Event Report
Comments and anecdotes about the event:
Today’s public solar observing session at the observatory was a fun and relaxed event, even though the seeing conditions left a bit to be desired. The atmosphere was pretty turbulent throughout the afternoon, which made fine solar details a little harder to catch, but that didn’t stop us from having a good time sharing the view with visitors.
HiDAS members Tim amd Wendy were on hand to help out, and we had both a hydrogen alpha telescope and a refractor equipped with a Herschel wedge set up for public viewing. Through the H-alpha scope, we were able to show off some prominences and filaments, even if they were a little soft around the edges due to the conditions. The refractor gave nice views of the photosphere, including a few sunspots that sparked some great questions.
Despite the hazy seeing, visitors were enthusiastic and curious, and it was rewarding to see people engage with the telescopes and ask thoughtful questions about the Sun. These kinds of events are always a reminder of how fun and important it is to share astronomy with the public.
We are looking forward to doing it again soon, hopefully under steadier skies.
Dynamic Sun Banner hung in the Luz Observatory