The weather forecast predicts a dry autumn after a wet summer, today „the last beautiful day in fall“ shall take place. It’s a really fine day, blue skies and bright sunshine, no clouds, and barely any wind. Very good! The solar activity also looks good. CalSky, my space-weather-forecaster can’t contain its enthusiasm and talks about gargantuan spots on the sun which are to be seen with eclipse goggles only, without the aid of magnifying optics. Hmmm. That I’ve got to try.

The ‘scope is labeled “Do not look directly at the Sun!” (the advisory tells me that, too), even the eyepiece had attached a cardboard sign reading “Do not look directly at the Sun!” when purchased. But I intend to look at the sun. Of course not just simply like that, that would be really dangerous, but using an appropriate filter, there should be no problem.

So I set up the ‘scope on the lawn in the garden, put on the filter, align, yes – very beautiful, really huge groups of spots. Now I try with the eclipse-goggles only and I can confirm: the “huge sunspots” can be seen without any magnifying optics. I’m impressed.

Of course I try to capture the view with the camera, but besides a spotless portrait of the sun I don’t succeed, or so I think (later, while preparing the pictures for the blog to my great surprise and joy I discover: I did succeed).

And the whole time something buzzes in front of the lens, above the camera, around my head; I remove the camera from the tripod, take off the filter as the visitor takes a seat on the second best view point—the ladder beside me. I suppose it, too, wants to make good use of the nice fall day and stock up on sunshine.