Imaging with an 80mm Refractor

[Synchronicity]

Hi all

I'm new to all this and have just bought a Skywatcher Esprit 80 ED Pro.  My main interest is DSOs but given the time of year I thought I'd like to experiment with some solar imaging too. 

So firstly, is the telescope I have, with appropriate filters, suitable for solar imaging?  I get that it might not be what you'd choose but is it worth spending time with it?

If so, what should I be looking for in the way of filters, without spending lots of money (maybe up to £125ish total)?

I'm currently using a Canon EOS 7D DSLR - will that be ok?

To put your minds at rest I am absolutely aware of the risks of looking at the sun with eyes or equipment and will be taking all the required precautions.

Many thanks

Michael

[xtreemchaos]

yes and a lunt solar wedge would work well with your scope. goodluck, charl.

[michael.h.f.wilkinson]

I use an APM 80mm F/6 triplet for most of my solar images. Without spending a lot of money, white light is the only option. A Baader Solar Film filter is cheapest, followed by a Herschel wedge. The Lunt 1.25" one should be within your budget. The latter is definitely better. I should warn you that the sun is very quiet at the moment, with little in the way of sunspots for days on end. H-alpha and Ca-K views are also quiet, but do show some more activity. These come at a stiff price, however.

Your DSLR should be fine for white light imaging. I got this result by stacking 50 images taken with my old EOS 450D, using the APM 80mm F/6 with 2.5x PowerMate

This was in 2014, when there was a lot more to be seen. The 7D should be much better

[Davenn]

14 hours ago, Synchronicity said:

Hi all

I'm new to all this and have just bought a Skywatcher Esprit 80 ED Pro.  My main interest is DSOs but given the time of year I thought I'd like to experiment with some solar imaging too. 

So firstly, is the telescope I have, with appropriate filters, suitable for solar imaging?  I get that it might not be what you'd choose but is it worth spending time with it?

If so, what should I be looking for in the way of filters, without spending lots of money (maybe up to £125ish total)?

I'm currently using a Canon EOS 7D DSLR - will that be ok?

To put your minds at rest I am absolutely aware of the risks of looking at the sun with eyes or equipment and will be taking all the required precautions.

Many thanks

Michael

 

Hi Michael

Welcome  

up to GBP125  will get you into white light imaging as commented on in the previous post

 

to get into Ha imaging to see the prominences etc, you need a much bigger budget to get a narrow band Ha filter in the 0.4 to 0.7 Angstrom range

These cost big money  .... Lunt, Colorado, Daystar are 3 of the top brands

my Lunt LS60THa = AU$2599

my Daystar Chromospheric filter = ~AU$1700

It was only last August that I was finally ( after years of wish listing) in a position to get in to the Ha filter game

 

Dave

[Synchronicity]

3 hours ago, Davenn said:

 

Hi Michael

Welcome  

up to GBP125  will get you into white light imaging as commented on in the previous post

 

to get into Ha imaging to see the prominences etc, you need a much bigger budget to get a narrow band Ha filter in the 0.4 to 0.7 Angstrom range

These cost big money  .... Lunt, Colorado, Daystar are 3 of the top brands

my Lunt LS60THa = AU$2599

my Daystar Chromospheric filter = ~AU$1700

It was only last August that I was finally ( after years of wish listing) in a position to get in to the Ha filter game

 

Dave

Ouch!! That's well out of my league - especially considering how many dinners and bunches of flowers I'd have to buy my wife if she saw the receipts!

All the best

Michael

 

[Lowjiber]

Michael, the Esprit 80ED will work just fine for imaging the sun with the proper filtering.

Clear Skies