Unable to see any detail at all

[Rusted 1,587]

9 hours ago, Solar B said:

Truth be told it actually does take your brain (seriously)

some time to get used to this single wavelength 

656.28nm ... from memory Coronado reckoned it could 

be up to 6months (California) so UK ... my estimate 

was always about 2yrs ... again no joke

Brian 

That is very interesting but the long training period seems rather difficult to believe. Even for one who has only a year's experience at H-alpha viewing.

It used to be said that the practised eye could see subtle or fleeting detail which went completely unnoticed by the apprentice observer.
Then they invented imaging and live video on a large, high resolution, monitor screen. Even in H-alpha on a colour screen.
Does the practised eye see more on a screen than the beginner? I have often wondered about this.

My favourite Lunar feature is Plato and trying to see the tiny craterlets. It took a very long time and the correct light to see my first in my 6" refractor.
Then the other night, even in appalling seeing conditions, the largest craterlet was continuously and easily visible on my monitor.
Even though the thermal movements were making the image gyrate wildly, go out of focus and change shape.
I should have removed the camera and tried a few eyepieces but never thought of it at the time.
Was the "seeing" too bad for visual confirmation of the same craterlet?

Another aspect of the same story: My right eye is dimmer but sees far more detail than my bright, untrained, left eye.
Half a century of practice really must make a difference. Now I have binoviewers. Is my left eye now being trained by my right?
It does seem that way.

[Merlin66 1,504]

Failure of the  Lunt BF front filter is not uncommon.

Temporary improvement can be achieved with a soak in CLR, flush and wipe.

Lunt can supply a free replacement if under warranty, or minimal cost otherwise.

 

[michael.h.f.wilkinson 18,526]

I have found I could always pick out the granular, filamentary texture of the chromosphere once the scope is well tuned, even when it is as quiet as it is now. The rusted ITF will affect this. The discussion here just made me check my Coronado BF15, but that seems to be fine.