Solar Sunspots and a Plane
Taken by Peggy Collins on December 6, 2025 @
Lancaster, Antelope Valley, Southern California, USA
Click photo for larger image
| |
Camera Used: Unavailable Unavailable
Exposure Time: Unavailable
Aperture: Unavailable
ISO: Unavailable
Date Taken: Unavailable
|
|
| More images
Details:
I live in Lancaster, California, northwest of Palmdale where exists the Airport at Plant 42.
I wanted to try photographing the large sunspot group on the sun. I got out my old Pentax K200D digital camera and my 500mm Tokina mirror lens and put on a doubler.
That brought it up to 1,000mm. I had not used this system for about 5 or 6 years. It's not easy to get the lens combo focused right and as I was trying, I saw a plane cross the image.
I was so disappointed to miss that chance. I continued to try to get the lens dialed in. It's after 7am, it's cold, air temperature around 27 degrees F. I had forgotten my gloves and my hands were very cold. I don't have a tracking device and had to reposition the camera on the tripod every few seconds to keep the sun as centered as possible.
I tried once more to get the lens focused when another plane began to cross the image. I hit the remote button once, then a second time, in rapid secession.
I finally gave up on the lens as I could not get it focused and took my equipment inside, wrapped in a towel, as the cold metal of the camera will end up covered in moisture. I waited an hour for the camera to warm up before taking the SSD card out.
Even with not being able to get the focus dialed in, I was so happy to see I did catch the airplane.
A happy accident I don't think I'll be able to capture again.
Photographer's website:
No URL provided.
|
|
|
