Vector Magnetograph (T1, 20cm aperture)

This telescope measures the magnetic field vector on the sun by using the Zeeman effect of a spectral line. This kind of instruments is called 'the magnetograph': about ten magnetographs are being operated in the world.

The magnetograph of the Solar Flare Telescope uses a narrow-band birefringent filter and a CCD camera, and can obtain one set of data within one minute. This has made it possible to follow any changes of magnetic fields associated with flares. The spectral line used in the observation is that of Fe at 6303 Angstrom.

The data are recorded onto CDROMs

White-Light Telescope (T2, 15cm aperture)

This telescope observes sunspots, faculae, and white-light flares. A green color filter suitable for sunspot observation, a G-band (an absorption band of CH molecules near 4300 Angstrom) filter suitable for the observation of faculae, and several other filters are selectable from a filter turret.

H-Alpha Telescope (T3, 15cm aperture)

This telescope observes the chromosphere and flares at the wavelength of 6563 Angstrom, the H-alpha line of hydrogen. The H-alpha images are obtained with a birefringent filter made by Zeiss company in Germany. This filter has a pass band of 0.25 Angstrom, and is tunable within 16 Angstrom from the center of the line.

The images had been recorded with a time-lapse video recorder at a rate of one frame per second, and on a laser disk at a cadence of 10 seconds.

A high-speed, digital-output CCD camera was installed in 2001 July, and the photometric accuracy of the data has been significantly improved. All of the data are temporarily stored onto a hard disk, and then recorded onto CDROMs at the end of the observation in the evening.

Samples of data obtained with the digital imaging system are shown here. The time evolution of flare events can be seen by clicking "Movie."

Doppler-Shift Telescope (T4, 20cm aperture)

This telescope measures the flow velocity on the sun by using the Doppler effect. The system is similar to the T1 vector magnetograph, and uses a birefringent filter to observe the spectral line of Fe at 6337 Angstrom. This telescope also measures the line-of-sight component of the magnetic field.