Best "outreach" mag for the Mercury Transit?

[Fozzie]

Morning all,

Just as the title suggests, As luck has it there is somewhere in the region of 100 people (from the usual 30) around the office's today for a conference, so I'm fretting the scope might see some serious out reach action action.

I'm Just pondering what would be the most useable and user friendly mag for the transit.. I've only got a 15mm, 12mm, and 9mm EP and a 2x Telex tender giving me mags of x29, x36, x48, and then x58, x72 and x92 with the TE..

My thought is x36 with the 12mm SLV, but is that going to leave people underwhelmed? I can get the full disk in with the 12mm and 9mm BTW.

What's everyone else thinking please?

Ta

Fozzie

[michael.h.f.wilkinson]

Both the 12mm and 9mm (also an SLV?) should be OK, I would say. Swapping EPs is fairly quick, so you should be OK.

[laudropb]

I use a 24-8 mm zoom, but I will also try at higher mags.

[Fozzie]

Thanks Gents, we are on track then.. will start with the 12mm...

Big question is, do I use a continuum filter and deal with "why is the sun green?" repeatedly or do I go for just a Neodymium with IR block and vari polariser filter.. (I've even got a light orange filter "to meet peoples expectations" lol)

Clear Sky's

Fozzie

[Moonshane]

I used a 15mm plossl which gave 60x and was spot on.

[Moonshane]

yes, I used a continuum filter. "it's the filters" was my stock reply!

[Fozzie]

I've been flitting between x36 and x48.. Solar continuum for my time at the EP but most of my colleagues who are only really interested in the contrast of Mercury's "orb" against the sun preferred the Orange filter.. Must say it did "kinda" help contrast of black against orange, but it totally washed out any real detail.. The new AR on the limb looks nice BTW, lots of Faculae following it round..

Had about 30 people look though fleetingly, one of the directors here has had me out practically every hour for a look, so some interest here, might get away with a solar lunch break more often now.

Ta

Fozzie