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Lunt 50mm solar scope eyepieces ......

Solar_observer

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Solar_observer

Solar_observer

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With this scope being a shorter focal length than the 35mm (350 compared to 400) it changes the magnification I have with my lunt 7.2/21.5mm zoom.

The max I can achieve is 47x I would imagine this is pretty low and could possible go higher?

Would you suggest a few more eyepieces ( I hear good things about the vixen nlv) or a Barlow ( the baader 2.25x) ?

I've tried my revelation 2.5x and it's too much on the 35mm scope (flo has kindly lent me)

So what do u solar nuts suggest?

Thanks

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Solar_observer

Solar_observer

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I was thinking of the nagler zoom too, the idea of two zoom eyepieces is so convienient to using single eyepieces.

When I use the higher end of the lunt zoom (7.2mm) the image is not a sharp as say 8mm and below but still good. It's just 47x just doesn't seem as close as I could possible go with this new scope.

It may just mean I need a 5mm and maybe a 4mm?

I won't be getting anything yet, I'm going to use the lunt zoom with the 50mm and see what happens, I think.

Not long now Shane :)

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timwetherell

timwetherell

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The max I can achieve is 47x I would imagine this is pretty low and could possible go higher?

In my experience the daytime seeing is what will limit you in terms of magnification. I have a Coronado 60mm Ha scope and my most commonly used EP is an 18mm giving about 20x. On a cold clear day I do sometimes use up to 60x but it's rare the atmosphere will allow that. I don't have a zoom myself but I know lots of solar observers who love them. My main concern would be that the extra glass may lower the contrast significantly. If you can borrow one to test first, that would be an excellent way to go :) 

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John

John

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When I had a PST, which I believe has an aperture of 40mm, I found that using high powers (ie: over 50-60x) was a bit of a waste of time. I used a Baader 8-24 zoom with the scope and found that the best views came in the 20mm - 10mm range. A low cost 16mm plossl eyepiece also worked very well with the PST. Using my more exotic glass (Naglers, Ethos etc) didn't seem to bring the same benefits that they did in nighttime viewing.

Maybe things have moved on from the PST's capabilities but at the end of the day a 40mm, 50mm or 60mm scope is going to be limited in terms of useful high magnification and being used in the daytime with warm air currents etc, etc. Or at least I'd have thought so  :undecided:

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hunterknox

hunterknox

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For solar scopes I find the seeing generally limits you to a magnification equal to the aperture in millimetres. Ha is the most forgiving wavelength but I wouldn't be buying new eyepieces in your position. You could always try the Revelation/GSO 2x barlow. Unscrew the lens and screw it on to your current zoom and it'll give you 1.5x magnification. It's a good barlow for Ha, where colour correction isn't really an issue.

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spaceboy

spaceboy

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No matter what scope I use from 60mm to 200mm I can rarely get worthwhile views above x38 magnification on the sun, with the maximum I have ever achieved only being around x53- x60. Those fleeting moments when the seeing improves and I think should I up the mag are so short lived I'd have wasted the moment through swapping eyepieces.

The solution to this is a zoom eyepiece but I have found that in my "budget" Meade 8-24 zoom is that while nicely sharp for the most part the edges in my 80mm f/6 can show a slight softening as the sun traverses the FOV. I know the 3-6 Nagler zoom offers better correction but the shorter focal lengths may be the restricting factor.

What the zoom did do for me though is enable me to pick out the magnification that works best in my setup and I have now purchased an ortho as close to that magnification as I can. As the sun traverses the FOV I can observe detail with no need to refocus, the contrast and sharpness is notably crisper and I already know I'm getting the best magnification I can given usual seeing conditions. My current planetary eyepieces do allow me for flexibility regards upping the mag but I have found it is best just leaving the one in that does a good job 99% of the time and getting on with observing. I know orthos have tight eye relief and are not best for everyone's eyes but I have come across recent suggestions that good quality plossls may be worth consideration for those who wear glasses but want to get the best light through put for planetary and solar observing. http://stargazerslounge.com/topic/221953-orthos-for-planetary-or-quality-plossl/#entry2386457

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Solar_observer

Solar_observer

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Thanks guys for the detailed comments :)

I think I will leave it and just test my lunt zoom on the 50mm, when it comes.

I've a little problem with my zoom though, I'm getting a lot of reflections in the field of view, more so than ever.

I think the problem stems from the time I was viewing white light and left the scope pointing at the sun when I took the filter off.

It was only 5 seconds or so but it left a black mark completely covering the glass, which I had to wipe off. I assume this was the coating and thus causing the problem with the double sun I'm seeing?

Might have to order another :(

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Stu

Stu

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Hi,

As has already been mentioned, I was the same in that I never really used high mag with my PST.  My favourite ep was the TV 11mm Plossl, giving x36.  I occasionally used a 9mm BGO giving x44 but only quite rarely.  I have always found my Nag Zoom is too much, even in the TV85/Herschel Wedge for white light.

If you do a very rough, back of envelope calculation which says you might use around x45 due to the 25% bigger objective, to reach this with 350mm you would need a 7.8mm eyepiece, call it 8mm.  On good days you might use x55 which would be 6.3mm so either 6 or 7mm.

The Lunt Zoom is a nice, compact eyepiece and pretty sharp from what I can remember (I had a different brand of the same ep).  Given that it goes down to 7.2mm as well, I would probably opt for this if it is as choice vs the 8-24mm.

Further down the line, it may be worth getting a 7 or 9mm BGO or similar, or an 8mm TV Plossl.  It does depend how you get on with tighter eye relief ep's, but these designs work very well for solar.

Stu

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spaceboy

spaceboy

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I don't now which to get....... A new lunt zoom eyepiece or the baader Hyperion zoom, is the later eyepiece not too big and heavy for these lunt solar scopes?

I have found there to be a lot of rebranded eyepieces out there that for the best part are identical other than a name so this may be for consideration if you were to go for a similar 7.2-21.5mm zoom again http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/380750174838?ssPageName=STRK:MEWAX:IT&_trksid=p3984.m1423.l2649

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nicoscy

nicoscy

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Another option is to get a 1.25" 2x Barlow, unscrew the Barlow component and screw it directly on your eyepiece, getting 1.5x Barlow effect.

Teleskop Service has such a Barlow. I think it is just a rebranded GSO Barlow.

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Davey-T

Davey-T

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I don't now which to get....... A new lunt zoom eyepiece or the baader Hyperion zoom, is the later eyepiece not too big and heavy for these lunt solar scopes?

I've just got the Baader 8-24 zoom and tried yesterday for the first time, have to say the view was excellent at all mag's, just gets full disc at full mag' in the LS60DS so may get the dedicated Baader barlow at some point but not fussed at the moment.

Don't think the weight is a problem, help to offset the weight of the front etalon  :grin:

Haven't tried any other eyepieces to compare so guess it's the usual, the more you pay the better the view incrementally but couldn't fault the Baader.

You can fit a DSLR to the Baader if so inclined don't know if you can do this with the Lunt, also Lunt is flagged as unavailable on FLO the Baader seemed to be in stock at a few places when I was looking

Dave

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Pig

Pig

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The 9mm Vixen SLV is the best I have tried at around 53 x Mag. Truly fantastic

The Lunt Zoom also works well at the higher mag end but is not so good on the lower settings.

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