Solar Gazing

Join for some daytime gazing of the biggest star in the Solar System, the Sun.

It’s there for us year-round, lighting our days and providing energy for our lives, so maybe it’s time to give it a closer look. Join the San Jose Astronomical Association (SJAA) for amazing and detailed views of the Sun and be assured that you’ll be using special telescopes that will keep your eyeballs perfectly safe. There will be white-light telescopes with dense solar filters that reveal sunspots. Further, you’ll be shown hydrogen-alpha telescopes that isolate a very specific color of red that reveals prominences (often thought of as solar flares) and intricate texture within the Sun’s chromosphere (its atmosphere). You will learn a little about how the Sun works and how complex magnetic fields drive the number of sunspots and prominences that you’ll see on a given day.

Find out more about this event and how to register.