Today, I put the PHD2 extension I developed to the test with a time lapse capturing the Sun's surface activity. Notably, it reveals what appears to be a duo of solar twisters at the lower right, demonstrating not just the dynamic nature of our star, but also the robustness of my tracking algorithm. This tool consistently maintained the Sun's position within the field of view throughout the entire observation (about 2 hours and 16 minutes).
The time lapse comprises 236 frames, each spaced about 35 seconds apart. Every frame is derived from the top five of 500, stacked using AutoStakkert 4.0, finely aligned and sharpened with ImPPG, and further refined in PixInsight with the SolarToolbox before being compiled into the final animation.This marks my first successful solar time lapse using the guiding software I wrote - an extension of the PHD2 platform designed for autoguiding across the solar disk. I’m encouraged by the outcome and look forward to the possibility of integrating this functionality into the core PHD2 project for broader use.
For further information about the PHD2 extension I wrote please read my earlier post:
Seeking Beta Testers for Advanced PHD2 Planetary Guiding Module – Enhance Your Solar, Lunar, and Planetary Imaging
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