Rusted

I Thanks. I have absolute proof of its existence. It looks just like this:

Better image:

Get your H-a gear set up if you can. Huge prom 2 o'clock. Struggling with cloud here.

iStar 150mm f/10 H-a. Beloptik KG3 & Baader 35nm H-a. ZWO ASI174MM. SharpCap, iMPPG, PF7.

Thanks. Good to know.

Thanks Dave, I really don't think a diagonal is involved, at all, in these "straight through" models. Those who want diagonals can have them at no extra charge. Diagonals change image orientation. Which is a real nuisance while imaging. Particularly when making manual adjustments with large image scales. Even scanning the solar limb for prominences on the paddle becomes a chore. Manually compensating for image drift during video capture is no longer familiar or logical. Publishing images with "unlikely" orientations can cause an "image" problem.

Thanks. I have taken up this very issue on Solar Chat.

Thank you Peter. It's lucky you responded! I had dismissed Coronado because Meade had filed for bankruptcy. I know the dealer is directly responsible for sales and warranties. It was just a concern which favoured Lunt. The Lunt is also a 2" > T2 fitting. Lunt only a 1.25". I know of your recommendation for the 5mm PST BF with Barlow for visual. This purchase was for imaging with a longer focal length OTA of 1500mm. I'm now thinking about the BF15 at about the same price as the 12mm Lunt B1200.

Hi Dave, The diagonal version has a great, long nose. I'm worried that the B1200S2 is two widely separated units a bit like the PST but on steroids. The PST has an ITF in front followed by the BF almost a couple of inches further back towards the EP. If the diagonal version splits the units on either side of the optical flat then the unit could be slightly more compact. Or much the same path length. Making the choice merely arbitrary based only on personal taste. The same text is repeated, with the same image, on every sales website. Hardly helpful at this pricepoint. I haven't found any amateur solar websites showing any greater detail. I may have to ask on Solar Chat.

Thanks Dave but this is definitely a straight object: Linked to Optcorp B1200S2 sales webpage image: I'm confused by the lower [?] end with the projecting thumbscrews. It can't plug into a 2" socket with those in the way. The other end has screws and a badge. That's won't fit a 2" socket either. Is that a T2 male thread right on the bottom? Or just a bevel? Is it even the right way up? So many questions. My piggy bank wants answers before giving up the struggle.

The replacement T-S.

Hi, Despite Peter's best efforts to dissuade me/us, a larger BF is in my stars. Well, the nearest one, anyway. This is purely for solar imaging on my 6" f/10 H-a PST mod. The Lunt 2" T2 B1200 comes in elbow [diagonal] and straight through S2 versions. The latter is of most interest to me. I have very limited "elbow room" to fit a blocking filter in the light path before the camera. I use a big, 2" helical focuser. Which eats up some focal length but is nicely long throw and has no flop. Unlike the 1.25" models I've tried and rejected. My problem is that the images online, of the straight through B1200S2, are all identical, Lunt, sales website fodder and number precisely 1. No other images! Before I destroy my piggy bank I'd like to see what is involved. A diagonal version would arguably eat up far too much focal length after the PST etalon. Does anybody have any better images of the Lunt 2" > T2 B1200S2? Perhaps in a state of undress? Or even the B1800S2? Which must be quite similar. Most importantly, I need to know what unscrews at the telescope end, the thread size and if/how it will fit into my PST mod. I'll save on postage and/or delivery time wasted if I need to buy a suitable adapter as well. Thanks

NE quadrant showing disturbance near the limb. Second image heavily processed and cropped.

This is a largely unprocessed image of the solar surface without the Barlow. Run through AS!2 to produce a still image using 100 frames out of 2000. NO sharpening. I used only a touch of Histogram in PF7 to make the contrast slightly more obvious.

Thanks Peter. I hope you realize it's all your fault! 😎

Thanks Pete. Rapid changes taking place. Too much cloud to try an animation. Sky becoming milky with more wind.

Tried iMPPG to bring out more detail at the price of over-sharpening. Interesting but too heavy handed! The next image is gentler treatment in iMPPG. Note the rapid changes in the prom's appearance.

First proper sunshine since I built my new H-alpha OTA. iStar 150/10 H-a, 160mm external Baader D-ERF, Baader H-a 35nm, Beloptik KG3, PST etalon, Maier ITF, PST BF5. ZWO ASI174CC, WO 2x Barlow, SharpCap, AS!2, PhotoFiltre7.

2) THE SUN IS ALWAYS A DANGER! EVEN AT LOW ALTITUDES THROUGH CLOUD! I tried both TS GPCs, 1.5x and 2.5x, with my TS binoviewers. Eventually I settled on a 1.25" WO 2x Barlow nosepiece for binoviewing in my 150/8 PST H-a mod. Sharp and relatively inexpensive at 47 Euros online and worth every penny in my experience. My original TS binoviewer was badly misaligned and caused eye strain and dizziness. It's replacement was excellent and very comfortable to view through. Allowing instant merging of the images without conscious effort. I mostly used 32mm and 26mm Meade 4000 Plossls. Not the 40mm! Which have tunnel vision and far too long eye relief for binoviewing.

Having tried a number of clamping options I like the Baader ClickLock fittings. This assumes that you can find one with the correct thread or spigot to suit your exact needs. There are a lot of them and their adapters in different sizes. So it should be possible. I used to tighten thumbscrews on push-in fittings until the literally creaked. They were often very difficult to loosen but were still not firm enough to support a long PST etalon/filter stack.

I think he's using an ASI178 and did wonder at his file choice.

Vin, If you can bung a much less processed image up on here we can all have a play to see what can be done. What does the image look like straight after AS!3? Before you "break it" in your later software. Less is more. As people keep telling me! If it's already overcooked after AS!3 then it may be beyond help.

I hated dental plaster tools for this reason.

Not half as much fun when science denial is all the rage. Besides, many [common] action cameras suffer from severe image curvature. Barrel distortion?

I have a meter of gravel, self-hand-laid, under mine. It wouldn't dare wash away. All the water is from above. As we have just enjoyed the "wettest ever" February on record in 150 years. It's called "water testing to destruction," I think. PS: If a Twirly is too early... then what's a too tidy? A Twidy? I'll get my coat.