Show me your solar imaging set up

[spaceboy]

Having set up properly for solar imaging yesterday for the first time it got me wondering how other members deal with the sun cooking everything and the huge amount of "stray light" at the lap top screen.

As I believe pictures can speak a thousand words I thought I'd ask other members for pictures of their set ups along with any pro's and con's they have found and any advice from that. I'm interested to see both visual and imaging setups as I believe protecting ourselves from UV is just as important as electronic equipment.

This is my efforts although I am aware I need to get something more ideal to put the laptop on.

I am also thinking of rigging up some sort of removable tarp in the corner for shade.

[michael.h.f.wilkinson]

I do not generally shield my scope, but I do often set up the laptop under a large parasol. I do want to make a "laptop-tent" possibly out of an old camping mat. Here are two pics of the dual mount I attach the cameras to.

The images are a bit old, as this still features the LS35. I will make new shots of the SM-II 60mm set-up later

[spaceboy]

I have just bought a Gemini bar off Astroboot although I haven't had chance to use it yet it's always nice to see one in use. I have to say they are rock solid and should easily hold my ST102 and LS60. More kit to have to set up

[Zakalwe]

Heres mine:

Double-stacked Lunt L60

I also pop a reflective foil "cap" on the triplet front end..the black ally dust cover would bake otherwise and there's no point in exposing an expensive triplet objective to baking heat.

My screen is mounted on an pivotable VESA mount, so I can usually get it into the shade. I normally control it from inside the house though, via Remote Desktop.

[JB80]

That is basically it although I normally have a camera on one of the scopes and are sat under a towel watching the laptop screen.

[Stu]

Other than sometimes putting a coat over my head to cut down on glare and improve the contrast visually, I don't take any particular precautions with the scopes.

I suppose I assume that they will cope with the job, the optics shouldn't get dangerously hot as the light is not focused at that point. I guess the worst I consider that could happen is a bit of bronzing to the anodisation but this has only affected part of my herschel wedge so far.

[Moonshane]

I thought getting a bronzed wedge was a desire of all sun worshipers? or is that a different thing? 

I am an eyepiece 'cupper' myself. just put both scopes on the giro III and observe.

[PeterW]

Floppy gat for me and I hide the computer behind a wall that shades things in the morning. Tinfoil helps if the camera is in the wedge diagonal... Stop it from roastig, otherwise nothing else. Might get a shot of the kit next Friday....

Peter

[spaceboy]

I have found for visual observing that a small black T shirt put on backwards ie you put your head through the hole so it's in the shirt rather than your body works wonders.  The arms can be pegged or sewn to reduce the stray light further. Look a total plum of course!! and you still need to have some sort of shade over you as it can get rather sweaty otherwise..

[spaceboy]

As for my scope I wrap it in one of those road side emergency blankets basically the same as those foil sheets runners wear. They are only a £1 from pound land and the like. Similar to baking foil but far more durable and come in large sheets.

From what I have read they help to keep the heat down in the scope and in doing so aid better views ???

I also try to cover what ever mount I am using with some thing as I'm not totally sure what grease is inside the bearings and at what temperature it starts to brake down.

[Floater]

I have found for visual observing that a small black T shirt put on backwards ie you put your head through the hole so it's in the shirt rather than your body works wonders. The arms can be pegged or sewn to reduce the stray light further. Look a total plum of course!! and you still need to have some sort of shade over you as it can get rather sweaty otherwise..

Oh, wife and I laughed at that mental picture.Good man!

[Yvan_be]

Preparing for next friday .

Im planning to make a time lapse sequense of the eclipse, using a Zuiko OM 50mm f/1.4  and some close-up shots using a Skyliner 8'.

Friends and neighbours coming over can watch the eclipse trough a TAL 1 in projection mode.

If it's (relatively spoken) warm, I'll prepare some Mojito's. If it's not, I'll prepare some Irish- or Italian coffees...

[Moonshane]

I am no imager but here's my visual kit. 120mm ed skywatcher with Lunt wedge plus tal based stage two pst mod, all on a giro iii

[ArmyAirForce]

Here's my bits and bobs. I started out with an off axis Baader filter on my 200PDS, but have recently made a near full aperture filter. The reason being is that the off axis filter gave a "Sun lit Sun" effect, with one side of the disc brighter than the rest. Now I'm sure I could have got around that with flats, but wanted to try and squeeze out a bit more resolution having recently purchased a Baader Solar Continuum Filter.

The finder also has a filter, and the large shield around it allows it to be used to line up the scope for close up imaging of Sun spots.

In January I got an Evostar 80ED, and made a filter for that too. Most of the time I use this scope is for opportunistic solar imaging, using it hand held like a telephoto lens rather than setting it up on a mount. By doing this, I can make use of 5 or 10 minute gaps in the clouds, shooting a couple of hundred images to stack.

Most of the time, I use either one or the other scope, but occasionally, I'll set both up for full disc and close ups.

To shield the laptop from glare, I've made a collapsible wooden box with a thick fleece blanket cover, which goes over the laptop and my head.

When it gets hot in the summer, I've made a screw on peltier cooler for the ASI120MM camera to bring the sensor temperature down to a more acceptable temperature, as uncooled, it can get to over 40 degrees C. I can add iced water to the water tank.

[spaceboy]

I keep meaning to get myself a cardboard box and making some adjustments so I can have the laptop in it.

[Steve Ward]

My "Winter" rig , had to get a 'little' elevation to get a view over the greenery at the bottom of the garden ... 

And my "Summer out and about" Laptop sunscreen , used out on site when I shoot at work , from home I just sit in the comfort and shade of indoors at the end of long USB leads ... 

[Pete Presland]

From home and mobile set up from work

Sent from my GT-N7100 using Tapatalk

[sooot]

cables cables every where and a badly made laptop cover ....but it works

[GreatAttractor]

My H-alpha rig below.

I don't have a balcony or even south-facing window, so I have to transport everything by car (I have it well-practised by now).

A camping table, folded fits in a narrow bag:

Some wheel-balancing weights to counter the long etalon+lenses adapter at the back:

[spaceboy]

Interesting idea for a counter weight. I will keep that one in mind

[xtreemchaos]

heres my whitelight setup, i get asked often how i image sol when i have Lupus and carnt go out in daylight, well its not so difficult i just have to do it from me obsyroom window with the scope poking through the curtains and the window open, there is one drawback i can only image upto midday in the winter and about 10am in the summer. all the best and clear skys,  charl.

[paulastro]

It's great to see your observing 'den' Charl and where you observe from.  Thanks for posting.

[xtreemchaos]

thanks Paul, it will do untill i get my obsy done and then i wont be time restrcted, this year ill hopefully get some H-alpha gear, im saving my pennys. clear skys charl

[Moonshane]

From home and mobile set up from work

post-5271-143728672816.jpg

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The second pic is just like my lunchtime sojourns!