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Canon DSLR Challenge | all galleries >> Challenge 64: Round (host: Sharon Lips) >> Exhibition > 4th Place
Loop Prominence
by Andrew Chatman
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9/7/2005 Andrew Chatman

4th Place
Loop Prominence
by Andrew Chatman

Pittsford, NY

The outer edges of the Sun in the hydrogen alpha wavelength. A beautiful loop prominence displays an eruption of magnetic fields. You could easily pass a couple of planet Earths through the hole.

Canon EOS 20D ,70mm refractor scope with H-Alpha filter

other sizes: small medium original auto
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Canon DSLR Challenge29-Mar-2006 20:29
one word, Wow!
Thanks for explaining the setup and post processing details. Appreciated :)
-Techo
Canon DSLR Challenge29-Mar-2006 02:11
Dear Andy: So you're kind of doing this all on your own...for your own enjoyment? That's what is interesting! Exceptional work. Best Wishes, Traveller
Canon DSLR Challenge28-Mar-2006 12:34
Thanks Traveller for the kind comments.

These photos have two major components: the photo and the processing. Each is equally important. The photo itself involves attaching my camera to a small telescope outfitted with a solar filter. The H-alpha filter itself is rather expensive but well worth it for the views. Then it's simply a matter of pointing at the sun and taking several focus-test shots (angle-finder C works well for this, or direct camera control through the laptop), and finally snapping the photo. In reality, to get a solar photo with detail on both the surface and the edges, I take two photos. The surface shot needs to be MUCH shorter than the edges. The two photos are later composited.

In software, the red channel is extracted, and the detail is brought out using standard post-processing techniques (levels/curves/sharpening/etc). If there is both a surface and edge shot, I combine them. If not, I blacken out the surface (as seen in this prominence-only shot). Finally, once the image detail is brought out, I apply false color to the image to match what is seen at the eyepiece. In all, it's about 15 minutes of processing (maybe a bit more). Andy
Canon DSLR Challenge27-Mar-2006 21:46
Andy, your images are always just amazing and expand my....limited ability to understand. Thanks from me also. Though this is not crucial, I'd be curious if you have the time to tell a little of what you have to go through to get an image like this. I also love Venus transit for its sense of scale. Best Wishes, Traveller
elips27-Mar-2006 04:02
I, for one, am glad you take the time to share your images with us. I am always impressed with them and enjoy them very much! ~Sharon
Canon DSLR Challenge26-Mar-2006 23:31
Thanks Sharon,

These challenges give me an opportunity to share my somewhat unique interest in photography with others who i hope find it interesting. I think what's very interesting to me is that some of the shots I take, even though the subjects are so far away, have at their roots some of the same basic building blocks as terrestrial photography. Proof, I guess, that nature on its grandest scale is so much like nature on a small scale. Andy
elips26-Mar-2006 20:14
Andrew, your two shots take my breath away! They are both so beautiful and especially exotic because they are out of reach, photographically, of most of us. Perfect shots for this challenge, thanks for posting them! ~Sharon