My solar setup complete

[spaceboy]

As some of you will know, I have had a hard time deciding which way to go as regards Ha observing due to the recent introductions of the Quark and LS50Tha into an already reasonable large selection of solar observing options.

I was all set on the LS50Tha http://www.firstlightoptics.com/lunt-solar-50mm-h-alpha-telescopes/lunt-ls50tha-h-alpha-solar-telescope.html as was many others due to the pricing for rather favourable spec. But alas due to the constant delays for release it gave me time to look longer in to the other options out there. The obvious competitor being the Daystar Quark http://www.scsastro.co.uk/catalogue/daystar-quark-hydrogen-alpha-eyepiece.htm at its similar price point.

There is no doubting the Daystar Quark has provided us with some remarkably detailed and amazing full solar disc images by other members but as most of us know, what we see at the eyepiece is often totally different to what we see in an image. With this at the front of my mind I often took note of just how many frames were dropped when capturing these images. My thought being if an AVI of 5000 frames drops 3000 of them the chances of me not ending up with a splitting headache after a mornings observing is going to be very slim indeed. I agree those 2000 frames often went together with processing to make a mind blowing image of our nearest star all the same but for visual observing I was beginning to have my reservations.

My best chance to put my mind at rest was a visit to PSP2014 where a fellow member offered me the opportunity to take a look through a Quark for myself. Sadly the skies didn't play ball and I never got the chance to see the Quarks potential.

It is so hard to get a feel for something when you can't experience it for yourself. We all are individual in our opinions and our preferences. What may work for one person may not necessarily work for another. Trying to keep as open mind as I could I trawled the internet for reviews, pictures, pro's & con's and any local solar open / outreach days that may give the chance to look at a variety of offerings. I found in the end you have to kind of write up a for and against list nand hope at the end I make the right decision on what I want to achieve out of solar observing.

A doubt that was playing on my mind was the full disc restrictions given the focal lengths of the scopes I own, if a Quark was the way to go. The closest I had to the recommended 450mm fl was my 80mm f/6 at 480mm. I am sure this would have shown the whole disc albeit claustrophobically but again another restriction that was being mentioned seemed to be magnifications and the lack of choices. The recommended eyepieces being most favoured were the 25mm and 32mm TV plossls which would have given me x80 & x63 consecutively when taking in to account the x4.2 integrated barlow of the Quark. With me rarely seeing use of magnifications above x55 in my white light setup preferring to remain around x40. This along with start up delays, reliance on power and ambient temperatures were going to be the nail in the coffin for the Quark at this point.

This left either a LS50THa or a Coronado PST. I have looked through a PST a couple of times and I have to say the view through one in particular was amazing but then only 2' away was one at the other end of the quality scale showing some rather bland views indeed. I was aware early on regarding the PST rust problems so buying one used for a dedicated solar scope was never going to be an option for me. I'm sure Coronado/ Meade have pulled their socks up on this problem but that was not the only thing that went up as PST's went from around £480 to £700 http://www.telescopehouse.com/acatalog/Coronado_Personal_Solar_Telescope.html With the LS50Tha being only £95 more and offering 10mm extra aperture and the new pressure tuner it was a no brainer which was going to offer the better value. Again further delays and only limited availability when supplies did become available had the Ls50Tha idea put on the back burner once again.

Another option was to buy used. While the PST has had it's problems it has also has proven to be a superb Ha scope for stage 1 & 2 modding with an extensive knowledge base available to all on the internet detailing how to do such modifications. It would require some effort on my part to carry out the modifications and I'm sure as with any modding there is a level of risk that I might fluff it and end up with a pile of spare parts so I was never overly keen on the idea although I have no doubt this would offer up some amazing views that can be experienced almost immediately upon setup.  This would not be with out it's compromises as a suitable donor scope would be required (possibly rendered useless for anything other than solar) and a larger and expensive blocking filter would be desired at some point. Also although an f/10 4" scope isn't a handful it isn't something that would sit comfortably on my grab and go mount of choice (AZ3) so again I was back to my for and against sheet to figure out if there was any other options.

I admit that he limiting factor through out was myself. I think if you enjoy something then your better off trying to get something that will give you years of enjoyment rather than making a compromise and regret it down the line.

I have been totally gob smacked by close up high magnification white light views of the sun but these moments seem so far and few between that I am happiest enjoying taking in the full disc views offered up by my ST102 + Lunt wedge at x40. With that in mind I went with .............................

You didn't expect that after all that typing did you   :grin:      

[Moonshane]

very nice Nick!

I am surprised you use such low power for white light. I seem to manage 60-75x readily in my 120mm but maybe the extra aperture helps. The seeing does vary this and the image is not sharp throughout but maybe that's what you prefer?

I am sure you made the right choice given all you say 

[spaceboy]

Well put it this way Shane, I am beginning to think there is something wrong with my eyes as most of the reviews and solar observing discussions I have read over the past months all talk of magnifications over x60 yet I just don't enjoy anything above x40. There was the one time in my Ar127L I pushed it up to x96 but the seeing that day was exceptionally steady. I think I could have easily gone higher but this was a very rare occasion and for the best part even using the EVO150 I find I'm swapping out eyepieces slowly backing off the magnification to a similar x35-45.

I just seem to see more around x40. OK it's not got the same image scale but the granulation pops and the contrast appears stronger than if I up the mag. I'm sure I could up the mag but the shimmering puddle I end up with gives me a headache . I noticed I have started to back off the magnification at night also but again it seems to be offering me more detail ???

[Moonshane]

I know what you mean mate and there's no doubt that backing off the image scale does increase sharpness and vice versa. Maybe I can see through the wobble more easily; maybe my eyes wobble and nobody has mentioned it! For me, I tend to set out my rough sketches with spots in the right places at lower power and then up the mag for picking off bits of detail. Different strokes for different folks I suppose. I'd not worry about it, just enjoy. For Ha I cannot get full disk with my BF so I naturally don't worry too much and use mainly my 15mm TV plossl at 67x and for all but the worst days (like today) this provides lovely sharpness and contrast. I can regularly use 8mm though with the Tal mod (125x) although I prefer a bit less mag.

[nightfisher]

Nick, nice set up, if the offer on the house is a goer i will be able to do a lot more solar work using the TAL100 and i will be using the 127 mak on a small pier with AZ supertrack mount, the garden is south facing so will get the sun and moon all the way across..................happy days

[spaceboy]

I'd just read you'd put an offer in. Hope you get it mate! Southern skies of course mean cold lonely nights with the Tal

I still think you would enjoy a HW in the 100RS mate.

I'm not sure I will be bothering with the 2 scope set up too much though as I feel like a kid in a sweet shop not knowing which one I want more. It was a novelty going from one to the other but I think I get more from concentrating on the one. I know I was finding it difficult going from a blown out retina using the bright green/ yellow / white light to then trying to adjust to a darker orangey red Ha light. I tried adjusting the polarising filter so that the wl wasn't so bright but this only went to reduce the finer details.

Both sit nicely on my AZ3 for quick grab and go so I guess I can always alternate between which scope I go out with and that way I will better appreciate the detail each one gives rather than trying to take it all in at once ??

[nightfisher]

I think i would agree about using just one at a time, though i have the skytee i did not get it for the dual use, thats not to say i wont ever put the 150p ds and 150 mak on it, but its better to concentrate on viewing one range of objects at a session

[Qualia]

Great set up, Nick and wonderfully explained the dilemma you face. Interesting times in H-alpha for sure. 

I completely understand your appetite for lower powrers. Even though the skies around here can be extremely stable in the day time, for general white light observing whether in the 100m or 76mm, I prefer not to push beyond 50x. Although as Shane mentions, sometimes high power work is nice to tweak detail.

Look forward to more reports on your experience with the Lunt 60.  

[michael.h.f.wilkinson]

Lovely set-up, and interesting reasoning. I am also pondering getting either a quark or an LS50/60. The LS 50 seems to be only a small step up from the LS35 I have, whereas the Quark would give me access to 80mm aperture. A simple portable powerpack solves the power issues. Ideally, I would of course get both an LS60PT and a Quark, which opens up the option of double stacking the LS60 with the Quark. I have seen some great results of that. I might get tha Quark first and hang on to the LS35 (could double stack that too), and only let the LS35 go when I get the LS60.

[Pig]

Nick excellent set up  

Your post clearly expresses what we all go through when deciding which astro-equipment to buy, especially the expensive purchases.  great read.

[Gazabone]

Lovely set, hope you really enjoy it :-)

[spaceboy]

Thanks for the comments guys.

Lovely set-up, and interesting reasoning. I am also pondering getting either a quark or an LS50/60. The LS 50 seems to be only a small step up from the LS35 I have, whereas the Quark would give me access to 80mm aperture. A simple portable powerpack solves the power issues. Ideally, I would of course get both an LS60PT and a Quark, which opens up the option of double stacking the LS60 with the Quark. I have seen some great results of that. I might get tha Quark first and hang on to the LS35 (could double stack that too), and only let the LS35 go when I get the LS60.

I admit that the idea of owning a Quark at some point is still there but this is a long way off . My thoughts were what out of the two would give me the most use. The LS60 is a nice little scope that would sit on either my AZ3 or camera tripod, be up and running in no time to dash in and out between clouds, give me tuning results practically instantly, have the most aperture I can or ever will be able to afford, work with my current ep collection and in the case of the LS60 have a tried and tested focuser which with the dual speed makes teasing the detail out that little bit easier.

I do have other refractors but again as mentioned in my OP these were going to restrict my views and for me, being able to see the full disc was a priority.

I'm sure what ever decision you make Michael your going to be rewarded but I would think the Quark would be the better buy for you as you already have the LS35 to give you full disc and the small gain in aperture from the LS50 or LS60 may not be as appealing as the unrestricted ability of the Quark to be used in any aperture with suitable UV blocking.

[michael.h.f.wilkinson]

Thanks for the comments guys.

I admit that the idea of owning a Quark at some point is still there but this is a long way off . My thoughts were what out of the two would give me the most use. The LS60 is a nice little scope that would sit on either my AZ3 or camera tripod, be up and running in no time to dash in and out between clouds, give me tuning results practically instantly, have the most aperture I can or ever will be able to afford, work with my current ep collection and in the case of the LS60 have a tried and tested focuser which with the dual speed makes teasing the detail out that little bit easier.

I do have other refractors but again as mentioned in my OP these were going to restrict my views and for me, being able to see the full disc was a priority.

I'm sure what ever decision you make Michael your going to be rewarded but I would think the Quark would be the better buy for you as you already have the LS35 to give you full disc and the small gain in aperture from the LS50 or LS60 may not be as appealing as the unrestricted ability of the Quark to be used in any aperture with suitable UV blocking.

So just when you think you have sussed it, and want to get a quark, some complete offers a Coronado SolarMax 60 for sale for a very reasonable price. How could he!!

[Mark at Beaufort]

Nick a very enjoyable read and I can understand your delay in decided which way to jump. I have had a PST for 10 years and mine has the rust problem. In saying that I have looked through a large number of PSTs and I still believe mine appears to be the better view in the majority of cases.

When the Lunt 50 was introduced I thought an upgrade was the best option and then the Quark arrived. I think your description above mirrors my mind process exactly.

Like you I love the Herschel Wedge and I use mine on the 4" Astro Tech APO using binoviewers and with 25mm plossls the Sun fills the FOV.

I am going to Astrofest in 2 weeks so will look closely at the Lunt stand - in the end I think I will end up with a Lunt rather than the Quark.

After I make the jump I guess another piece of solar kit will be introduced making me wish I had delayed my decision.

Finally Nick your solar kit looks fantastic.