2026 Stellafane News

Jim Daley FeX Solar Corona Update

[2026-March-3] The following is a followup from the previous set of Corona images from Jim Daley:

The FeX iron line is one of many comprising the "E" (emission) solar corona. It appears in the far UV, at a wavelength of 174 Angstroms, and the visible as the coronal red line at 6,374 Angstroms,the spectral line used for the following images.

During a total solar eclipse, the structure (loops and streamers) ofthe coronal red line can be observed by employing a narrow band FeX filter and a small telescope. Without an eclipse, observing andimaging the FeX corona is only possible by employing a Lyot’ coronagraph. In 2024 I purchased an FeX transmission filter with a bandwidth of 3 Angstroms (FWHM) and installed it in my homemade coronagraph.

Traditionally, coronagraphs are used at high-altitude observatories, to greatly reduce atmospheric light scatter from aerosols, which dominate the lower layers of the atmosphere. By observing from my backyard observatory (altitude 1,300 feet), on the clearest mornings, the FeX coronal detail was, with some difficulty, imaged. Normally, coronal data must be collected in the morning, shortly after the Sun rises, so that the images can be obtained before solar heating has hadtime to heat the surroundings, causing turbulence which would greatly degrade the quality of the image. However, when imaging the FeX Corona, one must wait until the Sun rises higher above the horizon, to reduce the amount of atmosphere that the solar image must travel through, to minimize atmospheric particulate light scatter.

The following images represent a good sample of the best results. Judging from my exposure times, the FeX corona is roughly 200 times fainter than the H-alpha prominences. - Jim Daley

Solar FeX iron line at 6,374 Angstroms taken on August 30, 2024 at 08:49 EDT at the Ludwig Schupmann Observatory in New Ipswich, NH. Home-made 5-inch Coronagraph, Lyot' stopped to 4.1", operating at f-22, with an FeX transmission filter with a bandwidth of3 Angstroms (FWHM). Using the Lucky Imaging technique; stack of 77 mSindividual exposures. Good seeing. (c) 2024 by Jim Daley

Solar FeX iron line at 6,374 Angstroms taken on August 22, 2024 at 09:35 EDT at the Ludwig Schupmann Observatory in New Ipswich, NH. Home-made 5-inch Coronagraph, Lyot' stopped to 4.1", operating at f-22, with an FeX transmission filter with a bandwidth of 3 Angstroms (FWHM). Using the Lucky Imaging technique; stack of 106 mS individual exposures. Good seeing. (c) 2024 by Jim Daley

Solar FeX iron line at 6,374 Angstroms taken on October 8, 2024 at 10:00 EDT at the Ludwig Schupmann Observatory in New Ipswich, NH. Home-made 5-inch Coronagraph, Lyot' stopped to 4.1", operating at f-22, with an FeX transmission filter with a bandwidth of 3 Angstroms (FWHM). Using the Lucky Imaging technique; stack of 92 mS individual exposures. Good seeing. (c) 2024 by Jim Daley

Solar FeX iron line at 6,374 Angstroms taken on April 26, 2024 at 10:24 EDT at the Ludwig Schupmann Observatory in New Ipswich, NH. Home-made 5-inch Coronagraph, Lyot' stopped to 4.1", operating at f-22, with an FeX transmission filter with a bandwidth of 3 Angstroms (FWHM). Using the Lucky Imaging technique; stack of 43 mS individual exposures. Good seeing. (c) 2024 by Jim Daley

Jim Daley Images H-alpha Solar Prominences

[2026-Feb-13] Recently, we showed you a good collection of Aurora that STM members have taken. This time we'd like to show you something a little closer to the sun. The following that you see below is but a small sample of H-alpha imaging of solar prominences by long-time STM Member Jim Daley. If you like what you see, visit the full collection, where more detail and a reflector article about it can be found . Incidently, this collection is part of a wider gallery of astrophotos taken by various members, which you may also enjoy.

H-alpha Solar Prominence, September 9, 2025 by Jim Daley

Composite Image of Saturn, Titan and Rhea, Oct 5, 2025 at 3:11 UT from Stellafane, Springfield, Vermont. 13" Schupmann operating at f/22 with a one-shot color camera and UV/IR blocking filter using the Lucky Imaging Technique. Image scale 0.1 arc-sec per pixel. The resolutiuon of the instrument is 0.35 arc-sec. Spectacular Seeing. Titan: Diameter of 0.8 arc-sec; definitely resolved. Rhea (below Titan): diameter 0.25 arc-sec; not resolved © 2025 Springfield Telescope Maker

STMs Capture Aurora Borealis

[2026-Jan-27] Last week, you might have heard the flurry of news about Auroras being seen all through the Northeastern U.S. These happen when there is heightened magnetic activity in the sun's atmosphere, resulting in colorful light shows. While you might on a very good night be able to see these with the naked eye, the reality is that the sensors we have on cameras, especially digital cameras and phone cameras, are able to capture much more than what the eye sees due to their increased sensitivities. Below are a selection of Aurora photos taken last week by several STM members, and a selection of photos taken in November.

Photo by Carl Malikowski, Randolph Center, VT

Photo by Doug Arion

Photo by Doug Arion

Photo by Doug Arion

George Springston, Plainfield VT

George Springston, Plainfield VT

Tom Spirock, November 11th 2025

Tom Spirock, November 11th 2025

Tom Spirock, November 11th 2025

January Imaging Update

[2026-Jan-22] This month we bring you two beautiful images imaged in October by the STMs. The first shows Saturn, imaged with the 13" Schupmann at f/22 using the Lucky Imaging Technique. Of note in this photo are the bands, storms and cloud features.

The second photo is a composite image of Saturn and its moons, Titan and Rhea. We hope you enjoy them both.

Saturn, Oct 5, 2025 at 3:11 UT from Stellafane, Springfield, Vermont. 13" Schupmann operating at f/22 with a one-shot color camera and UV/IR blocking filter using the Lucky Imaging Technique. Image scale 0.1 arc-sec per pixel. The resolutiuon of the instrument is 0.35 arc-sec. Spectacular Seeing. © 2025 Springfield Telescope Makers

Composite Image of Saturn, Titan and Rhea, Oct 5, 2025 at 3:11 UT from Stellafane, Springfield, Vermont. 13" Schupmann operating at f/22 with a one-shot color camera and UV/IR blocking filter using the Lucky Imaging Technique. Image scale 0.1 arc-sec per pixel. The resolutiuon of the instrument is 0.35 arc-sec. Spectacular Seeing. Titan: Diameter of 0.8 arc-sec; definitely resolved. Rhea (below Titan): diameter 0.25 arc-sec; not resolved © 2025 Springfield Telescope Maker

Wanted: Your Stellafane Memories!

[2025-Dec-12] Hello Convention Attendees! If you remember, 2023 was a banner year for us as the 100th Anniversary of our club, and in celebration and the lead up to the Convention, we ran a special series on the club's 12 Founders. The club's charter was officially signed on Dec 7th, 1923.

Next year, 2026, proposes to be another banner year for the club, marking the anniversary of the first Stellafane Convention. We plan to start a new feature in the New Year, but we need your help! The Convention really wouldn't be here without its people, its loyal attendees who come from all over, either to enter their telescopes or gaze at the entries or at the night sky. We need your memories! More specifically, we'd like you to tell us your most memorable stories, and we want to hear from young and old. What about Stellafane has impressed itself most on your mind? Please, do tell! We'd love to hear from you! So, here's what you need to do:

Send an email to webmaster@stellafane.org with the following info using the following format:

First Year at Stellafane:
How Many Years Attended:
Your Memory:

The intention is to publish one or two memories a month (depending on the amount) throughout the course of the coming year for a fun and instrospective series about Convention. We look forward to seeing your memories!

Award Winner Sue Snow Featured in Sky & Tel Article

[2025-Dec-4] Open up your February 2026 issue of Sky & Telescope Magazine to Page 74, and you might find a familiar face. A multiple award winner at this year's convention, Sue Snow is featured in February's Astronomer's Workbench column by Johnathan Kissner. The article goes in-depth into Susan Snow's design ethos, which she says she acquired from her Grandmother, that 'one can always make something out of nothing'. This is a policy that we the Springfield Telescope Makers can very much agree with.

It should be pointed out that her 6-Inch reflector is the proud result of monthly trips to the Stellafane Telescope Making Class, where she ground her 6-inch f/5 mirror until she earned a cheer of perfection. If you like what you see, and you are interested in joining our Telescope Making Class, we welcome anyone to join.

The February 2026 Issue of Sky & Telescope should be available now in newstands, or in your mailbox now if you have a subscription. This was certainly the case for this editor who had it in his mailbox this morning!

February 2026 Sky & Tel featuring Sue Snow

Sue Snow posing for the camera at Stellafane 2025

November 2025 Election Results

[2025-Nov-23] This weekend, at our Annual General Meeting, elections were had. We are extremely thankful to both Glenn Jackson (Treasurer) and Terri Simoni (Secretary) in their service with the club, who have stepped down from the board. Elected in their place, we welcome Carl Malikowski as Treasurer, and Roger Williams as Secretary. Welcome to the board! They will join the rest of the board who are returning, including STM President Cecilia Detrich and VP Mike Hayes, and Directors Ken Slater, Bruce Beford and Katie Shusdock.

Al Nagler 1935 — 2025

[2025-Oct-31] News of Al Nagler's recent passing has sent shockwaves throughout the community. Well known for his iconic Televue eyepieces, he'd been a long-time Stellafane attendee having attended since the late 1950's, which was only the start of a long relationship with the telescope making club. He was also a Springfield Telescope Maker himself.

His passion for astronomy and optics would lead him to design the optics for the Lunar Lander Module Simulator used by every Apollo Astronaut to train for landing on the moon prior to their missions. It was in operation at Kennedy Space Center between 1968 and 1972. 50 years later, and yet more of his optics would be used by NASA, and this time they would be launched into space as part of NASA's P.U.N.C.H mission, its purpose to observe the sun's corona.

This year at Stellafane, STM President Cecilia Detrich was handing out special 50-Year pins. She had this to say about Al Nagler's passing:

"It was an honor for me to give Al Nagler his 50 Year Stellafane pins this summer at the 2025 Convention. Al has been a loyal and generous member of the Springfield Telescope Makers and convention attendee for over 50 years. He also holds the rare honor of having won first place in the Stellafane Telescope Competition in 1972 for his 12-Inch F/5.3 Newtonian. Al will be deeply missed by all Stellafaners. On behalf of all the members of the Springfield Telescope Makers, I want to thank Judi and the entire Nagler family for sharing Al with us all these years in Vermont." - Cecilia Detrich, President, Springfield Telescope Makers.

Last year, in 2024, in front of a large crowd he made a pledge to everyone, to change Saturdays to Saturnday, which you can read here. Al Nagler was also awarded this year's Astronomical League Award at this year's Convention.

"I have loved the stars too fondly to be fearful of the night", a quote from The Old Astronomer to his Pupil by Sarah Williams, perhaps describes him perfectly. He loved the stars, and the twinkle in his eyes reflected this.

Al Nagler 1957 Convention (Center behind Scope)

Al Nagler with Astronomical League Award 2025 - Photo by Richard Sanderson