In Autumn 2021 remarkable activity was detected on our central star. The 11-year cycle of solar activity was rapidly darting upwards and energetic bursts were assumed to cause heavy interference with technical equipment on earth. However, although challenges with the stability of networks, satellite services and power supply were expected, no severe disruptions were observed as a consequence of the highly energetic particles landing on our magnetosphere.

The grainy appearance of the sun is caused by relatively small convection cells carrying the incredible flow of nuclear energy. The sunspots are relatively "low temperature" regions stabilized by very strong magnetic fields. The so-called "faculae" - brighter and hotter regions on the sun's surface - are associated with the groups of sunspots. However, they are only visible at the marginal regions of the sun, in which we see into the chromosphere at a shallower angle. The solar prominences are only visible through special filters letting only H-alpha light pass through - unless you are lucky enough to be able to observe a total eclipse of the sun...

From my balcony in Vienna I took a couple of photos with my seasoned 80/600 mm refractor, my EOS 700Da SLR camera, and a 2x Barlow lens in between. Just shortly after having completed the focussing an airplane crossed my line of view. What an exceptional event considering that most of similar pictures in the web are just selected frames from video sequences, not a lucky single shot like mine...