After the sunspot groups of July, I did not have another chance at getting some solar images except a very brief ISS transit…
Now, with some groups setting towards the solar limb, I’ve finally got a small window of opportunity to catch the departing sunspot groups designated as AR2172 and AR2173. Despite the very poor seeing conditions and some cirrus clouds, the view of the main spots near the edge of the Sun disk was a pleasure to watch both at the eyepiece and on the laptop screen.
The images below were acquired using the TS APO 115mm F/7 Refractor working at F/18 and F/35 using two TeleVue Powermates (2x and 2.5x), Baader Astrosolar filter (ND 3.8) and the ASI120MM camera with Baader Green CCD filter. I’ve estimated the seeing at only 3-4/10. To partially overcome the poor seeing conditions, I’ve acquired around 5000 frames for each of the following images, and selected only around 900 for each.
The first image shows the two mentioned groups at a lower image scale (F/18). AR2172 is the group formed by the large spot towards the limb, and the left most spots near the center of the image. The rest is a rather strangely orientated group AR2173.
I’m posting both grayscale and color versions of the image, since some may see details more easily in the first, while some may like the color version instead. I actually like both kind of images.
And the same area, with a different orientation, but lacking the tail spot of AR2172. The image was acquired at F/35. 
The image above was published on the first page of SpaceWeather on October 2nd, 2014.
Beside this rather impressive sunspot groups, there were other groups on the surface of the Sun as well. I’ve only managed to image one other, with some rather small spots but of interesting shapes. It’s name is AR2177.
Hopefully, weather and time permitting, I will acquire other solar images before the end of this year.
Max
(October 1, 2014)
maximus photography 