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Thanks to a heads-up post from @appagalcrochet, I hauled out my telescope this morning to check out newly-formed sunspot region 4366 — an area ten times wider than the Earth! It’s been emitting powerful X-class solar flares, which reportedly triggered radio blackouts across the South Pacific. The fact that life is able to exist at all on our tiny orb amid such unimaginably powerful cosmic forces continues to amaze me.

#photography #astrophotography #sun #sunspots #solarflare

Photo of the sun taken on Feb 2, 2026 at 11:16am. The sun appears as a large orange ball surrounded by a reddish glow softening into black at the edges of the frame. Several sunspots pepper the sun’s western side, particularly a row of very dark spots at the upper left quadrant. Taken with an iPhone 15 attached to a 130mm reflector telescope with a solar filter.
#photography #astrophotography #sun #solarflare #sunspots @Dobviews
in reply to Bluejay

Ambivalena
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Ambivalena
• •
Great shot of the 4366, and I am looking forward to it coming in our way and sends some great solar winds down on us ;-)
in reply to Bluejay

Ambivalena
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Ambivalena
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Don't hold your breath, most of this winter have been filled with clouds ;-)
in reply to Bluejay

Tio
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Tio
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Great photo. Can you tell me what filter you are using and if this is a post processed image?

I took one a few years ago with a Pixel 4a and a celestron 130 SLT

But it was post processed since in the original photo the Sun was white (as should be). But I like the orange tint.

in reply to Tio

Bluejay
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Bluejay
• •
@tio Thank you! I used a Celestron EclipSmart orange tint filter, which fits over my Celestron StarSense 130mm reflector scope. Image was captured on my iPhone 15 and edited in Snapseed to slightly reduce luminosity and bring out the contrast and structure in the sunspots. Your photo is great!🤩
@Tio
in reply to Bluejay

Tio
friendica - Link to source
Tio
• •
Thanks for the info. Am getting ready for the August total eclipse in Spain so I want to get a nice filter. :)
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