Nigella Bryant

Awwwww, thanks Mark. I did manage to capture the essence of the plage and spot.

Thanks Luke, I must say that the close up of the plage and spots bring out how it seemed to sparkle when I saw it on the laptop screen when acquiring the data. Seemed very much alive in real time.

I've really enjoyed this thread so much I've managed to get a copy of the book. Just thought it was nice to have seeing I'd had a Charles Frank telescope but no longer have the scope.

Thanks Jeremy, I think I like the slightly tweaked images in ImPPG. I'll probably use those new settings. I seem to get a more pleasing outcome when I introduce false colour.

Hi all, been honing my skills a little more, lol. Two reworked images from the 29th November.

You've come over from the dark side, lol. You'll be great, it is a learning curve, good part of a year.

I've not had an issue with the 178mm and grid pattern. The resolution is really good, I only stack the data in autostakker3 and give a sharpening in ImPPG and apply false colour in an old copy of PS CS2. I don't need to use a reducer with my Lunt 60DS with the camera as it gives full disk with a bf1200 blocking filter. Maybe it's hit and miss with the 178mm, I did read about it before I purchased the camera but other Solar imagers recommended it so I took the chance. I can only say as I find, I've no experience with the 174mm.

Two more processed from the 29th November

Go with the zs103 wo scope and the mono. I use either a 120mm or the 178mm. Haven't got the 183mm so can't comment. Depending on what you want to do. Full disk or close up. Try https://astronomy.tools/calculators/field_of_view/ You can put in your equipment and object, is the sun to find out your field of view with different computations. With the 120mm I needed. 0.5 reducer for full disk.

Love it, brilliant for solar. Over to the light side.

Hi, with my Lunt I get full disk just with the camera. Not sure if you'd need a reducer. I also didn't use any Barlow powermate for close up. Just used the region of interest for the close up data. The 178mm enables both full disk and close up with sharpcap software.

Well, as you know I'm biased for the 178mm, lol. Never used the 174mm so can't comment. I'd got the camera after recommended by other Solar imagers. Recent images from November 29th. False colour added on PS CS2

Thanks, probably my favourite too.

Hiya, yes, I always use the solarquest mount with the Lunt 60mm DS. Very capable mount for the scope. Had no issues except some drift if larger clouds obscure the sun. It's easily put back on track using the mounts buttons. I wish it had WiFi or the ability for a hand control but apart from that it's great. It track's for hour's if the clouds aren't an issue on more sunny day's like yesterday here.

It is more challenging this time of the year but activity is stepping up so worth the struggle with cloud and low altitude of the sun.

Hiya, yes I use the modern astronomy tilt adapter with a direct couple to the 178mm. Never had any issues after. There was some slight indications of NR's when I first used the camera.

Astri_al, I've no complaints about the 178mm and had no issues. Pleased with it as my go-to Solar camera.

Thanks Richard, appreciate your comment.

Thanks Jeremy, appreciate your comment. A bit challenging these because of cloud. Quite hard to tune the etalons with fast moving cloud across the sensor. First one I'm not entirely happy with but it's ok, lol.

It certainly does, I was fortunate enough to get both the scope and double stack etalon second hand so it was less than half the new cost.

I seem to be working backwards with my full disk images from November, lol. Lunt 60mm DS and Zwo Asi 178mm. False colour added in PS CS2. Thought I'd post three days sequence from the 26th, 27th and 29th. You can see the progression of spots and plage areas. These images concentrate on the disk rather then with proms and the others processed to reveal proms over the same period.

Hi, yes, again a second hand pulsar 2.7m and a RoR. I do consider myself very lucky.

It was really heavy. In the end I left the cast iron feet and pilar in the garden and just attached the eq head and scope when I wanted to observe something. I was quite privileged. I sold it the next year and bought a 10inch fullerscope on a mkiv mount. My parents bought me a second hand dome a year later. I remember the dome cost £600 back in 1975.

Yep that's the same one.

I'm sure you've been helpful to others Lukeskywatcher. Just asking a question that others were longing to ask is help in itself.