Experimental sketch goodbye - Active Region 2738

AR 2738 – An experimental h-alpha pencil sketch. PST 40, 8mm eyepiece,50X Seeing was soft, 12:10 UT – 13:00 UT April 16th 2019 Louisburgh Co Mayo. Deirdre Kelleghan

April 16th

On April 16th Active Region 2738 was heading towards the limb, looking very dramatic. I decided to try an experimental sketch using just pencil to capture the action around the giant sunspot. I used a very black pencil called a Conte de Paris Carbone B, which was deeply black. For the sketch I also used some silicone tipped brushes, these were perfect for drawing with and allowed some good flexible movement to be developed. There is always massive movement in the area around sunspots. A kind of disturbance caused by the huge magnetic activity in the sunspot itself.

The light bridge and umbra had changed since a previous observation on April 10th. It was clearly visible in my h-alpha view however the seeing was soft not as sharp as I would have liked. A well shape filament would have been nice to observe but none developed as I viewed.

AR 2738 close to the limb (another h-alpha experimental sketch) April 18th 2019 18:00 UT – 19:00 UT PST 40,8mm eyepiece, 50X Pencil on white paper. Seeing soft, intermittent haze. Louisburgh Co Mayo

April 18th

On April 18th another opportunity to view this active region came my way. It had heaved its way almost to the limb. Wild energy seemed roar silently around it, a reluctant good-bye.

Goodbye

On April 19th through intermittent haze I observed AR2738 as a long thin black umbra just about on the limb. Lovely prominences were erupting all around it breaking the line of the limb. A visually dramatic view, however the seeing was not good enough for to sketch it. So the last look will remain in my head as will trying out this new approach to drawing activity on the solar disc using just pencil marks.