Which Is The Better Solar Scope?

[Jon Sales]

I'm looking at buying a small Solar Telescope and have been looking at the various brands on the market.

I'm only after one of the small ones as they are very expensive compared to Astro scopes.

But which brand is better?

I want to do visual as well as photograph with one and my maximum budget at the moment is around £600-£700 but don't want to spend that sort of money only to be disappointed with it.

Can I just fit a Herschel Wedge to get the same views or do I need a dedicated solar scope?

[iwatkins]

You mention Herschel wedges Jon. Are you after doing WL or Hydrogen-alpha?

Cheers

Ian

[Jon Sales]

Hi Ian,

I'm looking at Hydrogen-alpha.

Jon

[E621Keith]

Your only choice for a Ha scope for £600 - £700 is a PST. Lunt 35 will fit that budget but I haven't seen anyone using one yet. All other Ha scopes are significantly more expensive even used.

Solar wedges are white light (and Cak). They are not suitable for Ha

[iwatkins]

Jon,

I've also never looked through or imaged through a Lunt35 so cannot comment on it, but is within budget.

The PST is therefore your other choice.

Cheers

Ian

[Jon Sales]

Thanks Ian.

I've only ever viewed through the PST but this was a few years ago and I understand that they have improved on the earlier versions.

I'd like to find somewhere local that stock Lunt scopes so I can compare before I buy.

I understand that there's another company that make scopes called Solarmax I believe.

Do you know anything about these or have you heard of them?

Jon

[keithatrochdale]

Hi

Have you tried this page?

http://www.meade.com/product_pages/coronado/coronado.php

IMHO thje PST is your only choice at this price range. It does have the advantage that if you want to upgrade you can modify the PST, but this all comes at a price.

This is an example of a PST TAL 100RS conversion;

http://pdrew.co.uk/?page_id=24

[jflowers]

Only ever looked through a PST and the cheapest one at that, very nice views, i don't think you will be disappointed.

[Jon Sales]

Thanks for the info guys

Jon

[spaceboy]

The only thing I found looking through a PST was that the view were similar to that of looking at the planets through a regular scope. What I mean is although you can make out plenty of detail the view of the sun is small and some effort has to be made on the part of the observer to tease out detail. Much as it would on what is often no more than a pea sized Jupiter, Mars or Saturn when looking through regular scopes. When WL viewing you are offered the opportunity of a much larger view of the sun and while the views are not as impressive as HA they are none the less impressive when you consider what is is you are looking at. Unfortunately while WL is cheap it really is only any good when the sun is active and sun spots are visible. The views in a PST will blow you away but do not expect to see anything like the images that have been uploaded to SGL. More often than not these are composites as not all the detail can be seen at any one time. There is a fine tune adjustment on a PST that allows you to adjust the detail between the proms and the surface detail so means you have to find a happy medium between the two. This is obviously based on my personal observations of using a PST and others interpretations may differ.

[Jon Sales]

Thanks Spaceboy.

So it's still worth buying one then as opposed to a white light solar filter for the front of my existing scope?

I was looking at Ha filters for my scope but these work out more expensive than a PST. I notice Telescope House has some good deals on at the moment.

Can you use astro EP's in the PST or do you need to buy dedicated solar EP's?

Jon

[NGC 1502]

This comparison of the Lunt 35 and the PST may help-

http://stargazerslounge.com/showthread.php?t=104723

Regards, Ed.

[spaceboy]

Can you use astro EP's in the PST or do you need to buy dedicated solar EP's?

Yes.

[E621Keith]

I understand that there's another company that make scopes called Solarmax I believe.

Do you know anything about these or have you heard of them?

Jon

Solarmax is the name given to higher end models in Coronado's range. It's the next step up from a PST and cost £1242 for the basic Solarmax 60 with a BF5 filter. As such, even a used solarmax will be outside your budget range.

There are other manufacturer in the premium end of the market, such as Solarscopes and Daystars. Their instruments starts at about £2k.

Needless to say, most of these instrument out perform a stock PST, but some PST mods have shown better results than some of these more expensive model.

You can use normal astronomical eyepieces on Ha scopes. My personal preference are orthoscopics.

[Jon Sales]

Thanks Keith for the info.

Looks like I'll just be getting a white light filter then.

Can't be doing with modding a solar scope.

I'd they can't sell them so you don't need to mess around with them then I don't see much point in getting one to be honest.

Jon

[keithatrochdale]

Can't be doing with modding a solar scope.

I'd they can't sell them so you don't need to mess around with them then I don't see much point in getting one to be honest.

Jon

Lol, the point is that even buying new components you spend less than £1k for what would cost you £6k plus to buy assembled with no messing!

And it is even fun doing it!

And you do learn a lot too.

[Jon Sales]

Has anybody got a shopping list I can copy then?

Jon

[E621Keith]

Merlin66 will be a good person to ask. I think he does a lot of PST mod.

However even a standard un-mod a PST will review much more details than a white light system.

[Jon Sales]

Thanks Keith, I'll pm him later