Northward Hill RSPB open day

Hi all, Today the Mid-Kent Astronomical Society helped out the RSPB with their open day at the Northward Hill Nature Reserve . We (seven of us) put on a solar viewing with three of our members solar telescopes.

We were able to show two telescope using a white light filter. These show the sun in it's normal light and shows up the sunspots. There were at least three groups.

The third telescope uses a special filter that let you see the sun in Hydrogen- alpha. This let you see the sun as a red disc with the prominences (the gases coming out the sides).

I don't know how the RSPB did as they did not know when I asked.

Setting up

Some of our members telescopes

Our set up with display board

Bob setting up his Hydrogen Alpha telescope

Queuing to see the sun

 I must say that talking for two hours or so trying to explain what sunspots are and why they look like they do may me at least a little dry. The RSPB did supply up all with a voucher for food but we use then to buy tea and coffee.

Now some veiws over the Thames from the site

A Little Egret Long way off

 

Looking out to Southend on Sea

Messing about on the river

That is it, I do hope that the RSPB did well and I hope that MKAS get a few members out of it.

 I know that we had ques of people to look through our telescopes and that they enjoyed themseves.

No sign of Daisy and Holly nor OTL and TM.

Thanks for looking.