Location: Ondřejov, Czech Republic
Owner: Astronomical Institute of the Czech Academy of Sciences
There are currently three instruments observing the Sun at the Astronomical Institute of the CAS. The oldest one is the solar patrol instrument that provides full disc solar observations in white light and in the H-alpha line. The results are used for the scientific research of the Solar Department and they contribute to the International Space Environment Service (ISES) network and its member the Regional Warning Centre Prague (RWC Prague) as station No. 31516, and to the Solar Influences Data Analysis Center (SIDC) in Brussels. Sunspot drawings and synoptic white-light images are produced daily, depending on weather and technical conditions. The SP compiles and publishes daily and weekly solar activity forecasts. Weekly forecasts of the solar activity are made since 1978 and are distributed through public institutions in the Czech Republic and abroad.
The second instrument is the medium-size horizontal solar telescope (HSFA2, Horizontal-Sonnen-Forschungs-Anlage), equipped with a large spectrograph that observes profiles of H-alpha, H-beta, and other spectral lines. Nowadays, the instrument is primarily used to observe the dynamics of prominences.
The third instrument is currently under development and will provide broad-range solar spectra from a limited portion of the solar disc. The aim of this instrument is to analyse continuum intensity enhancements caused by solar flares.
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