Solar accessories worthwhile.

[tico]

Hello,

Soon I am going to buy a tiny Lunt telescope, to start with the H-alpha, and I would like to ask you which Accessories are worth it, such as the SOL, Lunt or Televue solar finder? eyepiece zoom Lunt? others?

Thank you very much,

Regard

Tico.

[AdeKing]

With the Lunt, although it is expensive, I'd recommend the Televue SolSearcher Solar Finder, as it fits perfectly into the (i assume) purpose made groove on the top of the clamshell that holds the OTA. 

Not sure where you are based, but I've done a search online and it doesn't look like FLO sell them anymore, but Widescreen Centre (linked to above) or Telescope House seem to have the best prices in the UK.

Makes finding the sun a doddle.

If you have a 3D printer, you can probably find a design for one somewhere, and although I picked mine up used, its the best money I've spent on Solar Accessories.

There are other solar finders available but I'm pretty sure they all need a conventional vixen finder shoe, which the Lunt doesn't have and would therefore need modding to fit a vixen finder shoe.

 

Edited March 24, 2020 by AdeKing
corrected information

[johninderby]

There is copy of the SolSearcher on Thingverse.

https://www.thingiverse.com/thing:4044159

[JeremyS]

+1 for SolSearcher

Oh, and sunny skies....

[Ricochet]

I've just bought a Lunt 50. The first accessories I've bought for it are Widescreen Centre's Lunt 50 case and a TV SolSearcher. Annoyingly, the case can't hold the scope with the SolSearcher attached, but it is such a tight fit in the clamshell that I don't think it will cause any alignment issues. Eyepiece wise, my Pentax 14XW (2mm exit pupil) seems to be the perfect balance between brightness/detail and image scale so at this point I don't have any plans to buy any eyepieces specifically for the scope.

I expect the best accessory is the double stack unit but such an expense should probably be left for a later date.

 

[vineyard]

I have one and I've grown fond of it - one change I definitely intend making though is replacing the focuser.  The helical one is very annoying - there are Feathertouch or Moonlite focusers that can be replace it, and by all accounts (ie, reading other sungazers reports) the better focusers also improve the sweet spot.  So for me that's coming before any double stack!  Enjoy.

[AdeKing]

53 minutes ago, vineyard said:

I have one and I've grown fond of it - one change I definitely intend making though is replacing the focuser.  The helical one is very annoying - there are Feathertouch or Moonlite focusers that can be replace it, and by all accounts (ie, reading other sungazers reports) the better focusers also improve the sweet spot.  So for me that's coming before any double stack!  Enjoy.

If you have a LS60 and can find an original Newtonian Baader Steeltrack (not the newer Diamond Steeltrack) the body of the focuser fits the LS60 perfectly once it's removed from the Newtonian base plate.

Don't think the same is true for the LS50 though.

Edited March 24, 2020 by AdeKing
Link added

[vineyard]

16 hours ago, AdeKing said:

If you have a LS60 and can find an original Newtonian Baader Steeltrack (not the newer Diamond Steeltrack) the body of the focuser fits the LS60 perfectly once it's removed from the Newtonian base plate.

Don't think the same is true for the LS50 though.

Thanks for that tip AdeKing.  I just took the helical off my Lunt 50 and it needs a 35mm male thread into it.  So will see if there are any other focusers that might have that compatibility too.  Cheers & stay safe, Vin