PST - is it a good one?

[adamsp123]

I have just purchased a standard coronado PST, as I was unable to have a look through a load before ordering I am curious to know if the one I got is OK.

The details of filaments and loops at the edge of the field are nice and crisp and just awesome, surface detail is not readily visible although I could see a dark filament across the surface after letting my eye/brain get adjusted.

Would this be described as normal?

cheers Pete

[JB80]

It took me a couple of goes with mine to train my eyes to see more surface detail but once you slow your vision down the detail is there. I don't think the contrast will ever be liike you see in the pictures though. I have decided on an eyepiece upgrade as I only have the SW plossls and LET versions, I think better optics is always going to serve you well.

To be fair I have only had mine for a month but I am enjoying it when there is a break in the clouds.

[Macavity]

Par for the course? I do see general "mottled" effects: Granuals? Faculae too.

I sense the PST works at the edge of (commonly affordable) technology.

[Photosbykev]

Welcome to the club, my new PST arrived last week and I'm getting a real kick out of seeing and photographing the sun. Your description of what you see is similar to my thoughts when I first used it and then after a little while things click and you will see more and more detail.

[JB80]

Out of curiosity for any of the other PST owners does your etalon tuning have any play to the left(?). I find that it gives the clearest views when it's all the way over to the left maybe just a touch back from it, is that normal of others experience?

[Photosbykev]

Mine appears to be best just short of fully anticlockwise when viewed from the rear.

[AstroGnome]

Welcome to the light side Pete...

My PST does the same. Fiddling with the etalon does help and you'll just have to learn where to set yours for the best views of disc details and edge details, mine isn't in the same place. Training your eyes is important though.

Pibbles, my sweet spot for the etalon is about a third of the way in from the left.

M....

[JonH]

Pibbles, my sweet spot for the etalon is about a third of the way in from the left.

Mine is about the same. I can easily see proms and surface detail without retuning and stick with a 10mm eyepiece, moving the sweet spot over the disc. And like everybody else, the longer I look, the more I see.

[JB80]

Mine seems to be best just short(and I mean just short) of full anticlockwise I guess they are all a bit different. And moving the sweet spot slowly over the disk really does make it easier to pick everything out.

[Macavity]

Same here. Oddly too, re. Video IMAGING, the focus control

seems to make "little difference"(?)... An odd beast, the PST.

[Helen]

I agree with the above, particularly the scrolling over the surface to take advantage of the sweet sopt variations. It also helps to stick a blackout sheet/towel over your head to increase contrast. (You'll look a prat and you'll get hot, but it works!!)

Helen

[Peter Drew]

The importance of fine tuning can't be stressed enough, no one setting provides the best view of the available details. As already mentioned, scrolling across the solar surface also affects the appearance. The tuning ring can be adjusted but is best left alone if you are happy with the current performance. As with most sophisticated kit, practice pays dividends.

[Darren B]

I got mine at the end of last week. I had a blast with it on Saturday morning. I used a William Optics SPL 12.5mm eyepiece with it. It was a lot sharper than i imagined it to be and I saw plenty of detail on the disc, especially with the tuning ring turned nearly fully anti clockwise. As someone mentioned above, there is a little bit of play but nothing to worry about. Can't wait to get it out again.