This is my first photograph of the Sun. This image was taken through my Meade LX90 8" SCT ACF. I used my Canon T3 DSLR at ISO400 @ 1/320". This is a single image no stacking involved. I received my Solar Filter and had to home make a mount for it. If you look you will see Dark spots, these are called Sunspots. Sunspots are in essence Solar Storms. I explained alot of this in my last post about the Sun. I cannot view Solar Flares with this equipment but it can be done ( look below for an example ).

 

   The pictures above are of my Solar Filter. I purchased the filter which is called Solar Filter Film. Then made the mount with Poster Board, Duct Tape, Clear Box Tape, and Scotch Tape. I think it took me about an hour or so to make. I then made another for my Finder Scope, so when I try to locate the sun I can do so safely. The total cost for my Solar Filter is about $20, that is including Filter, Materials to make adapter and shipping for filter. This is the cheapest way to view the sun, Safely. I believe this material is Mylar with 99.9% light blocking. It also gives the image an Orange tint. There are other films out there that give the Sun a white appearance. All of these filters including mine are called White Light Filters. The others however look kind of like aluminum foil. Of course, they are not these are specialty made products. I will state it again and cannot stress it enough. Never, Never look directly at the Sun with the unaided eye and an Experienced Astronomer at your side assisting you. It can cause damage to your eyes called Solar Retinopathy. Even during a Solar Eclipse it is still not safe. This is a common misconception, people think since half of the Sun's light is being blocked it is only half as bright and half as dangerous. Again, this is not true. Now at a Solar eclipse Totality there is no harm but full Solar Eclipses happen very rarely, and only in certain places at certain times can you view the total Eclipse.

 
   Now this only one of a few ways to safely view the Sun. Another way which you can make yourself ( at least something similar ) is called a Sunspotter. This way simply reflects the image onto a piece of paper. This is how it was done before the advent of Filters and specialty telescopes. I have made something similar with a box and just punched a hole in one end and put a piece of paper inside and projected the light onto the paper.

   Another way is with a specialty Telescope like this one. These are quite expensive but, unlike the image you see from my filter this shows far more detail. With this scope it will show more graininess on the surface with Sunspots as well as Flares or as we call them Prominences. To view the Sun like this it will cost you far more. These scopes usually start at around $600 and go up well over $2,500.

   The image above is what the specialty scopes produce. These images and the scopes are called H-Alpha. Which is Hydrogen-Alpha. This is a specific band of light the Sun and other stars produce as well as many other bands of light throughout the spectrum. I did not take this image by the way. If you look at it though you should see the graininess as well as the Sunspots and Prominences.

   This is another Reason why I purchased my filter. On June 5, 2012 there will be a transit of Venus across the Sun. There was a Transit of Venus in 2008 but, there will not be another after this until the year 2117. So none of us will ever see this again. So I wanted to witness a part of history and document it. I hope you enjoyed the post let me know if there are any questions that you have. Like always all comments are welcomed.
Keep Looking Up,
Chris