Thanks for the comments Heath, they were very constructive. This was actually the 7th or 8th shot I took while experimenting with different aperatures and shutter speeds. You are right though, my earlier shots with wider aperatures left the sun almost invisible in the sky...
only tip i can give you is to step down the lens a little more when shooting directly at the sun. some say all the way down is best. still, the sensor has handled it very nicely.
well done robin, very moody, and when it comes down to it, that is what matters most.