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My solar duo

Moonshane

By Moonshane
in Members Equipment Gallery

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Moonshane

Moonshane

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I have now got access to both main types of solar observing. The PST was bought along with several other bits and bobs to allow me to convert to a stage one initially and eventually a stage two mod with a 100mm Tal. For now (and for travel) it works really well as is. I have the capacity to convert it back to this original state in minutes and I can also take along my Lunt wedge for 40mm aperture white light and 1.25" diagonal for night time views. Quote a flexible little scope! I bought the mounting system off the previous owner (Munsen rings and a standard dovetail0 and this allows easy mounting to standard clamps.

The white light scope is a Skywatcher 120mm f5 achromat and works superbly well for this purpose along with the 1.25" Lunt wedge. This provides masses of detail and is really portable. I like dual speed crayfords and added a TS Monorail focuser which works really well.

Both scopes operate well together on my Giro III mount and HEQ5 tripod as will the PST mod when this is eventually completed (in a week or two I hope).

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Moonshane

Moonshane

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The consensus is that it is not an issue to use the 1.25" wedge for larger apertures especially if like me you are using manual tracking for visual. The designer of the wedge uses a 1.25" wedge with a 10" apo according to one of his posts on CN. You just need to monitor heat but it gets only warm nit hot even on a clear and transparent day.

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John

John

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Thats a nice setup Shane :smiley:

How do you find the Giro III ?. I'm umming and aahhing about one at the moment. I have a UK made Giro-type mount which is very solid but the finish and fittings are not as nice as the Giro looks to be so I'm wondering about going for the real thing.

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Moonshane

Moonshane

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Nice Solar set up Shane, looking forward to seeing the TAL set up.................the poor old 16" dob is not getting much use these days

you are quite right Jules. It must be at least 12 months since I last used the 16" in earnest. When I do though..........

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Moonshane

Moonshane

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Thats a nice setup Shane :smiley:

How do you find the Giro III ?. I'm umming and aahhing about one at the moment. I have a UK made Giro-type mount which is very solid but the finish and fittings are not as nice as the Giro looks to be so I'm wondering about going for the real thing.

I love mine John. That said the Giro ii was just as good. Although balance is sometims a challenge but worth it. I recommend a pillar extension.

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spaceboy

spaceboy

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A nice solar set up Shane you have got yourself there Shane but I have to admit I'm a bit upset there isn't a PST mod thread to follow yet :D

I went with one of johninderby's ideas for the lunt wedge which may be an idea for your white light http://stargazerslounge.com/topic/144420-lunt-solar-wedge-125/ I got the 1.25" extension from sky's the limit on Ebay. I just had a quick look but can't find them but I'm sure if you got in touch with Alan he would be able to sort it out. The focuser ring can be picked up off Alan as well or Astroboot. It just saves a lot of faffing between eyepiece changes and keeps the polarizer in it's idea position.

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Stu

Stu

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I do the same thing Nick, I think I borrowed the idea from Shane :-). My ND3.0 is built into the wedge, and I don't generally use the polarizing filter so just leave the SC in the base of the extension. It saves a lot of faffing, although when I get my Leica zoom back there's no need to change eyepieces anyway

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Stu

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spaceboy

spaceboy

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Cheers Nick. As it happens, if you zoom in on the pst in the pic there is one of them there. I tried it in the wedge but as I have to insert all three filters it does not work so well. I accidentally left it in the pst.

If I may suggest Shane .... have you considered asking for a swap with another member on the lounge? I know the older lunt with separate ND filter are sought after by imagers as it saves them having to void the warranty stripping apart ones that have fixed filters. Just a thought.

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spaceboy

spaceboy

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I do the same thing Nick, I think I borrowed the idea from Shane :-). My ND3.0 is built into the wedge, and I don't generally use the polarizing filter so just leave the SC in the base of the extension. It saves a lot of faffing, although when I get my Leica zoom back there's no need to change eyepieces anyway

fd9cd2ee50992130fecc19cc89676968.jpg

Stu

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I did give the 102 a try with just the SC filter but it was just too bright and found I was getting a white and yellow mottling (for want of a better description) all over the disk as I assume my iris couldn't close any further ???

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Stu

Stu

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If I may suggest Shane .... have you considered asking for a swap with another member on the lounge? I know the older lunt with separate ND filter are sought after by imagers as it saves them having to void the warranty stripping apart ones that have fixed filters. Just a thought.

I don't think you void the warranty on the units with built-in filters Nick. It is more a case of being pre installed. I can unscrew the eyepiece holder on mine, and see the ND filter fitted. It is a simple 1.25" threaded filter so can be removed quite easily.

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Stu

Stu

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I did give the 102 a try with just the SC filter but it was just too bright and found I was getting a white and yellow mottling (for want of a better description) all over the disk as I assume my iris couldn't close any further ???

I'm sure it's a case of difference eye characteristics Nick.

I observe with my left eye, if the vision in that eye were the same as my right I'm sure I would be an imager by now! Views are brighter but just don't seem to have the resolution that my left has. Unfortunately there is a floater slap band in the centre of my left eye, which is why bino viewing is something I am experimenting with.

Where were we? ;-), your eyes may just be more sensitive than mine, so you need the polarizing filter. I'm will definitely try one next time I get the 120ED out, but the views with the 85 are definitely better without

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Luke

Luke

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Wow, that's interesting, thanks, Shane, I'll have to have a look at that thread.

I have a 2 inch Baader I use with my 120 and use the Lunt 1.25 with my ED100. I saw this on FLO's website for the Lunt:

"The LS1.25HW  performs best on refractors with 4” or less front aperture."

Seems a bit vague... So I have been playing safe, but it would be handy to be able to use my 1.25 Lunt with the 120. Well, depending on whether it is okay if tracking, as I am normally tracking with the 120...

The problem with the Baader is the messing around with ND filters and the long light path. If I am imaging at prime focus, I have to put a short adapter on it to connect to my camera in order to get focus. If I want to push the mag with a Barlow, I have to take the short adapter off and put the original back on. If I want to do visual, I swap over the ND filter, which involves unscrewing the top and unscrewing the solar continuum filter as well.

All these connectors and adapters sound flexible but I am finding in practice they are a bit of a pain. I could use the 1.25 for visual and prime focus imaging and keep the 2 inch set up for barlow use and avoid all this messing around with filters/adapters if it would be okay with the 120 tracking - just cover the scope and swap the wedges.

The consensus is that it is not an issue to use the 1.25" wedge for larger apertures especially if like me you are using manual tracking for visual. The designer of the wedge uses a 1.25" wedge with a 10" apo according to one of his posts on CN. You just need to monitor heat but it gets only warm nit hot even on a clear and transparent day.

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