wsteel33

Lovely image, well done. ☄️

Hope to be able to get it in my Orion 80ED soon.

Here's one I got last night with my Canon 600D, ISO 400 1.6sec at 300mm (single shot)

Thanks for all the advice everyone, decision made....

Decided to go for 8mm and 18mm BST's (managed to get the pair for £80 in total, brand new) as well as the 32mm Celestron Omni Plossl.

That should enable me to scratch the visual itch for a while.

Thanks again everyone... much appreciated 👍🙂

4 minutes ago, DeathWarpedUp said:

As John eluded to earlier, and I'm guessing looking at your ep's you are using a 1.25 diagonal and don't own a 2", therefore the widest you can go is somewhat limited. And 32 is probaby the widest you can get which isnt bad. Try not to think about it as what you want, more about the best your particular scope/s and kit can handle (Diagonal size mafnification, focal length). Some are more specialised and less forgiving than others.

Realistcally the wider field is what I would go for intially, simply as it would make an easier finder to help you locate what you're looking for. Celestron Omni plossi 32mm for £39 possibly, then put my pennies together and get a Hyperflex 9-27 zoom £85. Bear in mind theres also P+P charges. These will give you nice views of almost everything and get most bases covered. The secondhand market (the bay ect) is not a bad place to look also.

Please also note, with your starter ep's against the top end stuff, don't expect huge visual quality differences (trying to be realistic)

 

Actually I do have a 2" diagonal with an adaptor for 1.25" eyepieces but I don't currently possess any 2" eyepieces.

Thanks for all the solid advice coming through 👊

2 minutes ago, DeathWarpedUp said:

What came with your scope, what do you have currently?

 

Skywatcher 25mm and 10mm stock eyepieces.

I understand they are ok (and I find them ok) for "supplied with scope" eyepieces and I have heard the 25mm is not bad for what it is but definitely upgrade time.

With me having the 25mm I am thinking i could do with something wider but as this discussion goes on I'm starting to think I might dig a little deeper and get the 8mm and 18mm BST's and a 30mm for a wider view..... down the rabbit hole I go 🥴😆

Thanks for the advice everyone, I am going to go for one or two of the BST's.

I have my supplied Skywatchers (10mm and 25mm) and the Barlow so I'm thinking I'll get an 8mm BST.

Any thoughts on the other one, I'm thinking possibly 18mm BST but also wondering if I would be better going for a widefield option like the Vixen NPL 40mm

These BST's look great at the price, good reviews... how do they compare to the Vixens? Anyone know?

2 hours ago, Freddie said:

You originally said you had seen some filters that capture 'some slight surface detail' but it will never be as good as a Ha scope. Don't under estimate the detail that can be achieved in WL as the details are far from slight with the correct setup. As the two setups are imaging two completely different things, you really can't make a direct comparison between the two.

To say the detail in WL will never be as good as in Ha is somewhat misleading. I don't think this image lacks detail. It just doesn't look the same as a Ha image but why would it.

Blimey.. is that granulation acheived through a WL filter? If so, impressive!

There is far more possible than I originally thought (when I figure out how to focus on the Sun 😁).

4 hours ago, Stu said:

Baader AstroSolar film comes in two flavours.

The ND5.0 is safe for visual observing although still benefits from either a polarising or continuum filter to manage the brightness and boost the detail in the granulation etc.

https://www.firstlightoptics.com/solar-filters/baader-astrosolar-safety-film-nd-50.html

https://www.firstlightoptics.com/solar-filters/explore-scientific-solarix-a4-solar-filter-film.html

The ND3.8 film is suitable only for imaging

https://www.modernastronomy.com/shop/filters-wheels/baader-filters/solar-baader/baader-photo-astrosolar-film-nd3-8-telescope-quality/

I am thinking that a continuum filter is definitely in my future

Hi everyone,

Any chance of some eyepiece advice from you lovely people.

I am looking for first upgrade eyepieces from the standard ones that came with my Skywatcher Evostar 120.

I have two scopes:

Evostar 120 (1000 mm f/8.3) & Orion 80ED (600mm f/7.5) (I have temporary use of a Celestron 9.25 SCT also)

I have a decent (I believe) 2x barlow from Revelation Astro  https://www.rothervalleyoptics.co.uk/revelation-astro-2x-barlow-lens.htm

and about £100 to spend.

I'm thinking 2 or 3 half decent eyepieces with the barlow I have would probably do me at this point.

I have been looking at possibly a couple of the Explore Scientific Ones https://www.rothervalleyoptics.co.uk/explore-scientific-52-ler-wp-eyepieces.html

or maybe the Vixens https://www.firstlightoptics.com/all-eyepieces-barlows/vixen-npl-eyepieces.html

or even 3 or 4 of the Skywatcher ultrawide https://www.rothervalleyoptics.co.uk/skywatcher-ultrawide-eyepieces-125.html if they are any good.

All advice highly welcome.

Thanks in advance everyone 🙂

16 minutes ago, Carbon Brush said:

Hi Wayne.

First and most important. If you don't have proper safe filtering on a scope, you will without warning kill your eye. Simple as that.
You will put the energy that falls onto the scope objective, concentrated onto a small region of your retina.
In less time than it takes to blink or move your eye is damaged and won't recover - ever.
Sorry if I am preaching to the converted. But these threads get read by others who may not be aware.

A filter on the scope objective, as you have fitted, will cut down the energy into your scope to a relaitively safe amount.
By relatively safe, I mean the scope won't suffer glass fractures from heating further down the optical train.
This is one reason the eyepiece size solar filters sold by uscrupuous people are so dangerous.
I don't know the Explore Scientific filter material, having only ever used the Baader solar film, which is the same idea.
This is why I'm not sure if the filter will dim down the image enough for comfortable viewing.

Having done this, you are in with a chance of seeing sunspots. If there are any as the sun is very quiet at present.
You also need stable air to allow you to go for high magnification.

If you want to see prominences and detail of granulation, you need a 'hydrogen alpha' scope.
In very approximate ascending order of price you are looking at a Coronado PST, Daystar Quark, or Lunt Solar.

I had a PST for several years. As a quick 'go out and look', it worked very well. Sme can be problematic about bring a camera into focus.
I have never used any of the Daystar eyepieces or complete scopes so cannot comment.
Thse days I use a Lunt LS60. Not the 'grab n go' of the PST. But a better scope.

A secondhand PST is a good low risk foray into solar. £400 or a bit more. You can always resell at litte or no loss if you don't get on.

Keep asking and I hope at least some of the reply is useful.

David.

Hi David

Comprehensive and clear reply. Thanks buddy 🙂

I think I'll likely stick to WL imaging for now (in adidition to the night-time stuff I do) and try and get my focussing more accurate and see if I can pick up any sunspots when the sun is a bit more active.

I've used the Baader film before too (before the filter I made got damaged) and the Explore Scientific is very similar but gives a yellow tinge to the image rather thatn the true WL from the Baader and I thought I'd give it a go as it came pre-built.

Thanks again for your advice.

Wayne

Suspected as much, but thanks anyway.

Was never planning to "look" through it and have an objective WL filter for the Sun

👍

Thanks David

I have a modded webcam and I guide my DSO stuff with a Lodestar Starlight Xpress which I could use as the imaging camera. I have also obtained a Watec Wat120n for EAA which I think I could use for capturing video (and possibly in SharpCap?).

I was planning to pick up an H-alpha filter for my DSO imaging, would this not work in conjunction with the white light filter on the objctive to bring out more detail? I know there are specific H-alpha filters for Sun work and suspected the filters for DSO imaging may not cut the mustard for solar imaging.

Just now, Nigella Bryant said:

Hiya, the image looks like it's not focused to me. It looks ill-defined. I usually use sharpcap and focus looking at the edge of the solar disk.

Hi Nigella

Yeah.. I was wondering if that was the case.

It was a spur of the moment thing and so I didn't have shading for the laptop/camera and couldn't really see properly so was struggling. 

SharpCap 👍,

Cheers, I'll give that a go.

Nice images 🌗

Hi everyone

Just taken this using the Explore Scientific Suncatcher Solar Filter I just received.

Is it just that the surface of the Sun is a bit quiet at the moment or am I badly out of focus?

I took this with my Orion 80ED and Canon 600D at ISO 400 and 1/500 sec exposure. Took about 300 shots using APT but this is a single un-stacked image

Just started imaging the Sun (done some DSO stuff, but still very much a novice and in the early learning phase of Astrophotography). I figured imaging the Sun doubles the time I can spend using my scopes.

I would like to invest in some filters (Poss, H-alpha first) to try and pick out more detail but thought it was wise to cut my teeth before I invest in more kit.

Any advice and constructive criticism from anyone with experience more than welcome.

Cheers 🙂

Wayne

Ok Thanks 🙂

I'm currently using either Orion 80ED or Skywatcher Evostar 120 on my EQ6 with an unmodded Canon 600D and APT. I'm guiding with Starlight Xpress Lodestar hooked up to a Skywatcher 9 x 50 viewfinder scope using PHD2.

I've also currently got temporary use of a fairly hefty Celestron SCT (9.25 i think) which I haven't had a go with yet.

Looking forward to giving all this a go when we get dark clear skies again

Just now, Phil Fargaze said:

Hello. Yes you will need a C mount adaptor as shown Here. I Have the long one as well as the short one. I use the long one combined with a focal reducer to provide a larger field of view. I also have the book Macavity recommended and also find it excellent. The book describes using colour filters and processing etc. 

Excellent, thanks Phil.

I'll get one ordered 👍

Done some more research, will this need a C-Thread adaptor?

Cheers 

2 hours ago, Macavity said:

A FINE thing indeed! (Still fun if/when I get around to EEVA!)

Internal integration and Coax Cables are a bit "old hat" in these days? Eight Bit
cameras/processing can be a challenge? But I still feel a LOT can be achieved?! 🙂
A USB Video Capture dongle enables you to write (and stack!) .AVI Video files.

An excellent book on the subject:
https://www.amazon.co.uk/Deep-Sky-Video-Astronomy-Patrick-Practical

Thanks Macavity I think I'll get that ordered 👍

Thanks guys that's excellent news, I wonder if I could pick your brains further.

I have ordered a video grabber dongle and BNC to audio jack cable to get the video on my computer.

Following the advice I got here I am thinking that I could use it through RGB filters to take videos of Mars/Jupiter/Saturn through my Skywatcher Evostar 120 and using Registax to stack the images (after all we have a golden opportunity with opposition happening). Would I be right in thinking that this would be a good camera for this. I've tried this with a bog standard webcam mod previously with ok results but I'm thinking that the sensitivity of this camera could give a massive increase in outcome.

Any thoughts?

All advice greatly appreciated.

Also, does anyone know what size/thread adaptor I'd need to attach this to my scope?

Thanks everyone 😃

Hi 

I've been given some kit and come across this Camera.

I believe its can be used as a deep space astrocamera. 

Anyone had any experience of one of these.

Cheers

Seeing as how I have awoken this thread from its intersellar statis... anyone have any recommendations as a good (budget(ish)) replacement focuser for the stock rack and pinion one this scope comes with... as frankly its a bit c**p.

Needs to be able to focus sharply and hold a Canon 600D for photographing DSO's.

Thanks in advance everyone 👊

Lol..🤣

I have the Evostar 120 and with decent tracking on an EQ Mount you can get some good DSO images. I got this one of the Pinwheel just a week ago with a Canon 600D and only 30 x 60 sec exposures. It’s a decent tube for the price...plan to upgrade the focuser though I’m finding it a bit sloppy.