Altocumulus

Is this project still working Gina?

Here goes....

The pump and piping is inside a heavy steel(?) box attached to the base of the outer box.

Blue is the pump.

Green the rechargeable battery

White is an air cyclinder

The bit hanging out the top contains a valve that is primed by a spring - somehow. The 'leak' if I have one is within this area - Lunt say

they've had 'problems' with the spring in the past - just stretch it [ but that didn't cure my particular issue ].

11 hours ago, tooth_dr said:

Thank you all for the comments 👍🏼
@vineyard this is just the single stack pressure tuned model.

I’ve attached a photo of the external tuner mounted on a wee shelf that I found in the garage.  I’ve the hose run along with some wiring under the ground and up the inside of the pier, so far so good.  I’m waiting on a bracket for my AF3 focuser, then I can image completely remotely.

I see you still have that box connected via USB, even given it's right beside you

What pressure do you need to get details. I seem to vary between 12.5psi on one day and 18.3 another!

My logs suggest I've used mine for around 25 hours over the last year and a bit, and it's leaking somewhere. Lunt are helping, but we're not getting anywhere with a solution. The inside of the box is enlightening - and I still don't know where the money goes - it's really 'just' a glorified car-tyre pump, and I have one of those for 50 quid or so.....(though you still need the extra bit to the etalon chamber).

p.s. If you want to see what's inside, I can drop a photo or two....

10 minutes ago, Merlin66 said:

Is it my screen or do I get some horizontal banding??

I seem to get one slight horizontal band, maybe equator area.

Love the size comparisons .....

The potential is there! You have, at least, a prom.....

Have you tried flats to sort out Newton, and what cam is this?

Brilliant to watch.

The area on the right appears to be rotating...

Thanks all.

I'll swop them round and use the 174 on the other 'scope, and the 178 on the LS60 - snag is I don't find the 178 particularly fast - at least not this altairastro version. It's supposed to be ~50fps full frame, but I barely manage ~6fps......I'll experiment, though not for a day or two, it's supposed to be raining here tomorrow.

In the meantime I discovered, today, my Lunt is losing pressure, so that'll have to be checked...I think I have some grease to go with spare "O"-rings.

Did you have any better luck?

For the second day running I've not been able to stitch two separate 6 panels (serpentine) in Ca-K. All processed in imppg first. On both occasions I can stitch the top three and it refuses to accept the bottom three. I tried doing the top alone, then the bottom - but t doesn't seem to like shots across the base of the disc. ICE and PS both come up with the same 'problem'.

17 minutes ago, Zakalwe said:

The pixel size on a ASI174 are too large for a Lunt 60. Once you zoom in you will see "blockiness" around the edges. You'll need to Barlow up to increase the image scale.

And yet the 174 is supposed to be a commonly used cam on the L60...

11 hours ago, Ewan said:

Try AS!2 fella & compare the two

 

I get the 'sparkles' on a snapshot, before I've even done any post-work.

I  had to add a 2inch adapter between the module and the camera - I was getting large illumination problems all over the image. At least it 'cured' that particular issue.

My wife keeps laughing at me.

Thousands of pounds of scopes and cameras - and I keep wrapping the  ends with tatty plastic bags and elastic bands!

Brilliant.

How was the risotto

Thanks Richard.

The image artifacts is a new one - lots of small spikes tangential to the curve.

One the attaching, I just screw the 174 body directly onto the module.

'tis a steep learning curve from the 120MM.

6 minutes ago, GraemeH said:

PIPP used to convert ser to avi, Autostakkert 3 to stack the best 25%

Why convert ser to avi? AS3 works with ser files - Just wondered.....

Nice start, though.... I use the AltairAtro version of this 178 - still early days but my version seems a little slow....

Another 'bouncy' day with the old Sun this morning.

Two questions, if I may.

1) I've started to notice some linear artifacts around the rim of my images - This is a snapshot, but all my frames are similarly affected and AS3

produces a stack that's no better! Can anyone shed some light? You will probably have to blow it up a wee bit to see.

2) For those who do use a 174MM on their Lunt 60 - how do you attach it? Direct to the blocking module, or with spacers.

Better than mine!

Pop into the Solar Imaging section, there's a few techniques on display there.

What 'scope is this on?

Just spotted a flare on Ca-K, but on a very bouncy limb! Have had to stop for now, it's too turbulent. Hopefully I might be able to tease something out...

Looks like you might have better seeing conditions than I do. There's a lot of thin cirrus and obvious turbulence.

Slightly better on Ca-K than Ha.

From a session this morning. AltairAstro 178MM, Lunt Ca-K Module on William Optics 102GT. Mosaic of 10 subs.

Processed AS3, imppg, ICE, coloured via Luminar3, minimal adjustments

(There was a short lived prom showing on Ha around 0930UTC, but I can't tease it out from the SER files, as yet. It only lasted at most 10 minutes. I have some peculiar

horizontal artifacts on the limb.)

29May2020_0928_L.tif

Indeed awesome. I missed out, once the cloud cleared I was in the vegetable patch. Looks promising this morning, though....

Aw dang it, more clouds!

Solar panel charged as well! Sheesh even fewer days with no clouds.....

Chuckles - I'll leave others to chip in - I only have the Lunt 60SS.....Good luck Dave....

Lovely picture, though. Thanks for sharing.

Here's one to aspire to .....

https://cloudatlas.wmo.int/en/halo-phenomena.html