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First light Lunt LS50THA

laudropb

By laudropb
in Observing - Solar

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laudropb

laudropb

Posted
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At last I got a chance to try out my new solar scope today. The sky conditions were not great, but it was the first time  for a week that I could actually see the sun.

I mounted the scope on a Sky Tee 2 using a Lunt bar and also fitted a Tele Vue sol searcher. This little bit of kit certainly makes finding the sun so much easier than using the shadow method.

I had a Tele Vue 20 mm eyepiece in the scope, but I found eye placement with this lens very frustrating. It kept blacking out. I changed it for a Maxvision 24mm ep and this was much better.

I tried focusing on the suns limb, but I found the helical focuser quite difficult to get used to. I am glad I purchased a feathertouch focuser to replace it with. Just thought I would try out the supplied focuser first.

Once I had the focus as good as I could get it I started to adjust the pressure tuner on the Etalon. Went all the way in and then back out again, but the disc was just a featureless red blob..

Took a deep breathe then started again. Still no luck, but just as I was centring the sun's disc something at the 7 0'clock position caught my eye and a fine adjustment of the pressure and focus revealed a lovely hedgegrow prom.

It was fairly clear and at last a wow moment. I searched round the disc and found an other nice set of proms at about the 2 o'clock position. I also noticed that some surface detail was now visible. I was a very happy chappy.

I had a celebratory coffee then spent the next few hours trying out various lenses and getting to know the scope. One thing I realised is that there is marked sweet spot in the image, where the views are much clearer.

All in all I am very happy that I went down the Ha route with a dedicated solar scope and I know I am hooked by the views I got. Cant wait for the summer. Just got to hope there is a bit more activity showing

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EDBB16D0-F861-44F0-9D40-9BC2740F8A41.jpeg

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Floater

Floater

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Aw man! That’s a joy to read, John!

So glad you found the spot and every bit of your description fits my first experience(es) with Ha. Just the tiniest of adjustment makes such a difference. And then your eye is ‘in’! You pick it up and can almost ‘play’ with the bandwidth. 

It was too hazy my side of the country to catch much. 

And by the way, in a couple of years or so, the only way is up for solar viewing ... ?

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Sunshine

Sunshine

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i have had a pressure tunes LS60 for some time now, i will offer a word or two, there are days when even if it seems clear, atmospheric conditions just are not conducive to solar viewing, i know what my scope can do and have had many mind blowing, beautiful detailed views. Then the next day, seems clear, drag out scope and could not squeeze a detail out of the entire disc, thats just the way it is, never let your stomach sink because of a fruitless session, those mind blowing days do happen just not every time.

I do recall when i bought my Lunt and had a sinking first day thinking i just dropped so much money and BLAH!!! but then the next was everything i hoped for, turn that tuning cylinder slowly and allow enough time for your eye to adapt, the details cometh!. A year on, i find i cannot be without my Lunt, those beautiful sessions where you cannot peel your eye away make all the bad days worth while.

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laudropb

laudropb

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Thanks Mark. I set the tripod too high as I forgot how low the sun was here at this time of the year. When I had my second light I did not extend the tripod legs and had no problems with the Tele Vue plossl. It was just all about getting a comfortable eye position.

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Davenn

Davenn

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On ‎24‎/‎02‎/‎2018 at 07:45, laudropb said:

At last I got a chance to try out my new solar scope today. The sky conditions were not great, but it was the first time  for a week that I could actually see the sun.

.....................

EDBB16D0-F861-44F0-9D40-9BC2740F8A41.jpeg

 

awesome stuff, John :)

If I ever upgrade from my LS60, I will definitely get the pressure tuner type ..... from everyone's comments I have read over recent months, it is definitely the way to go.

 

On ‎24‎/‎02‎/‎2018 at 08:02, Sunshine said:

i have had a pressure tunes LS60 for some time now, i will offer a word or two, there are days when even if it seems clear, atmospheric conditions just are not conducive to solar viewing, i know what my scope can do and have had many mind blowing, beautiful detailed views. Then the next day, seems clear, drag out scope and could not squeeze a detail out of the entire disc, thats just the way it is, never let your stomach sink because of a fruitless session, those mind blowing days do happen just not every time.............

 

Yes, the same experiences as most of us would find.

Even tho the day looks good ... the atmospheric stability can still be crap and the view through the scope likewise.

Hours later or the next day and the view is crisp and stunning ...... 

such is astronomy, solar, planetary or deep space

 

Dave

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