Royal Greenwich Observatory
Astronomy Photographer of the year 2024
Runner-up image "Our Sun" category

Viewed during a total solar eclipse, the solar corona has a remarkably different appearance during solar maximum compared to that seen at solar minimum.
Suffice to say, several years had to pass before the second dataset capture, and travel to extremely remote locations in different continents and hemispheres was required.

"The lower half of the picture was taken in 2017 at close to solar minimum. Sparse and gentle coronal tendrils extend into space.
The upper half was taken approaching solar maximum, six years later. The corona is ablaze, joined by fiery eruptions from the chromosphere. 

"Trying to convey the contrasting aspects of the solar corona over the intervening period was a challenge.
Many attempts using image pairs,
different colours and combinations proved fruitless.
Unwrapping the normally circular coronal images into a rectangular format which could be ‘mirrored’
revealed a surprising, simple and elegant way of seeing these changes over time within a single image."

Jackson Hole USA August 2017 Taken in Exmouth and Western Australia,2023

Various exposure times 1/4 to 1/4000th sec
ISO 100

Canon EOSR5 + EOSRa
Astro-Physics AP155 EDF with 4" field flattener,
AP92 Traveller with AFC
Astro-Physics Mach 2 Mount.

Copyright Peter J Ward 2024