Sorry guys another solar scope question

[spaceboy]

Sorry to be wearing the rug out on this one keep going over it but Ha scopes aren't cheap and it for me would be a one time deal.

What is the crack with blocking filters in Lunt scopes ? I kind of get it with light cone focal distance etc for imaging but what are the other advantages of a 600 over a 400 or a 1200 over a 600 ?? Will the views be noticeably lighter visually between one or the other and is it only vignetting for imaging ??

Would a double stack 50mm be better than a single stack 60 or is aperture always going to provide more visually ?

[Peter Drew]

The smallest BF will give a full disc image visually but the higher magnification effect with a CCD camera would mean that only part would fit the field and a mosaic would be necessary. Progressively larger BF's would permit more of the disc up to a full disc photographically depending on the chip size of the camera. A double stacked 50mm should give better contrast than a single stack 60mm but it would be a dimmer image, no big deal for imaging but might compromise visual depending on taste. For visual only I prefer a much larger single stack arrangement which benefits higher resolution and a brighter image that takes higher magnification.

[Merlin66]

+1 from me

[spaceboy]

Thanks guys!!

[trazor]

The slight reduction of brightness when double stacking is irrelevant, As you gain considerably more contrast and detail.

Prominences for one, wrap back on to the disc giving a 3D effect.

The view of a full moon through your scope, shows that brightness is not King.

I would now, never view without double stacking.........

[spaceboy]

So a smaller double stack vs larger single stack, poll needs to be put forth then I think as there seems to be mixed opinions

[SimonfromSussex]

For me double stacking has transformed the view (visually) in my lunt60.

I cannot comment about a double 50 vs a single 60 because I have never looked through a 50 but I'm pretty sure lunt used to use a 50 second etalon with their double stacked 60 scopes so I would have thought the difference between 60 & 50 cannot be too much?

My choice would be a double 50 over a single 60 because the detail on what you can see should be far greater with the double but like so many things in astronomy it can be a very personal thing/choice.

[Luke]

Double stack for me.

[SkyGibbon]

Double for me too.

[Merlin66]

I use single and double stacking on SM60/ ED80 combo's as well as a 102mm modded PST set-up.

For imaging, the DS is the way to go.

Many visual observers however complain about the significant (about 50%) light loss when using the DS. It takes time to come to terms with.

Certainly the surface contrast is enhanced with a DS, and after some practise you will appreciate the difference.

For "group" or occasional casual viewing the single stack is much easier. Proms are probably more visible to the novice in the wider bandwidth of the single stack...