From: Mark Gaffney <markgaffney@me.com>

Date: February 15, 2010 8:33:14 AM MST

To: astro_IIDC@yahoogroups.com

Subject: Sun..

Alan,

Should the Gamma stay at 1.0 for the Sun as usual? I tried everything possible this morning & couldn`t get anything decent-unless my collimation is significantly out, which seems probable after removing the secondary?With the Scorpion I began with the Baader IR/UV filter as you advised then removed it & had just the nosepiece on the camera. Whilst I could see a nice sunspot I couldn`t bring it to focus. The Base exposure was 133 ms although I tried upping it to 266 ms & beyond all the time playing with the exposure slider, fps & incremental selections. I had the brightness mostly right down & no colours for the B/W Scorpion.

..I did try your dark cloth over my head & the lap-top screen like one of those old time photographers but it kept slipping when I reached for the focusing knob! (I had some clothes pegs holding it on the screen) Sorry I don`t have anything to show for it..!

Mark.