Solar Viewing and H-Alpha filter?

[Pete Presland]

On ‎20‎/‎11‎/‎2017 at 21:19, Horatio said:

Hi there,  I've decided I'm going to make a solar filter for viewing the sun (baadar solar film) for my SW EVO80.  After watching Pete Lawrence on this months Sky at Night, he put a H-Alpha filter on too.   I'm a bit confused as there are so many different types of 1.25" H-Alpha filters at a vast range of prices.

I'm wondering what type would be most beneficial if I was to purchase one, as the price of some of them, makes me think if I was to pay that much then it's quarter of the way to getting second hand  Coronado PST and would possibly be better to save the money .

I will be attaching an Olympus OMD EM-5 to view...

So any advice is most welcome, thanks....

Its probably a really good time to check the 2nd hand market at the moment, Solar activity is very quite presently. The Coronado PST is an excellent scope, I picked my old one at this time of the year for a very good price. I still think they are much easier to get used to using than the Lunt 50mm.

[25585]

Hershel wedge + front filter = belt & braces? What would/not you see with both fitted?

I read the info on FLO site about matching/"tuning" when double stacking. Seemingly not so simple as to just screw in another filter. 

The little 50mm Lunt looks very neat John. I will be interested to know how you find using it next year. 

[Stu]

10 minutes ago, 25585 said:

Hershel wedge + front filter = belt & braces? What would/not you see with both fitted?

I read the info on FLO site about matching/"tuning" when double stacking. Seemingly not so simple as to just screw in another filter. 

The little 50mm Lunt looks very neat John. I will be interested to know how you find using it next year. 

Make sure you don't confuse white light with Ha observing.

Absolutely no need for a front filter and a Herschel wedge. They both do a job of reducing the intensity of light and heat reaching the eyepiece and your eye. Doubling up on the reduction would, I imagine, result in a view so dim it would not be worthwhile.

Not sure why such worry about techniques and equipment which is well established and used safely by so many people without any problems. I use a Herschel Wedge with an expensive refractor (Takahashi FC-100DC) and have never had any problems at all. If the Wedge falls off the only risk is a hot leg!

[Moonshane]

I'd suggest going to a club meeting or canvassing an opportunity to meet with a solar observer near you. This will almost certainly put your mind at rest.

I work in a primary school and have occasionally allowed children to look through my scopes. I'd never do that if not 100% sure it was safe to do so. 'Even' my own eyes have great value to me. I do occasionally let out a loud 'aaaaaaahhhhh' when I first look, just to make a joke but obviously then explain why my eyes don't explode etc.

[GavStar]

27 minutes ago, 25585 said:

 

I read the info on FLO site about matching/"tuning" when double stacking. Seemingly not so simple as to just screw in another filter. 

I was a bit concerned about the potential need to match Ha filters for double stacking. However on investigation the separate (expensive!) Lunt Ha filters are designed for doublestacking with an existing single stack scope (and have a nice little Lunt sticker to prove it ?). Both  highburymark and me have bought our extra filter to doublestack subsequent to acquiring the original scope and both of us have found it to make a very noticeable difference. A Lunt 50 or 60mm double stack solar scope is a great instrument for observing solar activity. I’ve had a lot of fun with mine.

[25585]

12 minutes ago, GavStar said:

I was a bit concerned about the potential need to match Ha filters for double stacking. However on investigation the separate (expensive!) Lunt Ha filters are designed for doublestacking with an existing single stack scope (and have a nice little Lunt sticker to prove it ?). Both  highburymark and me have bought our extra filter to doublestack subsequent to acquiring the original scope and both of us have found it to make a very noticeable difference. A Lunt 50 or 60mm double stack solar scope is a great instrument for observing solar activity. I’ve had a lot of fun with mine.

What differences/improvements for visual does the additional filter show?

[Cornelius Varley]

17 hours ago, 25585 said:

Would not aiming a refractor at the sun without OG protection damage all the optics and the tube's internal structure from intense heat?

Best not use a telescope with cemented optics and plastic components.

[Stu]

23 minutes ago, 25585 said:

What differences/improvements for visual does the additional filter show?

Double stacking improves the surface contrast for features such as filaments and granulation.

[GavStar]

1 hour ago, 25585 said:

What differences/improvements for visual does the additional filter show?

Here’s my thread giving my initial impressions of the double stack

https://stargazerslounge.com/topic/302581-so-thats-what-double-stacking-does/

 

[Science562h]

I observe the Sun, no longer than 30 minutes, make a sketch & video. It is so hot. One can only count sunspots so many times.