2011 06 05 – Prominences and NOAAs 11231, 11228, 11227, 11226
2011 06 05, 1600 UT – 1820 UT 
Solar h-alpha, Prominences and NOAA 11231, 11228, 11227, 11226
Sketches created scope-side with black Strathmore Artagain paper, white Conte’ crayon and pencil, Derwent charcoal pencil, black oil pencil.
Several fellow solar observers captured a large portion of the SE prominence lifting away from the limb earlier today. The following link from Mikael Joe of Denmark shows a beautiful image taken at 1206 UT. Mikael Joe’s image
For a closer look, Vince22 from Italy, captured this same prominence at 1016 UT. Vince22’s image
By the time I recorded this prominence, it was 1640 UT and there were no signs of the faint plasma reaching out of the very bright prominence. With the skies, especially to the South, being a milky white, the transparency was the worst I’ve observed in quite some time and it was very difficult for me to pick out faint details in the prominence sketches as well as plage and filaments on the solar disk.
I did try my hand at another color full-disk sketch with the oil pastels, but gave up when it came time to put in the surface details as the filaments and plage were lost in the background. Shortly after, I grabbed my faithful Conte’ and began again, having to tease the details out of the view with the tuner and magnification, as well as waiting for clouds to pass by.
Nigel kept me company on Riser’s old blanket on the floor of the observatory and Freckles popped in now and again to make sure we hadn’t left. It’s nice to have a dedicated observing buddy again since Riser’s passing…other than the carpenter bees that seem determined to burrow holes in the observatory roof and the allusive mouse chomping away behind me.
PCW Memorial Observatory - Erika Rix 