Solar Observation
Solar Observation
The goal of these sessions is to explain the past and future of the star we orbit. We have telescopes that have been specifically designed to observe the Sun in a totally safe and comfortable way. We observe the solar chromosphere and photosphere with telescopes using a H-alpha and neutral filter respectively. We also attach, a small CMOS monochromatic camera to the telescope, so we can view the surface of the chromosphere in greater detail.
Held from Tuesday to Saturday, with previous booking, taking into account the weather conditions and the observatory availability on the date and time proposed.
Our star, the Sun, is presented in our room in a simple way and related to other stars visible at night, followed by the solar observation in the Observatory, using completely safe telescopes.
Schedule:
From Tuesdays to Saturdays.
The time of the session depends on the time of sunset and daylight savings.
Prices:
Ages 13 and above: 10,00€ / person
Ages 8 to 12: 5,00€ / person
Ages 7 and below: Free.
Frequently asked questions:
Is it safe to look at the Sun through a telescope?
It depends. If the light is adequately filtered by purposely designed optical filter, yes. Otherwise, no. At Dark Sky® Alqueva Observatory we use two telescopes, one of which has been specifically designed for one thing only, to view the Sun. The other telescope uses a neutral filter from Meade that is ISO certified, it filters 99.999% of the light including the harmful UV (ultra-violet) radiation.
When is the best time of year to view the Sun?
There is no best time of the year. The Sun exhibits different phenomena every day and thanks to its rotation we get a different view every day.
What will I see?
It depends on what the Sun must show. We can see sunspots, prominences, flares, among other structures depending on the solar activity.
If the weather is bad, what do we do?
Should the weather conditions make it impossible to see the Sun, the session is cancelled. We store your contact during the reservation process so we can contact you directly and give you a heads up on the situation.