Eyepieces for the Lunt LS50 (especially the Leica Zoom)

[Highburymark]

1 hour ago, John said:

Thats just what I'm wondering about Mark.

Some people say that the Leica ASPH works well with the LS50 and some, like yourself, say that they could not get it to focus

I guess I'll just have to try and find out for myself. I've a number of different configurations with the Leica zoom that I can try out including attaching it direct to the T2 thread around the blocking filter with the stock 1.25" eyepiece tube removed.

Hopefully the Sun will show itself tomorrow so I can do some experiments.

Really hope it works out for you - my (unsuccessful) attempt with the Leica zoom was with APM 2" adaptor screwed directly into the Lunt blocking filter. 

[John]

33 minutes ago, Highburymark said:

Really hope it works out for you - my (unsuccessful) attempt with the Leica zoom was with APM 2" adaptor screwed directly into the Lunt blocking filter. 

Was it "inwards" or "outwards" focuser travel that you did not have enough of in that instance Mark ?

[PhotoGav]

I hope you are out there this morning John, enjoying the new scope. There’s even a new AR on its way round for you to zoom into!

[John]

10 minutes ago, PhotoGav said:

I hope you are out there this morning John, enjoying the new scope. There’s even a new AR on its way round for you to zoom into!

When the Sun rises a little more, I'll get out there

[Pig]

I can see some blue here in Northampton.... let’s hope it’s a good omen ?

[John]

Just managed a very, very brief 1st light of the LS50 - 97% cloud cover here so it was just glimpses in gaps - not ideal but I'm happy just to have looked through the thing !

I only got to try the Baader Classic 18mm and 10mm orthos but they came to focus fine and more or less in the middle of the focuser range of travel so that will be a useful baseline for how my other eyepieces might fare. The Classic orthos showed a very crisp view and after quite a few turns of the pressure tuner (I had it as far out as it goes to start with) some pleasing details came into view including the AR mentioned above, it's central spot and a complex of bright regions surrounding it. I also noticed a couple of dark filaments snaking across the chromosphere, one thin one and one a more smeared area of darker material near the solar limb. No obvious proms that I could see in those few minutes but the "orange peel" surface, spherical appearance and strong cherry / orange colour of the disk were striking 

Having checked with the Gong Solar Monitor website I'm chuffed to have seen quite a bit of the detail shown there currently. The little scope works !

Despite the rather chilly blustery conditions, peering at that raging sphere of gas seemed to warm me up - funny that !

So far, quite impressed  

[Stu]

Sounds a good start John. I hope you enjoy Ha observing. I think you will, even when the sun is supposedly quiet there is usually something to see, and often it is very dynamic.

[Highburymark]

11 hours ago, John said:

Was it "inwards" or "outwards" focuser travel that you did not have enough of in that instance Mark ?

Always a lack of in focus with the LS50 John

[John]

4 hours ago, Highburymark said:

Always a lack of in focus with the LS50 John

Thanks Mark.

Having found today that the Baader Classic Orthos (18mm and 10mm) come to focus in the LS50 at around the middle of the focuser range, my cunning plan is to play around with the Leica zoom in daylight with my F/6.5 refractor to get it close to par focal with the Baader Classics. Then I'm hoping that the zoom will reach focus in the LS50 .......

We'll see

 

[John]

Following my brief session earlier with the Lunt LS50 and the 18mm and 10mm Baader Classic Orthos, I've been doing some measuring and comparing and I reckon the XW's (10mm and 7mm) will come to focus with a couple of mm of inwards forcuser travel to spare and the Panoptic 24 is likely be OK but will be close to the other end of the focuser travel.

The Delos 17.3 requires more inwards travel so I don't think it will reach focus. The Leica Zoom I'm not sure about. With the APM 2" adapter screwed directly onto the T2 thread around the rear blocking filter it's just possible that it will reach focus but I won't know until I try it.

If I came across one at a lowish price I might spring for the Lunt zoom just to use with this scope for outreach. I assume that it's field stop / focal plane are positioned such that it will come to focus with a Lunt LS50 ?. It would be a bit ironic if it could not but stranger things have been known !

I've noticed that there are around half a dozen "clones" of the Lunt zoom under various brandings with prices varying from the Lunt one at £160 or so right down to an Orbinar branded clone (well it looks identical anyway) at £55. Not sure if the risk of a non-Lunt branded one is worth it though. I don't want another zoom that won't reach focus or one that suffers from poor quality control !

Thanks for all the help, advice and encouragement on HA observing so far

[Highburymark]

Lunt zoom will reach focus with LS50 John. Never tried any of the clones - but they're certainly considerably cheaper. 

[John]

4 minutes ago, Highburymark said:

Lunt zoom will reach focus with LS50 John. Never tried any of the clones - but they're certainly considerably cheaper. 

I've found one at £52 delivered - if it is exactly the same item, the Lunt branding comes at quite a premium !

[Highburymark]

9 hours ago, John said:

I've found one at £52 delivered - if it is exactly the same item, the Lunt branding comes at quite a premium !

Certainly does - and the fixed f/l Lunt EPs are also expensive. I wonder if they have improved coatings?