Solar B

I wasn't thinking about any of that mate ... I'm thinking about wonderful seething / boiling granule views ! outstanding umbral & penumbral AR detail ! Brian

Now thats one set up i,d love to have a peek through 🌞 Brian

That's just what I was gonna say , you could just put a Moonraker on it and just look at it ... simples 😃 Brian

The weather's gone completely to pot up here ! I'm not happy , it's just not cricket , tennis or polo ! The whole things put me in a most unsavoury mood 💀 But it's just like normal June weather I suppose 😅 Brian

It appears that the Lacertas viewing angle could be problematic (I’m surprised this wasn't raised before) but you can also use its heat sink as a finder ! I ve used a few H wedges over the yrs but I’m not sure I’d be in a big rush to adopt the brewster angle 🤓 Brian

One advantage the Altair and Baader have is that the heat sink element can also act as a great finder meaning you can be on the Sun in seconds I've not used a Lacerta wedge but seem to recall some reservations about its viewing angle or am I mistaken ? Brian

Another attractive option could be the Lunt 2" one currently reduced to £260 Brian

The Baader is extremely good and would most likely handle the highest mags for imaging ect ..... but I'm guessing all your really needing is the Lacerta however I'd probably opt for the Altair simply just because it looks a lot better. Brian

Ah that's a point I hadn't pondered the above ad does not state if it's the deluxe model or not so it may not be ... as I'm aware the original OTAs were plain white and can recall seeing one of those up for sale at £800 but the carbon OTAs look just magnificent don't they. Brian

I suspect it does in the short term but then in the long term I'll always revert back to my previous state of mind and start looking for that next fix ! (never satisfied , there's always something better out there you know). Then when things do arrive they are carefully smuggled into the house or even sent to a friends or some other surreptitious address. I'm always on the look out for that next high with another solar product when I should really be spending the money on maintaining the house , the 4 cars i,m running & my family (5 of us in total). So here some guilt starts to manifest itself and it feels selfish to even be considering another purchase ... but perhaps we astronomers are all a little selfish deep down. Most of my colleagues don't appear to have these same issues and do not waste large amounts of time patrolling the buy and sell pages , they appear to have things in check & behave rationally. I know this all sounds like I have a problem .... and you know what perhaps I do 😎 Brian

I'm glad I had the Binomite IIs for the last mercury transit as I was laid up (a mangled mess at home) .... there was a small clearing of the clouds I then grabbed the binos & saw mercury fleetingly for about 2 seconds (minute in size) and this through closed patio doors ! Back on topic I did enjoy viewing the AR yesterday with binos and scope 😎 Brian

There was that other Intes Mak thingme but this ! .... well that 🔴 planet.

Outstanding job altogether Alan ... on what appears to be your own private annex for observation ... I'm loving the pier and its level table top to 👍 Brian

Don't forget that the solid etalons require to operate at F30 , now I'm not saying they're not good (they are) but that's some mag and yes it was a lowly SV50 I had but what a great grab n go. Brian

I agree that the SF100s are bigger but not better , it's obviously down to what you can afford / handle / seeing ect. As for the highest end solid etalon offerings ... imho there's a difference between viewing with them and the greatest of finesse air spaced etalons and I would always choose the latter .... however for imaging the former would have advantages. Brian

That's good , I must have a wee look with my binomite IIs .... I did however see it briefly yesterday with a PST. Brian

I've a pretty good idea what these cost Jeremy and you languishing in your stately home I'm sure could 😎 Having the choice of 2 ... 20mm BFs Mark is just incredible & unsurpassed ! Brian

👽👕🐸🐊🐢🐍🐲🐉🐛🌲🌳🌴🌵🌿🍀🍃🍏🍈🗾💚 Ever so slightly jealous ... just the best and beyond compare Brian

I'm not sure who designed that logo but I wouldn't be up for hiring they're services in a big hurry ☺ Brian

Our incredible run is coming to an end up here in Scotland I can't recall the likes before , perhaps since 2006 ! my solar scopes have been out almost everyday since the beginning of lockdown and i have really enjoyed seeing what I consider to be a good amount of limb activity ☀ over these past couple of months. Now of course summer is just really starting so I look forward to some more great weather and hope that you are still blessed with some. Brian

Velly nice and perhaps somewhat (or a lot) underrated me thinks 👍 Brian

Mate if the planet's were my thing then this would be it It's actually good value in comparison to the highest end refractor's I'm thinking the 140 is worth a look at again and is also carbon 👍 Brian

This is it ... and was confirmed to me some time ago ( approx 14 yrs) and again recently It will out preform any refractor regardless of strehl around this aperture I'm saying this and I am genuinely a refractor only guy & abhor mirrors https://www.astrobuysell.com/uk/propview.php?view=162025 Brian

I'm glad you have resolved your focusing issues for imaging I am curious to know about what surface detail you can see visually v your PST. Brian

You've lost me there mate as if using a quark or any dedicated HA scope it's BF will only transmit 656.28nm to the EP ... if safety is of concern at 80mm. Brian