Merlin66

I use Irfanview (freeware) to colourise my solar images obtained from FireCapture/ AS3!/Imppg. Image tab/ Color Corrections/ R/G/B/Brightness/ Contrast settings: WL = 75/38/22/0/0 CaK = 25/-5/105/8/-2 Ha(surface) = 84/-14/-114/9/14 WL and CaK setting shown. You can play around to find a combination you like. (you can also remove the background using Replace Color)

Very interesting. I’d like to know how they dated some of these documents as pre Galileo.

This is a world wide global forum. Stating you’re at +38 deg does not necessarily mean to many members that you are in the USA. There are many other countries.......

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I found when setting up an eFinder, using an old DMK51 on a 60/240 finder that the star images were very soft. This was dramatically improved by fitting a UV/IR filter to the camera.

I use the SW focuser motors on all my solar scopes. Belt driven to the 10:1 focus knob. Just drop the belt for full manual control.

Four AR areas today.

Do you have a link to the Onstep conversion of the drives?

Used Upwards is for Bo=-5 (April) and turned upside down is for use at Bo=5 (around Sept)

I use Les Cowley's Tilting sun ( www.atoptics.co.uk/tiltsun.htm) to show the solar directions and add graphics to images. As mentioned, the solar image should be orientated E-W, N-S on the chip - easily checked by moving the mount slightly in N-S and watching the image - should tracking vertically in the frame. Easy, straight forward and impressive.

I agree 100% I use non dusted medical gloves when cleaning all optics.

I’ve measured up the Genesis, it will fit in the same box as me!!!! when I go, It goes with me!!!!!

I’ve been watching this for the past couple of days. yes, it was very impressive. under poor conditions I obtained a good image early this morning before the rain..... I ‘ll try to post when I get home.

From memory the EQ mount was black. you may be correct about the eyepieces, I need to re-visit my observing logs of the time to see which eyepieces were used.

Roy, I found the CN links to be very US oriented...... It wasn’t a SWIFT but....a Royal?????

The thread on the Frank's cardboard tube scope reminded me about a 3" f12 refractor I bought in South Africa in 1973. Came in the usual Japanese fitted wooden box - looked and smelled great. I'm trying to find out which make it probably was..... usual white tube, 1.25" eyepieces wooden tripod and "average" small EQ mount. I'm pretty sure it wasn't a Towa or Prinz or Unitron or TASCO Any ideas???

I to started with the Charles Frank cardboard 2" refractor in 1961/2. The objective was a 2" 1 dioptre spectacle blank singlet lens ( f20 !) . I think it was around x50 with the basic single "eyepiece" in the rubber bung. I added a small lens to the end of the "bung" to get a bit more power. I built a simple Alt-Az mount for it in woodwork class, and then later a wooden EQ mount ( based on the illustration in Norton's Star Atlas!). My dad then made me a metal Alt-Az on a pipe in the garden - Thanks Dad!! Ahhhh, those were the days. I sometimes wish I'd just stayed with that scope I could have saved thousands $$$ over the years!!!!

I'm trying to find out what happened to the Lunt LSI camera. It appears to have been released around 2010 but I can't find any references after 2014. It seems to be a cooled ICX-285 (similar to the ATiK 314L?) https://telescopes.net/lunt-solar-imager-lsi.html Any users out there that can comment????

Yeah, use the pixel pitch for your sensor; 5.4 micron etc.

Yeah, an alternative.... The IPA/ KimiWipe is 100% safe to use on sensors/ camera windows/ filters etc etc. There's a Y tube ( of the guys showing how they clean Astrodon filters - IPA and KimiWipes!) )

To be effective, the daytime flat should be taken with the camera/ lens/ scope focused on infinity. I use the KimiWipe, folded and fitted over a plastic "spatula" cut from an old credit card. The width of the flat face just slightly larger than the height of the sensor. A couple of sprays with IPA on the KimiWipe and one wipe across the sensor - discard the KimiWipe. Repeat as necessary. Any dust motes on the sensor cover plate appear a defined black spots, if they are on the front filters, entrance window etc. they appear slightly diffuse and sometime as the "dust doughnuts" http://76.12.87.114/resources/dust.cfm This is an easy calculator to gauge where the dust may be located. ( I do solar imaging at around f20 and any residual "motes" show up as "new" sunspots!!!!!)

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Yeah, Taking a daytime flat at >f15 will be a revelation to many camera users!!! I find it shows the smallest of motes on the camera window and sensor coverplate. I use IPA and Kimiwipes for the cleaning. well worth the effort.

Magnus, I have Six (!!) SW focus motors installed across all my scopes.... The ShoeString FCUSB adaptor works very well to provide remote focus control from the laptop. It includes the free focusing software. http://www.store.shoestringastronomy.com/products_fc.htm

This may be of interest to you: https://www.cloudynights.com/topic/579760-moon-my-work-with-sct-925-and-asi178mc/ and the very informative Website Selenology Today https://digilander.libero.it/glrgroup/