Highburymark

Glad you found some gaps chaps!

Congratulations Mike. Looks wonderful.

After the unexpected burst of activity yesterday from the late Cycle 24 AR, there’s a new feature close by today which apparently is Cycle 25. Sadly clouded out here but worth a look if you have clear skies

The 60mm double stack filter is red (attaches) while the 50mm is white. Although almost every review of the smaller filter has been good, it does turn your 60mm scope into a 50mm one - and that means a step down in resolution/detail. May as well get the much cheaper LS50/50DS. (LS50 is now on sale in the U.K. by the way - see FLO or Telescope House). Lunt has just launched its full modular range in the US - they are a small company so clearly this has disrupted all other production.

Apparently this was a late Cycle 24 active region. Its polarity is different to the few early Cycle 25 features we’ve had over the past few months. Would be a nice farewell gesture if it were the last - but think we’ve got a bit more waiting until the new cycle kicks in

Oops, miscalculated - about 175x. Easy to do with binoviewers and barlows and GPCs and extenders....

Swapped over and spots easier to see in WL. Currently getting great views at 225x

It’s really developed in ha over past couple of hours - now a very bright feature indeed, with lovely detail around. Last sunny day for a while so let’s make the most of it....

It’s been gradually diminishing for a couple of days, but has really started to develop in HA over the past few hours - not sure about WL - but it’s now a very bright feature in my 60mm scope. Nice!

The only consolation Jonathan is that they are a fraction of the price they were a decade or two ago. Despite the pain of financing a solar scope, we have to count ourselves lucky to be able to see the sun in h alpha at all

Martin - if you’re thinking of buying an FC-100 and value ergonomics, the DC is the lightest of the bunch at 2.8kg. It’s astonishingly easy to carry around and mount, which for me are primary considerations. The DL is slower as John mentions, and is perhaps the ultimate lunar/planetary choice, and at F/8 the DZ is in the middle - but it’s the only FC with a sliding dew shield - which is the one feature lacking from my DC that I’d love to have. If you trawl the SGL archives, you might just find the odd thread discussing the charms of the FC-100s.....

Superb - they seem to have a great reputation.

Larger scope for better resolution, double stack for greater contrast. Larger scope AND double stack for bankruptcy.

Imaging the sun involves a great deal of processing. Imagers take thousands of frames, choose the best, stack them, sharpen them, add contrast, and colour them. It takes quite a bit of skill, but doesn’t represent the actual view through most small solar scopes. Learning how to get the most visually is a different skill - plus of course there’s a great amount of variation from one scope to the next. Only a small percentage of etalons/scopes/filters - in my experience - really deliver the very best views - which deliver immediately easy to see, clear and contrastful surface detail. Most solar scopes require a bit of investment from the observer, and decent solar activity, to make filaments and active regions stand out. Proms are easier to see in most scopes. But it’s impossible to compare the views through a small scope with photos of the sun,

Great to see the Lunt sale has finally reached the UK! The LS50 is a cracking little scope, and double stacked it really packs a punch. Wondering if any dates yet for when the all-modular range will be launched here?

They both have their own fans. PT means you can dial in features on the surface more easily as you increase or decrease pressure, and views are more consistent across the fov, which makes them popular among imagers, but some people don’t like the PT system. I’ve never used a tilt tuned Lunt, but there are lots of comparisons between the two on SGL, Cloudy Nights and Solarchat.

The other thing to bear in mind is that I believe they’re moving to all-modular product lines, like Coronado has done with the 70mm and 90mm Solarmax - with the LS 60/80/100 etc. Already on sale in the States. Personally I prefer a dedicated solar scope, but the market seems to want single day/night instruments

You can buy as a package or separately John.

This one has the 50mm double stack etalon - cheaper than the 60mm double stack which makes full use of the scope’s aperture. The 60mm DS filter is red. Getting used to the Lunt product range is an art in itself.

You are probably aware that PT means pressure tuned - Lunt have been selling off all stocks of tilt tuned LS60s so only a handful are still available - all LS60s will be pressure tuned in the future.

If you’re happy to buy from Germany, a number of retailers there usually have them in stock Richard. Teleskop Service, Astroshop or Lunt’s main European importer at Bresser.de will probably help you out. All good operations, fast delivery and good customer service.

Bought this pair of (discontinued) Hawke Sapphire ED a few months ago for £275 - still on sale at the Birding Store while stocks last - mainly for birding. They are absolutely stunning quality. An absolute pleasure to use.

Looks excellent - although nebulae thin on the ground it’s nice not to freeze to death during late night sessions at this time of year

Of the scope. Always interested in seeing different NV set ups.

We may require pics next time please.....