Lunt 60mm - First Light

[Qualia]

I have not always chosen the best path. I have made mistakes, plenty of them. But I've learned something important along the way. I've learned to heed the call of that inner voice, the calling of my heart. I've learned that the most reasonable or soundest path is not always the best path for me.

I say all this for I have recently purchased a Lunt 60mm B600 from Shaun and in the process of sorting out my final payment to the gentleman that is Michael for a B1200. Folk will now be thinking, "He's a fool. In light of all the threads and posts explaining just how good the Quark really is, why didn't he go for the Quark and use it with his TV 76? He's lost the plot!"

But my heart dictated otherwise. Everytime I sat down, most of the boxes ticked the Quark and still my heart said Lunt 60mm. What is a man to do?

Yesterday the scope arrived from the UK. The packaging was indestructible. The Lunt 60mm, blocking filter and Vixen style dovetail were enclosed within a robust aluminium case which inturn was protected inside a box, wrapped carefully between foam and plastic bubble wrap and two soft pillows. Shaun had done wonders.

I still have to find an allen key which fits the impirical screws from Lunt or TeleVue - they only sell metric ones here - but after a little tweaking with a screw driver, the dovetail was on the Lunt's clamshell and I was ready to go. The immediate impression is just how solid, weighty and stylish the Lunt is. It's makes the perfect refracting partner for the TV 76 set up for now on the CG 5 for white light.

I set the Lunt up on the AZ 4 on a glorious morning of sunshine and after following Shaun's directions for obtaining a good focus, I was greeted by the Sun's gorgeous orange and red hues contrasted against a jet black background. As the eye grew accustomed to viewing in H-alpha more and more detail became apparent. The views through any of the eyepieces I used were stunning.

There was just so much detail. Prominces stood out with plenty of intricate structure, filaments were all over the place and granulation was supurb. The entire star was ringed by spicule - a burning hedgerow - and very bright plages were dominant around the main sun spot area. 

First light didn't involve understanding what I was saw. I just looked, open mouthed as I slowly baked under a midday Sun . I'd been waiting for so long for this moment and it had arrived, at last

Today, the 12^th, I spent another couple of hours out. The seeing was supurb and it was also quite hot. By the time summer arrives and we reach temperatures into the 40ºCs and on occassions 50ºCs, I will need to have sorted out a shade.

I spent more time trying to name some of the solar features and working through my eyepieces. I found the Panoptics and Delos fine but prefered using the TV Plossls and Baader Orthos. My favourites at this early stage are the 15mm and 11mm Plossls and the 12.5mm (from the good man Shane) and 9mm Orthos. I also tried my hand at a little pastel brushing of prominences but realise I have a lot to learn before I can begin to tackle the more complex regions and way before my efforts are presentable.

Needless to say, I am over the moon with my new purchase and look forward to being able to participate in some of the discussions here and hopefully, in time, be able to contribute to this wonderful and truely fascinating pursuit.

First prominence 'sketches':

[jetstream]

Congrats Rob!

[jabeoo1]

Great move Rob !  I am chuffed for your sensible choice.   Impossible to see how anyone would regret owning a Ha scope.  Beautiful views that always surprise, comfortable viewing conditions,  quick set up, & the view....well it never fails to smack me in the chops. 

[Stu]

Nice one Rob, certainly not a bad or strange choice. If I had the money I would have a Lunt too. There is something about the quality of the engineering and simplicity which makes them highly appealing. Side by side with the 76 it will be lovely

[YKSE]

Congratulations Rob! Get something you're comfortable with, that's the most important thing IMHO, you can then move on to using the stuffs they are meant to

[spaceboy]

Congrats on joining the Ha firm. I like the sketches, an interesting choice of tool choice pastels but very effective.

[Moonshane]

welcome to the Ha side Rob. I have never regretted buying my PST mod. At about £750 it's probably one of my best astro spends.

[philj]

Congrats Rob, they are nice arent they :-)

[Qualia]

Aye, they're very nice

I've just been up for a quick session and although the seeing isn't spot on, the views were equally majestic. An hour flies by without a problem   

Thank you all for your comforting words of support. It really is a nice feeling to see that rather than being reprimanded, you guys are giving a nice thumbs up and healthy slap on the back. Thank you for your genorisity and kindness.

I have to go to work now and will be away this weekend but I should be back on Sunday. I say this, for I don't want you to think me rude due to my silence.

Take care, gentlemen and I hope you all have a great weekend

- - - - -

P.S: I was gently playing about with the etalon today and didn't really notice a great deal of difference from one side to the other, nothing that really called out to me. I ended up just tuning it to a guessed mid-point, neither one way or the other. I was wondering is this normal? Or, is there a change but due to my inexperience I'm just not seeing it. Or, is something not right?

Needless to say, the views I'm getting are cracking. They're comparable to all the sketches I've seen on the web with prominences, plage, spicule, filaments and with averted vision a kind of gaseous glow around the Sun.

[Luke]

Congrats, Rob!

Lovely sketches.

I am sorry if my enthusiasm for another option bubbled over somewhat, I certainly don't think anyone who chooses another option is mad/has taken leave of their senses. We all have different opinions and preferences, thank goodness, and an opinion in my view isn't right or wrong, it's just a point of view.

Only you can know what's right for you, these choices are quite complex at times and sometimes I research it all but think right, heart, my head is half exploding, you decide, I am sure you'll sort of weigh up some of that logic and you'll know what is best for me in the big scheme of things. I don't think it has been wrong that often.

[Pig]

How did I miss this thread  I am relieved you are happy with the Lunt Rob and it is no doubt a beautiful looking and wonderful performing scope.

I bet its even more fantastic with the weather over in Spain ( I know its the same sun before anyone reminds me )

As expected I knew we would all be treated to some wonderful drawings from you and I also expect you to release your first book soon  Maybe you could send me a signed pastel at some point

There does not seem to be a great deal of difference when tuning the etalon Rob unless you go to both extremities, to the far left all I saw was an orange disc, similar to that of white light viewing. However, this position is useful to find the best focus. I used to keep it to almost the far right as I could see better surface detail

[Pig]

Rob don't forget a dark cover of some kind over your head to keep the stray light out, the difference it makes can be quite stark  I used to use a 4 in 1 hat that converted from a peaked cap to a balaclava and it worked a treat. However, the balaclava option gave the impression one was a serial killer to any onlookers

[Qualia]

Thanks Shaun. I carried out your tip today and using a blanket over the head really did improve the contrast. Spectacular display of events It's such a gorgeous scope to use and there is much to learn. Great stuff this h-alpha business

[Pig]

I couldn't agree more Rob the difference a cover makes is pretty cool.

I try to imagine sometimes what one of the giant stars must be like  no chance of a full disc view  I think some are so massive that thier size is the orbit of Saturn around our sun.....the mind boggles

Have you managed to tune the etalon on the Lunt to see just the orange disc ?

Shaun

[jabeoo1]

Have you managed to tune the etalon on the Lunt to see just the orange disc ?

Shaun

Sorry to butt in here Shaun, I know your comment here is directed at Rob but I keep noticing that tuning way off band is good for one thing, the spots !  Very very dark spots on a plain flat featureless disc, quite surprising, the contrast with all the other detail gone leaves definition that is really striking.    

[michael.h.f.wilkinson]

I did more or less the same thing. I went: go for a quark, go for a quark, go for a quark, go for a quark, go for a quark, ........ OOOH shiny SM-II 60mm.

Still might get a quark. Or something similar

That does not mean the SM-II 60 is going anywhere. Way too good for grab and go to get those fleeting moments

[Pig]

Jabe,

I very much agree the spots look fantastic against the orange background. I also found it a useful feature to achieve the best focus position prior to tuning for Ha

[jabeoo1]

I also found it a useful feature to achieve the best focus position prior to tuning for Ha

For sure!  In the very short manual Lunt suggest gaining focus by achieving a sharp edge on the plain disc, then tune up, then pick your jaw off the floor. 

[Qualia]

Have you managed to tune the etalon on the Lunt to see just the orange disc ?

I'll have to wait now for a week or so until it clears up, but on the sessions I've recently enjoyed I've been gently playing about with the etalon and haven't noticed any discernable difference tuning from one side to the other, nothing that has really called out to me. I've ended up tuning it to a guessed mid-point, neither one way or the other.

Needless to say, the views I'm getting are cracking. They're comparable to all the a-alpha sketches I've seen on the web with prominences, plage, spicule, filaments and a kind of gaseous glow surrounding the Sun, but no 'white light' image of solely an orange disc .

[Pig]

Rob,

I think you may need to turn it a bit further to the left as there is a point where you think you may have reached the end of the tuning as it tightens up slightly as it passes the pivot point, try a little more force without overdoing it as there is a very distinct difference betwixt the left and right tunings as to the detail that can be seen.

[BVietje]

Great scope, and very nice sketches.  I use a Lunt 80mm single stack that appears to operate differently.  Ours has a large (~60 mm wide by ~80mm tall) cylindrical pressure tuner off to the side, and adjusting it does make a visible difference.  The settings for prominences vs disk detail are different.

I like the sketches -- keep up the good work.

Clear skies,

Brad