A prominence is a huge, arc-shaped cloud of hot gas and plasma held in place by the sun's strong magnetic field. If the magnetic field becomes unstable, the entire structure can rupture and be hurled into space at a speed of several million kilometers per hour. The image was taken on May 22, 2026 from the Carpe Noctem Observatory in Sweden. 

The Sun 24th of may 2026

A clear morning, but a very turbulent atmosphere and poor visibility. But I still took a chance on taking some pictures. It turned out 4 exposures with 200 stacked sequences per image, then stitched together in Photoshop.

Solar activity on May 24, 2026 is at an elevated and very active level, which is expected as we are close to the expected maximum period of solar cycle 25. Main measurements and events. During the last 24 hours, mainly C-class eruptions have been recorded, including two C3 eruptions early in the morning. The total number of observed sunspots remains high, indicating a continued high potential for further eruptions (such as M or X-class) in the next 24 hours. The last geomagnetic storm noted was at level G2 (moderate storm) on May 16, and currently there are relatively calm geomagnetic conditions.

Our star

Our beautiful star keeps our planet alive; without it there would be no life. On this warm sunny day the viewing was very nice, with a calm atmosphere and no major turbulence. The view through the eyepiece was fantastic! There was a lot of activity on the solar surface with active areas around sunspots and larger filaments. On the edge of the sun there were fantastic prominences; they were significantly larger than our own planet.

The Sun 2026-05-14

Active regions on the Sun are temporary areas of intense, complex magnetic fields, often thousands of times stronger than the Sun's average magnetic field. They appear as dark sunspots in the photosphere and are the primary source of solar flares, coronal loops, and coronal mass ejections (CMEs)

Current Solar Activity (As of May 2026)As of May 14, 2026, multiple numbered active regions have been observed, including AR4436 and AR4438.Recent activity includes a strong M5.79 flare from region 4436 and associated radio blackouts.

Photos taken at Carpe Noctem Observatory.

The sun in Ha 2026-04-25

Today's sun with quite a lot of activity. On the western edge of the sun, prominences are seen, also activity from sunspot 4422 which is just over the edge on the eastern side. On the surface, sunspots 4420. 4421 and 4424 etc. are seen with flares which are seen as white areas, also filaments, seen as dark streaks.

Sunspots are temporary, dark and cooler areas on the sun's surface (the photosphere) caused by strong magnetic fields. They arise because the magnetic fields inhibit the flow of energy from within the sun, making these areas cooler than their surroundings. The spots are linked to the sun's activity and are the starting point for solar storms.

And otherwise, structures in the chromosphere are seen via my Ha solar filter.

Without special equipment, the chromosphere cannot normally be seen due to the overwhelming brightness from the photosphere, but it is clearly seen through bandpass filters set to the H-alpha spectral line.

Latest high res print

Latest high res print avaiable at Carpe Noctem

Showing a partial solar eclipse through a Ha solar filter, beautiful prominences seen at the solar limb.

 

Very active Sun so far in 2023

 Photos from 4th of july 2023.

The Sun 2023 03 16

 

The Sun, Jupiter and the Moon

 

The moon, the Sun, autumn in moonlight and Aurora