Let there be light! Then darkness!

[Planet X]

After joining SGL on Sunday and having to wait a week and a half to use my new kit, the Sun finally came out and i got to give the Coronado Solarmax 40 a test.  I don't have a solar finder so i just took out the diagonal and used the palm of my hand to project the Sun onto, It took about 30 seconds to find it. i put the diagonal back on and used the 12mm eyepiece and peered into it. Wow!  My first experience of hydrogen alpha was memorable to say the least!  Viewing prominences in real-time was breathtaking,i could see them changing before my eyes.  Adding the barlow improved things even more, so i am a very happy chap.  I'm going to make a sun shade from cardboard to increase the contrast when viewing.   

All i need now is for it to be clear tonight so i can test the CPC800.  I have spent my time indoors upgrading the Nexstar firmware which to my horror was not supposed to be on the CPC800,version 4.15 was not even approved by Celestron!  Anyway it now has version 4.21 which is the latest so all should be well.

Fingers crossed for tonight. 

Clear skies all  

[Hyperion76]

The televue solar finder is a great help on my Lunt ls50 just a thought.Glad you are enjoying new scope.

[Floater]

Lots of very economical solar finders available. Have a look on Astroboot.

The finders are not necessary, of course - as you have shown - but they do help.

[Planet X]

Lots of very economical solar finders available. Have a look on Astroboot.

The finders are not necessary, of course - as you have shown - but they do help.

Thanks for the heads up Gordon.  Astroboot is a great site for bits & bobs,will probably use it often now i know its there. 

Cheers 

[Planet X]

The televue solar finder is a great help on my Lunt ls50 just a thought.Glad you are enjoying new scope.

Just checked out the Televue and it looks like a good bit of kit.  Its on the steep side as solar finders go, from what i can gather, but i guess you get what you pay for.  Thanks for the suggestion.

[Floater]

The TV Sol Searcher is definitely 'a good bit of kit' - I also have one. But the solar finder I have on my Dob does just as good a job and is a fraction of the price (from Astroboot). I'm not on any commission here, by the way, it's just that the cheapo does the job just as well.

However, it doesn't have that TV kudos!

[Planet X]

The TV Sol Searcher is definitely 'a good bit of kit' - I also have one. But the solar finder I have on my Dob does just as good a job and is a fraction of the price (from Astroboot). I'm not on any commission here, by the way, it's just that the cheapo does the job just as well.

However, it doesn't have that TV kudos!

The one on Astroboot,is it the AC618 universal? its £12.   

i have mounted my Solarmax onto my CPC800 directly using a Celestron SLR piggyback bracket and it is rock solid,however i also need something i can mount it to that is more compact and lightweight, but at the same time solid so the image doesnt shake all over the place when adjusting.  Any suggestions on tripods would be appreciated.

[Floater]

Just had a look on the Boot and that seems to be the only one they have at present. They recently had a few and I guess that may be the case again in the future, if you want to hang on.

But the AC618 is the one I have and, as before, it does the job very well.

As you'll see from my sig., my Solarmax is on a Mini Porta. I'm sure this is not as stable as it would be on a more substantial mount but it's super-portable and, unless you're thinking about imaging - about which I know next to nothing - it is perfectly adequate.

p.s. Being so portable I can pick the whole lot up in one hand and be out very quickly catching those all-too-fleeting glimpses of the sun!