A terrible start with the Lunt LS60THa

[Davey-T]

1 hour ago, swag72 said:

Thanks for the thoughts and comments - They are much appreciated.

@carastro - I've ordered a sol searcher so I should be able to find the sun in the future. My Mum and husband couldn't believe it when I said at the start the hardest thing would be to actually find the sun to start off with! They thought as it's a big ball in the sky it would be easy! 

Sounds silly but perfectly true, even using the Sol Searcher it can still prove tricky, the slightest movement sends the Sun out of view even if it's showing on the sol searcher screen, plus you can get false reflection images which can be confusing although they are not as bright as the real thing you soon get to know the real one.

If you're imaging you can watch the histogram on screen as it will start climbing before the Sun comes into view giving a hint on the right direction.

This is where a motorised mount comes into its own both for finding the Sun and keeping it found, even the SWSA works well for this.

I personally prefer a zoom in the LS60, had a Baader which worked very well now using the Leica Aspheric.

Dave

 

[janesdsg]

9 minutes ago, Davey-T said:

This is where a motorised mount comes into its own both for finding the Sun and keeping it found, even the SWSA works well for this.

Not wishing to hijack this thread but, Dave, what's SWSA?  I've not decided on a mount yet, something that will be fine for the Lunt 60/60 DS PT (ordering later today) and Maxbright binoviewers.

Tks

[Davey-T]

1 minute ago, janesdsg said:

Not wishing to hijack this thread but, Dave, what's SWSA?  I've not decided on a mount yet, something that will be fine for the Lunt 60/60 DS PT (ordering later today) and Maxbright binoviewers.

Tks

Sky Watcher Star Adventurer, I've used it for visual with a zoom eyepiece and  imaging, over the spec and needs extra counter weight but seems to work OK as long as there's no wind.

I think the Maxbrights would be a step too far

Did I hear a rumour that a new version of Maxbrights is in the works ?

Dave

 

 

[Moonshane]

Check that there's adequate in focus for the BVs. They need 110mm minus any factor of the gpc you'll be using. I think the 2.6x gives 65mm so you'll still need 45mm spare.

[Davey-T]

1 minute ago, Moonshane said:

Check that there's adequate in focus for the BVs. They need 110mm minus any factor of the gpc you'll be using. I think the 2.6x gives 65mm so you'll still need 45mm spare.

There's quite a bit of focus adjustment on the LS60 unlike the 35 and 50.

I've used some Revelation bin's on mine but couldn't get on with them.

Dave

[Moonshane]

Good to know Dave, just thought I'd mention it just in case!

[janesdsg]

6 minutes ago, Davey-T said:

I think the Maxbrights would be a step too far

 

Being thick here ... can you explain, please?

[Davey-T]

1 minute ago, Moonshane said:

Good to know Dave, just thought I'd mention it just in case!

Could never get my cheap ones to work for me, perhaps I'll bring them to SGLX11  to see if you have more luck as I see you're next to me on the latest pitch plan

Dave

Apologies to Sara for thread drift

[Davey-T]

1 minute ago, janesdsg said:

Being thick here ... can you explain, please?

Too much weight for the Star Adventurer I meant.

Dave

[janesdsg]

Just now, Davey-T said:

Too much weight for the Star Adventurer I meant.

Dave

OK, tks.

[swag72]

If I go for the Celestron X-Cel LX as recommended by FLO - What would be the idea mm to buy? Would the scope cope with a 5mm magnification for example?

[Owmuchonomy]

The sweet spot on mine I would say is around 17mm.  The maximum I have ever used was 10mm and that was way too much hence my use of 14 and 20mm (at 82' FOV).

[Davey-T]

Have you got any eyepieces you can try first ?

I have a varied collection of EPs, including some TV Plossls but find all I use is the zoom, if your mum is using this I think she'd be happier with a zoom, people who look through my LS60 at star parties seem quite taken by being able to zoom in and out at will.

There are a few to choose from, I've tried the Lunt, Baader and Lieca and all give good results.

Just my opinion though so others may disagree especially if they're dedicated solar observers appreciative of the nuances of various eyepieces.

Dave

[swag72]

The only EP's I have are a 25mm Meade Plossl, a 17mm Hyperion and a 8mm Hyperion........

I just can't decide about a zoom or not........ I can certainly appreciate the concept behind it but I think comfort of viewing is paramount here and not chasing an oval / moon shaped sun around the field of view every time my head moves or I blink..... Is that a reasonable thing to ask for? I really have no idea

[Floater]

I'm kicking myself here, Sara, in that I didn't think to mention the 'ghost images'. I'd now bet that was your problem, the reason for such poor views. You're gonna be fine. ?

'Would the scope cope with a 5mm magnification...?' Yes, it can but will the seeing cope? I wouldn't go seeking too high a magnification. Something I read somewhere - might even have been a Lunt manual - stuck in my mind. It was along the lines of, 'if the image in your eyepiece is not too good drop the magnification and it should improve'.

I repeat, I'm sure you are going to be just fine. Apart from anything else, think of the wonderful tinkering to get that image just right. Just as you might constantly adjust your focuser to get the best out of the conditions. Then once you have it right roam your eye(s) over that wondrous spectacle. You can push up the mag to try to zoom in on particular features, but there will always be a limit, a point of diminishing return.

[Davey-T]

Another good point from Gordon, if you have a zoom you can adjust it for the seeing which does have a marked effect on solar imaging / observing, a 5mm eyepiece would probably not be suited to poor seeing.

The zooms usually have a twist up eyepiece cup which is useful for eye placement and keeping out glare.

Sorry keep editing this post as thought of something else

On occasions of exceptional seeing you could use the dedicated Baader Barlow

Dave

[gnomus]

I've just re-read your original post.  The LS 60 I got my hands on was fitted with a Feathertouch focuser which was exactly as you would expect it to be.  I was hoping, however, to get away with the stock focuser.  Was it really that bad?

[Highburymark]

Haven't got time for proper response but I can guarantee you that unless you have bought a lemon - and that's very unlikely - you haven't seen anything yet from this scope. It's a learning process, and there are many different mistakes you can make on the way to that first proper view of the sun in ha. It requires patience and lots of SGL reading - but you will soon be loving your new scope - and I hope your mother will too - good luck

[Davey-T]

2 hours ago, gnomus said:

I've just re-read your original post.  The LS 60 I got my hands on was fitted with a Feathertouch focuser which was exactly as you would expect it to be.  I was hoping, however, to get away with the stock focuser.  Was it really that bad?

The stock focuser isn't up to much, I changed mine for a nice matching Moonlight, 100% better and looks really cool.

Dave

 

[Bobby1970]

I only have a little Lunt LS35 and the first time I saw the sun through it I was very impressed. I can only imagine what the bigger Lunt scopes are like. I use mine with a Skywatcher Star Adventurer and a Seben 8-24mm zoom eyepiece and it's a great combo imho. 

 

Hope you get sorted shortly, please do report back. 

[Floater]

45 minutes ago, Highburymark said:

It's a learning process, and there are many different mistakes you can make on the way to that first proper view of the sun in ha.

This is just so true. 

I'm a relative newcomer to the Lunt 60, having previously used only my SolarMax 40. And I had - and no doubt still have - a lot to learn. The same applied when I first got the Quark; lots to learn and 'play' with. But through reading and with the help of the wonderful Loungers and others I have moved forward. (For the Lunt, special thanks to its previous owner, Simon, who has talked me through several obstacles I thought I had hit.)

So hang in and please, as Bobby asks, do report back.

 

[spaceboy]

10 hours ago, swag72 said:

@spaceboy - Can you suggest an EP from the AA range? I'm ready to get the ball rolling bar the EP now. When you say a basic Plossl, I was using a Meade Plossl

I have used meade plossl, revelation plossl, TV plossl, meade 8-24 zoom, astro hutech ortho, Fujiyama ortho, ES 82°, Tal plossl, BST starguiders and BCO ortho. Out of all of them the BST starguiders were found to be the best for both comfort and views with the BCO ortho a close second and Meade 8-24 zoom third. The only thing that let the zoom down was depending what focal length your at the eye relief adjusts and you struggle to keep a steady eye with out experiencing black outs. As others have mentioned and I forgot, is try to cover your head or at least cup around you peripherals to avoid light getting in your eyes. Just like night time observing can be affected by bright light so can Ha solar due to the image in the eyepiece being relatively dim.

The link in my previous post for the BST starguiders on ebay are your safest bet IMHO and Alan at 'skies the limit' is a very trustworthy and helpful individual. I'm sure post to Spain is not going to be an issue if you contact him.

As for focal lengths I'd go with 12mm (by far the most used for me in the LS60)  & 15mm. If you wanted to at a later date you could add a 10mm BCO https://www.firstlightoptics.com/baader-planetarium/baader-classic-ortho-bco-eyepiece.html which I feel offers the highest useable magnification while remaining a bright enough view to appreciate subtler details. I tried an 11mm TV plossl but the 12mm focal length just seems to offer the best views with the 10mm for when seeing permits.

[Macavity]

Bit puzzling - Your IMAGES (Sara) are ample testament to your abilities! 
I tend to favour there being something "not quite right" but have only a
pressure tuned Lunt50Tha. That said, I sold a perfectly good PST - On
grounds that a limited visual trial left me significantly underwhelmed!

For some reason, I simply cannot see some of the stuff even a complete
Non-Astronomer was describing: "Flames coming from the edge!" etc.
Not sure I would have managed to get the hang of tuning / focussing
(centralising the sweet spot) of my latest Lunt 50 visually...

My world is just so much easier through any sort of camera / screen.

P.S. Notwithstanding the virtues of Baader Hyperions, I find them quite
hard to use e.g. with narrow exit pupils? Also I could barely see anything
through the NICE Teleview / Vixen Zoom for kidney-beaning? (IIRC) 

Different strokes may come into this as well.

P.S. Casually wondering if you do have a USB Camera you can press
into service, just to test the system out - In an unbiased way! Heh. 

[swag72]

11 hours ago, Macavity said:

Bit puzzling - Your IMAGES (Sara) are ample testament to your abilities! .......

Thanks Chris - But my abilities in visual are ZERO!!! The two are very different..... I have no idea about anything hence my very stupid questions!

@spaceboy - My decisions just seem to get more complicated

[Moonshane]

Sorry, I just realised it's a 60mm not a 50mm Lunt. With either you should certainly be seeing lots of detail.