Solar B

31 minutes ago, Rusted said:

You'd need a very thin head at certain times of the year to get behind the binoviewer.
My dome base ring gets in the way and rotation of the Lacerta in the focuser really doesn't help.
Hence my warning about the Brewster Angle on the Lacerta. 
You need lots of room behind the telescope which I simply don't have with my 7" f/12.
My mounting is above head height and I'd still need to be a limbo dancer in the summer.
Bung a camera on the Lacerta and it doesn't care about telescope orientation.

I wasn't thinking about any of that mate ... I'm thinking about wonderful seething /

boiling granule views ! outstanding umbral & penumbral AR detail ! 

Brian 

On 09/06/2020 at 15:21, Rusted said:

The Lacerta 2" heat sink does indeed get hot when fed by a 180mm 7" refractor for several hours.

I have burnt my hand [only briefly] through carelessness, but as already stated, there is no [hot] exit beam like the old fashioned wedges.

 

 

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 

On 02/06/2020 at 16:54, Gina said:

I'd like it but haven't got three and a half grand!!

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 

9 minutes ago, Highburymark said:

What’s unsurpassed is the SF100DS - the largest unobstructed solar filters on the market!  Or the 0.3A Solar Spectrum and Daystar Quantum PE filters. Lots of options to go well beyond this. 

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 

12 hours ago, JeremyS said:

Fine looking setup @Highburymark. Congrats!

Did you purchase directly from Solarscope? I couldn't see any prices on their website - or is it a case of "if you have to ask the price you can't afford it"? 🙂

 

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 

27 minutes ago, Craney said:

Indeed. 

I saw that ad ... looked at my car for a fleeting moment and thought....what if.. .........no...stop it !!!

Regardless of the impressive optical specs....... only weighs 9.5 kilos !!!

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 

2 hours ago, skybadger said:

I use a cheap diagonal for the purpose of not staring into the sun. With that I have a 26mm Meade plossl and a X.5 screw in reducer. I prefer the 26mm. The scope is a stellar St80 ed at f/5 or so. I couldn't tell the difference between using the diagonal and not using the diagonal from the image alone.

 

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