Small scope for solar, guiding and wide field imaging

[SkySurfer]

Hi all,

I am looking at purchasing a new small refractor, but want to use it piggybacked on my SCT for Ha solar imaging, wide field deep sky imaging and as a guide scope, my question is are there such scopes around.

I want something along the lines of the new Lunt 60mm Ha solar scope, but with removable Ha and blocking filter so it can be used for other things.

I know I could just get a white light filter for any scope, but want to do imaging of solar proms and stuff like that

So something like a small WO scope that you can get Ha and blocking filters for solar work

Or am I asking too much...

Any ideas

:)

SS

[ronin]

Think TS do a 70mm ED that would do most of what you ask for. Being ED the imaging would not match an apo.

It is f/6 so not too fast, should be better on any CA therefore, which would be small to start with.

[SkySurfer]

Think TS do a 70mm ED that would do most of what you ask for. Being ED the imaging would not match an apo.

It is f/6 so not too fast, should be beter on any CA therefore.

What about Ha solar imaging, can you bit seperate Etalon filters for them..

Cheers

SS

[Chinapig]

You could consider a Daystar Quark filter, which would simply fit in a diagonal for Ha viewing or imaging.

The Starwave 70ED, from Altair Astro (UK) or their dealers, would also be a contender for the scope, also f6. With FL at 420mm, this should give full-disc solar with the Quark.

[SkySurfer]

You could consider a Daystar Quark filter, which would simply fit in a diagonal for Ha viewing or imaging.

The Starwave 70ED, from Altair Astro (UK) or their dealers, would also be a contender for the scope, also f6. With FL at 420mm, this should give full-disc solar with the Quark.

Thanks for that

Not heard of them before, but had a look and very promising, I did wonder whether there was something like this around, hence the original question

:)

SS

[griz11]

I put a small Borg on my SCT. It was way better optics than the SCT. APO has nothing to do with ED. ED is a cheaper way to make a lens with the properties of Flourite lenses which have almost the exact opposite light scattering properties as crown glass. APO means the chromatic abberation meets a certain criteria. Nothing to do with the way its accomplished. By backing a crown glass front element with ED or Flourite lenses the majority of CA is delt with leaving only small corrections to make it APO. Flourite lenses are very difficult and expensive to make as they compress the raw flourite with enough heat and pressure to form a kind of glass. Flourite is better but ED is rapidly catching up. Check out Borg/Hutech. Go on AstroBin and search for Paddy. He uses a 100mm Borg with fantastic results.

Griz

[SkySurfer]

I put a small Borg on my SCT. It was way better optics than the SCT. APO has nothing to do with ED. ED is a cheaper way to make a lens with the properties of Flourite lenses which have almost the exact opposite light scattering properties as crown glass. APO means the chromatic abberation meets a certain criteria. Nothing to do with the way its accomplished. By backing a crown glass front element with ED or Flourite lenses the majority of CA is delt with leaving only small corrections to make it APO. Flourite lenses are very difficult and expensive to make as they compress the raw flourite with enough heat and pressure to form a kind of glass. Flourite is better but ED is rapidly catching up. Check out Borg/Hutech. Go on AstroBin and search for Paddy. He uses a 100mm Borg with fantastic results.

Griz

Hi,

Very interesting and all, and don't want to offend, but what has this got to do with my original post??

:)

SS

[ollypenrice]

Hi,

Very interesting and all, and don't want to offend, but what has this got to do with my original post??

:)

SS

Or with reality? Relatively few high end apos are now using fluorite. 

The odd thing about Ha solar filtration is that you might think that having a scope already and adding an Ha filter would save you money. Not necessarily so. The etalon filter, if placed in front, needs to be full aperture. If it is built into the rear of a dedicated scope it can be a lot smaller and cheaper, filtering a dimished light cone. Also the objective lens, since it is handling essentially monochromatic light, can be a cheap singlet affair. It can be cheaper to buy an entire dedicated Ha scope than to Ha-filter a normal scope. Whatever, there is no need for colour correction in a lens which will only end up supplying narrowband data.

Olly

[pmlogg]

I use an FS60c for exactly the triple-use you suggest.  It is piggybacked on my main telescope.

For solar imaging I use a pair of Coronado SM40 filters for doublestacking imaging, fitted by means of an adapter that slides onto the front of the dewshield plus a BF10 blocking filter.  I have seen images of the same being done on an FS60C with SM60 filters,

I use the Tak flattener which gives a modest barlow effect.  Combined with a DMK41 imager that gives a full solar disk image. 

[SkySurfer]

Or with reality? Relatively few high end apos are now using fluorite. 

The odd thing about Ha solar filtration is that you might think that having a scope already and adding an Ha filter would save you money. Not necessarily so. The etalon filter, if placed in front, needs to be full aperture. If it is built into the rear of a dedicated scope it can be a lot smaller and cheaper, filtering a dimished light cone. Also the objective lens, since it is handling essentially monochromatic light, can be a cheap singlet affair. It can be cheaper to buy an entire dedicated Ha scope than to Ha-filter a normal scope. Whatever, there is no need for colour correction in a lens which will only end up supplying narrowband data.

Olly

Again, sorry if I offend you, but how does this help me with my origional post .....

:)

SS

[A McEwan]

I think Olly is clearly suggesting that rather than buying a single scope and putting it to three purposes, it might be easier/more cost effective to buy a dedicated Ha scope for that type of observing, and an additional small refractor for the other two purposes; widefield and guiding.

Ant

[SkySurfer]

I think Olly is clearly suggesting that rather than buying a single scope and putting it to three purposes, it might be easier/more cost effective to buy a dedicated Ha scope for that type of observing, and an additional small refractor for the other two purposes; widefield and guiding.

Ant

Oh, right ok, forgive me for being ignorant

This is all fairly new to me

:)

SS

[SkySurfer]

Again, sorry if I offend you, but how does this help me with my origional post .....

:)

SS

I take this back now olly, I understand, forgive my ignorance...

SS

[Stardust]

I've had a couple of solar scopes, PST then added Double stack, upgraded to a SM60DS and recently bought a Quark. This is quite something, never thought I'd achieve images of the detail and quality it delivers, check out my post " a bit of quarking" on the solar imaging section. I'm by no means an expert, only had a handful of sessions,  but have been very happy with some recent shots. If I was to start again now, I would get and ED80 + Quark Chromoshere 

[nicoscy]

There are two other contenders as well if you plan to go with a scope and fit a front etalon and blocking filter diagonal at the back. Teleskop Service has a 60mm Triplet and a 50mm ED Doublet.

There are 40mm and 60mm Etalons which you can fit to the scopes as well as both 1.25" and 2" diagonal blocking filters.

The important thing is to have an adapter designed to be fitted to your scope. I think Ha Solar filter manufacturers help with that.

However Olly is quite right. It is actually cheaper to purchase a solar scope as opposed to purchasing separate etalon and diagonal. But if you do want to have a do it all scope with the appropriate filters, do take a look at these two scopes. Link to telescopes:

TS 60mm APO

TS 50mm ED