www.ukbutterflies.co.uk

I arrived at Dungeness this morning just after the rain had stopped. It was cloudy and breezy but also very warm and we even saw some sunshine too. Unfortunately I failed to spot a single Small Copper. I had a good look in all their usual haunts but with no luck.

Nonetheless, I get the feeling that they're still around. Certainly this time last year I was still able to find them albeit in low numbers (although this time last year I was also finding Long-tailed Blues!!)

Maybe any that are still out today were keeping their heads down out of the wind.

But I did have some luck today: this Clouded Yellow was sheltering in the grass when I accidentally disturbed it It flew a little way then settled to roost out of the wind.

Back at the ranch there was no sign of yesterday's Holly Blue but we had two Red Admirals on the Wallflowers and a Speckled Wood was enjoying the sunshine

Well done, Hoggers. I contemplated a little butterfly hunt myself today but the winds were practically gale force.

Cracking shots of the Specklies Hoggers - the first almost has a purple sheen to the wing edges. I could only manage a single Brimstone today on the drive back from Cardiff.

Have a goodun

Wurzel

A friend sent me this photo today He's just moved into an old house in the west of Norfolk and tells me that thus far he's come across approximately 15 hibernating butterflies.

They all look like Tortoiseshells to me, Hoggers. I hope the room they're in isn't heated?

That's great Hoggers, I moved Bob outside last year to my brother in-laws woodpile once the heating actually started working but they should be alright there for a while - especially with all of the Atlantic weather systems pouring in

Have a goodun

Wurzel

My buddy in Norfolk has just sent me this photo taken in his new house It must be one of the hibernating Small Tortoiseshells that he photographed when he moved in.

I guess if he puts it outside in an unheated shed (for example) it will go back into hibernation?

If butterflies are your main hobby then Winter presents a challenge, especially if you're a fidget like me.

To keep myself busy while the butterflies are away I take an interest in Astronomy and in particular, the Sun.

I have a special telescope that allows me to look at the sun safely ( in something called "Hydrogen Alpha" ) and I amuse myself whenever the Sun appears by gazing at it through the scope and sketching the sunspots and other exciting features.

Our nearest star really does put on an incredible show. No two days are alike. You can watch the sunspots or dramatic scenes when for example the Sun throws out huge fountains of plasma into space ( the experts call these "Prominences" ).

It's all very exciting.

Anyway, I've just treated myself to a special camera that I can fit onto my telescope and today when the Sun came out I was able to use it for the very first time The camera takes black and white video footage which can then be made into a single photograph. I don't have PhotoShop so can't colour in the photographs but here you can see a very rough photograph of a group of sunspots on the face of today's Sun. The hair-like lines are "Filaments".

And here is a lovely prominence On the scale of these photos the Earth would be about the size of a full stop.

So these are my very first efforts at Astrophotography. I haven't a clue what I'm doing as will be obvious to anyone who knows about this subject but it's a start and I hope you've found it interesting.

Nice to see you back, Hoggers.

Keep the astronomical images coming. I'm confident that many of us on here have an interest in such celestial phenomena and you're quite right - when winter takes hold we all need to source an alternative outlet for our underlying passion.

Yes, definitely keep them coming. I went online to see what kind of telescope you might have - it's a great instrument. I've only ever cast images of the sun onto card to look at sunspots and you can't see anything like the detail or texture you achieve by viewing directly.

I hope you don't mind my reminding any readers of your diary that they should never, ever, attempt to view the sun through an optical instrument that isn't specifically designed for this (and undamaged)!

Guy

I think "sun spotting" and butterflying go very nicely together! I often take my scope with me, get a look at what's going on up there then set off to chase butterflies.

If you're interested in looking at the sun I recommend you first read Lee Macdonald's "How to Observe the Sun Safely" which does exactly what it says on the packet!

There was just enough clear sky this morning for me to get a view of the sun. I was delighted to see how it had changed since I saw it last on Saturday as today there were many more sunspots The sunspot with a distinct umbra and an extensive penumbra that you see in the photos was of particular interest to me.

I can never shake the feeling of wonder when I remember the scale of what I'm looking at: those sunspots are roughly the size of the Earth!

Nice to see a fair few sunspots, Hoggers. They usually mean warmer summer weather, don't they?

Here's hoping David!!

Cold though it is down here in Kent I've come across a few signs of Spring : there was a Chaffinch singing in Canterbury one morning this week and today I saw a clump of Snowdrops just about to come into flower.

Yesterday we had a bitterly cold wind but the sun was out and I managed to get a couple of photographs You can see a few sunspots and also a gigantic filament running from near centre of the disc to the edge at about 3pm If only we could feel some of that heat!

Hi! Hogger's we've had the Sun out every day up here in the north I even got some washing out on the line yesterday and got it partly dry Must say though it makes a change after all that snow we had.

Your photos of the Sun makes it look like a very large Orange, it must be difficult to film, I've never managed the Sun yet, I have enough trouble filming night scenes, plus a very big warning on my camera not to focus in to the Sun Goldie

Hi Goldie, it was a bit like that here yesterday - lots of sunshine but absolutely perishing!

All the photos I take of the sun are in black and white but I found something on my laptop that let's me add colour and that's why the end result looks like a Big Orange!

I'm still learning how to use the new camera and I've the distinct feeling it's going to be a long process...

I certainly miss the butterflies!

Best wishes

Hoggers

You'll soon get lots of practise with your camera Hogger's Goldie

Plenty of sunshine today and not so cold as of late.

I took a few photos of the sun this morning The filament that you can see snaking across the disc is arousing a great deal of interest amongst experts who study the sun. It appears to be a single structure and is clearly massive There is speculation that if it collapses it will give rise to enormous Earth-bound flares.

There were plenty of prominences too Back on Planet Earth I was pleased to see some of my Crocuses are just coming into flower.

Tonight I nipped out into the garden to get a look at Jupiter which is very bright in the sky right now My camera is in mono which doesn't do Jupiter justice but these give an idea of what it looks like (the tiny white pin pricks just visible are three of its moons) This Universe of ours is a fascinating place.

Those are exceptional pictures of Jupiter. I'm not quite sure what setup you have (no exif data in the pictures) but it would obviously produce excellent images of Saturn and I'm very much looking forward to that!!

Guy

EDIT: I checked on Stellarium and the red spot should be in the broadening of the dark band near the bottom of your first picture (assuming the picture is telescope-inverted). When it's more central, it should be easily visible.