Solar Observation Log — 15 March 2026

Today offered a perfect opportunity for a detailed solar observation session, and around noon I set up my equipment to capture the Sun in both white light and H‑alpha. The result was a wonderfully active solar disk, full of detail and structure.

White-Light Observation

For the white‑light part of the session, I used my TS Optics PhotoLine 80mm refractor, paired with the Tele Vue Ethos 8mm eyepiece. The seeing was steady enough to reveal fine details, and I made a sketch of the solar disk to document the view.

Sunspots and Groups

Quite a number of sunspots were visible today, including a well‑defined group on the eastern side of the disk and a smaller set toward the center. To classify and count the sunspots and groups, I used the new web application of the VVS Working Group Sun for the very first time.

The tool can be found here: https://wgzon.vvs.be/zon/.

The webapp is intuitive and will definitely become part of my regular workflow—it’s convenient, clear, and makes reporting to the VVS much easier.

Below is the sketch I made during the observation:

H‑alpha Observation

After the white‑light session, I switched to my Coronado SolarMax 40 to explore the Sun’s chromosphere in H‑alpha. The difference was spectacular. Several prominences were visible along the limb—some small and delicate, others large and dramatically shaped.

To enhance contrast, I used my red filter, and it genuinely improved the visibility of faint filamentary details. The surface showed dynamic structure, with fibrils and small filaments weaving across the disk.

Conclusion

Today’s session was both visually rewarding and scientifically productive. Active regions, sunspots, and prominences all put on a show, and it was also my first time using the new VVS sunspot webapp—definitely recommended.

Clear skies until the next solar update!