Coolest sun picture ever

November 15, 2002 1:21 PM

Coolest sun picture ever - sunspot closeup... The Swedish Institute for Solar Physics web site has some other cool pictures. (As an aside, I wonder what equivalent shutter speed, aperture, and focal length would be?)
posted by notsnot (15 comments total)

I would urge you all to check out NASA's Picture of the Day archive (click <archive at the bottom of the page on the first link.)

I have it bookmarked. Some images are not-so-stunning, others are absolutely amazing.
posted by zekinskia at 1:30 PM on November 15, 2002

you know what? that picture kinda looks like the background image to my personal page on free web space, circa 1995.
posted by mcsweetie at 1:33 PM on November 15, 2002

That is cool. It's "I made it my desktop wallpaper" cool.
posted by vraxoin at 1:34 PM on November 15, 2002

Wow.
For focal length, I would suggest 1 AU.
posted by eddydamascene at 1:36 PM on November 15, 2002

anyone else see the turkey? no? ok.
posted by madprops at 2:12 PM on November 15, 2002

does anybody have any favorites in the archives?
posted by zerofoks at 3:11 PM on November 15, 2002

A really big picture of the sun's surface from the same project. Awesome.
posted by Wood at 4:06 PM on November 15, 2002

Don't look directly at the picture, or you'll go blind. Try making a pinhole viewer to safely view it.
posted by UKnowForKids at 4:43 PM on November 15, 2002

Zerofoks: check out this one, it's one of my favorites...
posted by zekinskia at 4:54 PM on November 15, 2002

Wow! It looks (and probably sounds) just like honey.
posted by MiguelCardoso at 5:29 PM on November 15, 2002

Incredible pics. And the info on the atmopsphere compensating techniques will keep me busy for a while.

zekinskia: cool pic, turn your lights on and off a few times and I'll see if I can spot your house!
posted by HTuttle at 9:35 PM on November 15, 2002

Thanks, zekinskia. I've seen a couple similar photos before, but that's by far the best. It always amazes me to see how natural landscape features dictate human settlement--look at how bright-white the Nile is, and how the Himalayas seem to squash all the light down into India. Beautiful and fascinating.
posted by hippugeek at 12:41 AM on November 16, 2002

zekinskia: hehe, the light shows where the money is. i like it very much :)
posted by zerofoks at 2:06 AM on November 16, 2002

I just want to know--what size are these--what?--structures. artifacts, swirls or processes? Continents? Worlds?

I can see why you posted this--instantly totally more than just OK, no matter how you slice it..
posted by y2karl at 2:36 AM on November 16, 2002

wow, it looks incredible. it's so big that maybe with a special filter you may be able to see it just with your eyes… anyway, i have no idea about photographing the sun. obviously you need special equipment; but with my camera, i would use ƒ:32, 1/2,000 speed, focal length: 800mm (is the longest i have).
posted by trismegisto at 6:22 AM on November 16, 2002