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Show us your Solar Observing Equipment


paulastro

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5 hours ago, Dave In Vermont said:

TeleVue® makes one of these that works about the same - for 3X the cost of these 'Helio-Pods' - which cost about $15.00 over here (and I like these better, which helps) - but they un-mount super-easy for storage or transporting.

 

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http://www.dynapod.com/dyna-hp1.html

Had a long chat with the inventor/owner. Very nice and smart guy!

Yes he is. I spoke with him, too, before buying three of these (to mitigate postage costs). He's a keen astronomer himself and enthused about a star party he had just attended.

I kept one of the helio-pods and gave away the other two. Simple, effective, economical and, as you point out, easy to unmount. Something equally simple and economical made by Astro Engineering comes up occasionally on Astroboot but they are not so easy to remove.

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  • 2 weeks later...
On ‎10‎/‎05‎/‎2017 at 04:16, Dave In Vermont said:

TeleVue® makes one of these that works about the same - for 3X the cost of these 'Helio-Pods' - which cost about $15.00 over here (and I like these better, which helps) - but they un-mount super-easy for storage or transporting.

 

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That^^^^ starts to look replicable.  A section cut from square profile drain pipe, and a couple of translucent discs (cut from Ice cream tubs or glace cherry pots) a hole punch, a set of compasses, an indelible pen and a hacksaw and I reckon I could make one.  You might even get the angled section from out of the corner side of a square form ice container.   Then a cheap lightweight bungee.

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No doubt at all that you can make one yourself - if you're half handy. I'm not so, as I wrote above, I bought mine.

Many Loungers have fashioned their own sol finders; many eschew them as unnecessary. But the simple concept of the helio-pod is just so attractive.

Go for it, JOC. ??

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29 minutes ago, JOC said:

That^^^^ starts to look replicable.  A section cut from square profile drain pipe, and a couple of translucent discs (cut from Ice cream tubs or glace cherry pots) a hole punch, a set of compasses, an indelible pen and a hacksaw and I reckon I could make one.  You might even get the angled section from out of the corner side of a square form ice container.   Then a cheap lightweight bungee.

Wot, no sticky backed plastic? ;);) 

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5 minutes ago, iPeace said:

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This is the extent of my solar gear.

:happy11:

NOTE: NEVER LOOK DIRECTLY INTO THE SUN - EVEN IF YOU ARE WEARING SUNGLASSES. :glasses2:

I can say from personal experience that Moose will show you cracking white light solar views with a Herschel Wedge :) 

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10 minutes ago, Stu said:

Wot, no sticky backed plastic? ;)

I'm into 'makes' - always have been, but contrary to best Blue Peter principles I don't think I've ever used a bit of sticky backed plastic in anything I've ever done LOL

However, I have just walked round the back of my Bro's metal working shed and discovered a stray section of 6" aluminium right angle which I might ask him if I can....errr.........' appropriate' (I think is the word I am looking for), mind you it's currently washed and sitting next to me (so given that possession is 9/10ths of the law.....).  I might now need a more capable hacksaw......  Will there be an optimal distance for the two disks or does it depend on the size of the hole / can it be worked out?

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  • 1 month later...

Here's a bit of an update. My PST has been at the Gym. It had its Poper Maiden Voyage today. i.e. Got it working properly! ???

 

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The gear is:

1/ Sky Watcher ED120 with a Lunt 1/4" wedge (white light)

2/ Bresser 102mm PST Mod (Ha)

On a Sky T ii atop a Berlebach 26C Uni tripod.

I can revert the PST to standard spec in a matter of minutes for travel.

Paul

PS. I'm still hankering after a little Lunt 50 DS'ed (of course) for the fine surface detail.

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18 minutes ago, Paul73 said:

Here's a bit of an update. My PST has been at the Gym. It had its Poper Maiden Voyage today. i.e. Got it working properly! ???

 

IMG_9756.thumb.JPG.3ff2bc60ec4d41216172c138d6a78ebf.JPGIMG_9753.thumb.JPG.effd419b2daea50f59443c7e3bd34a5e.JPG

The gear is:

1/ Sky Watcher ED120 with a Lunt 1/4" wedge (white light)

2/ Bresser 102mm PST Mod (Ha)

On a Sky T ii atop a Berlebach 26C Uni tripod.

I can revert the PST to standard spec in a matter of minutes for travel.

Paul

PS. I'm still hankering after a little Lunt 50 DS'ed (of course) for the fine surface detail.

Looks really good Paul. It was nice to see it in the 'flesh'. Really happy with the double stack by the way.

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2 hours ago, Mark at Beaufort said:

Looks really good Paul. It was nice to see it in the 'flesh'. Really happy with the double stack by the way.

Glad that you are enjoying the PST double stack. Even with the increased image scale (100mm plays 40mm), I can't get that level of detail. The proms are great though!

It goes to show that, unlike with Dobs, size isn't everything.

Paul

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Tried out my new solar mount and tripod today just right there was some lovely proms today quite a bit of activity I have two set ups one single stacked Lunt 60mm the other is the double stacked  Solarmax 60mm  II I was thinking of selling one but not sure any more I may just keep them both .

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Edited by garryblueboy
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45 minutes ago, DRT said:

Very nice, Garry. 

Perhaps you could turn them into solar bins? ?

I did look through a PSTx2 Binoscope. One was naked and one double stacked. The views were good....

@garryblueboy. Nice setups. Which scope gives better surface detail?

Paul

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