Becky Ramotowski loves to photograph the night sky the easy way. She just holds her digital camera up to a telescope and snaps away. The anyone-can-do-it technique can also work to capture interesting daytime celestial phenomena.

On Friday, Ramotowski imaged these sunspots, dark regions of intense magnetic activity on the Sun. The spots are grouped near the center of the Sun. She modified a pair of 8x56 binoculars with solar filter material to safely make the photograph.

It is very important to use proper filters when looking at or photographing the Sun. Otherwise the Sun's intense light can damage optical equipment as well as your eyes.

Never look at the Sun directly with the naked eye or through optical equipment without proper solar filters. Permanent eye damage can result. Safe solar filters should only be purchased from reputable dealers.

With proper precaution, observing the Sun has one distinct advantage over other stargazing. Weather permitting, the Sun is easy to find, Ramotowski points out.

"Spots just make it more interesting to view, and watching the spots change and grow from day to day always make me think of how much is happening up there on that solar furnace," she says.