Going Solar

[blackparticle]

I could probably do with a bit more sunlight so I reckon a go at some solar imaging is in order. Don't want to turn into the local vampire.

Out of my scopes I reckon the Mak 150 is probably the best candidate for kitting out. Good magnification and fairly slow at f/12.

Not wanting to melt my eyeballs or camera.. What's the best way to go about this? I've seen so many different types of filters mentioned. I thought a general opinion here would help.

I'll probably use the DSLR for this to start off unless there is a pertinent reason not to?

Cheers - Alan.

[tony69]

good evening i have had a go at this and use

baader astrosolar film from flo it is realy good all you have to do is make your own filter i use cardboard.

[blackparticle]

For this I'm going to prefer the bullet-proof and belt and braces option.. I.e something that isn't going to fall off or get knocked off (or even removed as a "joke") and charboil my retina.

Anyone using a filter with a clamping system?

[Photosbykev]

something like this is secure First Light Optics - AstroZap Baader Solar Filter

[Whippy]

I'll probably use the DSLR for this to start off unless there is a pertinent reason not to?

I'm guessing you'll be using the DSLR at prime focus in which case, you'll suffer from vignetting as you can't upgrade the back to 2".

Tony..

[Mak One]

IOut of my scopes I reckon the Mak 150 is probably the best candidate for kitting out.

Alan

Another 150 Mak owner! They do exist...

In Blue Peter style, [thread=137388]here's [/thread] a filter I prepared earlier.

My first shot below taken with the 150, using a Neximage CCD using Sharpcap and run through Registax 5.1 (colour added too):

Every time I've tried solar since, there's been precious little activity...

Good luck!

[Stargazer Jack]

Baader solar film is the best option. Here is what my filters look like (off axis and full aperture):

[Stargazer Jack]

Oh and this is what I got with my Explorer 130M

[blackparticle]

something like this is secure First Light Optics - AstroZap Baader Solar Filter

I saw that and was wondering if it would get a recommendation. No Mak 150 fitting mentioned.. Wonder if the 152mm fits? I'll have to ask.

So that would allow me to take photos of the interior section?

Am I right in thinking for corona & proms something totally different is required? (a dedicated solar scope?)

[Photosbykev]

you will get images similar to the photos posted above. You will get sunspots and a touch of granulation (or whatever they call it) but nothing else. You need to use heavily bandwidth limited solarscopes, like the PST or Lunt scopes for any of the real detail and prominences etc.

This is full frame from a Canon 7D through a Canon 600mm f4 lens using the solar filter I linked to. (44 images stacked in Registax)

a crop of the same image

[blackparticle]

They are pretty cool images.

Did you need to stack the images with a DSLR? I would have thought the sun was bright enough to do single frames.. or does the solar filter really take out that much light?

You don't have a single sub and the setting used handy do you?

[Photosbykev]

this is a single sub converted from Raw. I did make a mistake as I was also using a x1.4 teleconvertor on the back of the 600mm

taken at 1/500sec@f11 iso 200

Single frames are ok but you will get a lot more detail if you stack a set of images

sorry it's getting late lol. The image above isn't from the image stack that create the image I posted earlier. The resulting image from the sub above is this one

I hope that makes sense lol

[blackparticle]

Cheers Kev. That makes perfect sense. I know what to expect now.

[hayju01]

I saw that and was wondering if it would get a recommendation. No Mak 150 fitting mentioned.. Wonder if the 152mm fits? I'll have to ask.

Like you I was concerned my Blue Peter skills weren't up to scratch and my version may fall off. I wasn't about to £70 on one for my C9.25 so asked FLO about one for my Konus 90mm (which like your Mak isn't listed) and Martijn gave me the size of filter that would fit it. In my case the ED80 as it fits scope from 104 - 114.

There really isn't much that can't 'fit' providing you get the measurement right just three retaining screws which keep it firmly in place and its study so not easily damaged (of course the film itself is no different to the film the homemade ones are made from).

Hope this helps,

Justin