Solar Viewing

one Saturday per month

standalone sessions from 12pm to 2pm

No admission fee. For all ages.

(solar viewer, $2.00 each)

The hobby of astronomy immediately brings to mind thoughts of darkened backyards and dimly-lit nighttime activities at HRPO—but patrons also have the option of visiting during daylight hours to see our parent star.

Weather permitting, once monthly HRPO personnel offers three views of the Sun…

12:00pm to 12:30pm – indirect projection onto white viewing surface // Patrons get a sense of the speed of Earth’s rotation as they see the Sun’s image slide on or off the projection device. [Learning Technologies Sunspotter]

12:15pm to 1:15pm – safely-filtered optical light sent through standard telescope // This option allows patrons to spy sunspots both small and large. [Orion 10” Skyquest Dobsonian Reflector]

12:30pm to 2:00pm – hydrogen-alpha light // Flares and prominences are seen easily in this wavelength. [Coronado Solar Max II 90mm]

2024 SOLAR VIEWING

27 January

24 February

30 March

27 April

27 July

31 August

28 September

26 October

30 November

28 December

The solar viewers for sale look like cardboard sunglasses, but they block over 99% of the entirety of the Sun’s light and therefore keep eyes safe. The solar viewers are not toys! Please follow all instructions listed on the viewer. [Must be over twelve to purchase. Limit two per purchaser per day.]

Want to have a keepsake of your visit? HRPO provides Solar Sketching Forms. Use your personal artistry to remember your view of the Sun.

NOTE: The Space Weather Prediction Center released an announcement in October 2023 stating that Solar Cycle 25 will peak between January 2024 and October 2024. In addition to the planned standalone dates above,

surface activity will be visible during the Solar Eclipse viewing on Monday 8 April. Also, solar viewing will occur at selected times during International Astronomy Day on Saturday 18 May and during American Radio Relay League Field Day on Saturday 22 June. Finally, it is very likely HRPO will program a Special Solar Viewing Session monthly from March to September