New Lunt 40mm scope

[Highburymark]

Lunt just announced it is launching a new entry level 40mm scope - see main website. F/10. New competition for the PST.

[johninderby]

And it’s tilt tuned which I prefer.👍🏻

[Sunshine]

Looks like they're out to give the PST a direct competitor, i have to say, considering Lunt has a better customer service reputation (from what many have said) i think i would pick the Lunt.

[Stu]

7 hours ago, johninderby said:

And it’s tilt tuned which I prefer.👍🏻

I assumed you meant tilt tuned John so have corrected your post 😉. A missing ‘l’ can play havoc with the meaning!

[johninderby]

Bit more info.

$899.00

Weight 7 lbs

The New Lunt 40mm Solar Telescope is a F/10 hydrogen-alpha dedicated telescope.

Choice of Blocking Filter : B500 Standard (5mm)

B600 (6mm)

B1200 (12mm)

4.00mm Image Size

External etalon with tilt-tuning adjustment allows for a 0.70 Angstrom bandpass.

The Lunt 40mm comes with an integrated vixen style dovetail and non-rotating helical focuser. It’s the perfect telescope for beginners & enthusiasts alike. (Eyepiece not included).

Feather Touch Focuser  Upgrade recommended for Photographic Configurations

Edited June 27, 2020 by johninderby

[GordonD]

And a non rotating focuser, which is an improvement on my otherwise excellent older small Lunt which has a rotating helical focuser that is perfectly good for visual, but not when using a camera.

All good stuff.

[JeremyS]

Looks good. I enjoyed my Lunt 35, before I upgraded, and this should be better.

Not sure about the naff graphic on the tube, tho.

[johninderby]

One with the FT focuser upgrade could be interesting but expensive.

Bit more than  a PST so UK price £999.00 perhaps? With the FT upgrade would be approching £1,500.00 though. Ouch 🙁

Edited June 27, 2020 by johninderby

[Victor Boesen]

I've wanted an H-alpha solar scope since I first looked through a PST in 2016 for the Mercury solar transit but held back because of minimal solar activity and price of course. This scope looks very good and would probably fit my needs very well. Perhaps I'll grab it in a couple of years when solar activity is higher again

That will also give me some time to save up:)

[Craney]

1 hour ago, johninderby said:

One with the FT focuser upgrade could be interesting but expensive.

Bit more than  a PST so UK price £999.00 perhaps? With the FT upgrade would be approching £1,500.00 though. Ouch 🙁

Yikes, that FT focuser 'upgrade' is more or less half the price of the scope !!!     In the States $250,  in the UK.... £450.... how does that work...exchange rates...trade tariffs ??

Lovely engineering it may be, but surely there must be a cheaper alternative somewhere out there. 

C'mon Baader...get to work on this one.

Edited June 27, 2020 by Craney

[johninderby]

25 minutes ago, Victor Boesen said:

I'

That will also give me some time to save up:)

And for second hand ones to show up. 😁

[Victor Boesen]

2 minutes ago, johninderby said:

And for second hand ones to show up. 😁

Very correct! Wouldn't mind purchasing one second hand if I see one appear here in Denmark.

[johninderby]

This focuser should fit and TS do custom adaptors so shouldn’t be a problem fitting it.

Just sold one that I had been using with a 127mak but sold the mak and didn’t need it any more. Sort of a mini Steeltrack.👍🏻

https://www.teleskop-express.de/shop/product_info.php/language/en/info/p11734_TS-Optics-1-25----T2-Crayford-Focuser-for-Refractors--Cassegrains-----.html

Edited June 27, 2020 by johninderby

[vineyard]

1 hour ago, johninderby said:

This focuser should fit and TS do custom adaptors so shouldn’t be a problem fitting it.

Just sold one that I had been using with a 127mak but sold the mak and didn’t need it any more. Sort of a mini Steeltrack.👍🏻

https://www.teleskop-express.de/shop/product_info.php/language/en/info/p11734_TS-Optics-1-25----T2-Crayford-Focuser-for-Refractors--Cassegrains-----.html

If anyone has any luck with that pls say!  I asked TS about this earlier this yr (as a possibility for a Lunt 50).  The feedback I got from them was that this focuser pipe has no thread for connection so the challenge would be how to attach it to the Lunt.  I left it at that for the time being b/c my knowledge of mechanics & astro-gear is limited 🤷🏾‍♂️but maybe someone else can have better luck or ingenuity pls - this'd be a lot cheaper than the FT or Moonlite 1.25 focusers!

Cheers,

Vin

[johninderby]

They now make custom adapters to order so should be no problem making up one to suit. They made a custom adapter for me with an SCT thread.

Edited June 27, 2020 by johninderby

[tico]

In Europe how much the basic BF5 model ? when ?

Tico

[johninderby]

They have only just started taking pre-orders for the scope in the US with no delivery date given. I would guess in a couple of months in the US so who knows when in the UK or EU. 

Edited June 27, 2020 by johninderby

[Peter Drew]

I would still prefer to buy a PST due to the potential of upgrading to a much larger PST mod.     🙂

[bomberbaz]

$599 for the bog standard version with a BF500, increasing when you take the higher end versions with the bigger BF.

Think if I ever upgrade from my starter 35 it will be to either a 50 or 60mm version 

[Solar B]

The key question ... is the front mounted etalon obstructed or unobstructed ?

my guess at 40mm is unobstructed.

Brian 

Oh and should potentially offer the most affordable dual externally 

mounted etalon option since the LS 35.

 

 

 

Edited June 27, 2020 by Solar B

[Solar B]

System Wavelength: 656.28nm. Hydrogen-alpha (tuneable, dedicated)
System Focal Length: f10
Sun Image Size: 3.67mm
Objective: Precision Doublet (Optimized at 656nm)
Blocking Filter: 5mm standard (upgradeable to 6mm or 12mm)
Etalon Size: 40mm full aperture precision Lunt Etalon
Etalon Peak Transmission: >88%
Etalon Net Finesse: 19
Etalon FSR (Free Spectral Range): 12 Angstroms
Etalon Tuning: Conventional Tilt through +/- 1 Angstrom
Etalon FWHM (Bandpass): <0.65 Angstrom
Weight of Telescope: 2.8lbs

Well it is unobstructed , I've no idea what the Etalon Net Finesse: 19 is a measurement 

scale of ? but that's what Etalon's are ultimately all about .... Finesse !

Brian 

 

 

 

 

 

[michael.h.f.wilkinson]

Should be a nice starter scope, I had a lot of fun imaging with the LS35 (before anybody told me it wasn't an imaging scope ).

The added 5 mm aperture and better focuser should make this one really attractive.

 

[andre2]

Hi, waw!  Cool looking scope. Cant wait for the reviews.

Edited September 1, 2020 by andre2

[Solar B]

On 24/08/2020 at 01:06, andre2 said:

Hi, waw!  There is someting verry cool I discover recently in this new Lunt 40. Not only the cute small Shape  and its nice red accents With the more neutral white tube. but also the  Sun image has a verry relaxt tint to it....Makes it better to look longer at it I believe and study its detail...if the 40 wold be at least  as good as the 35 🤩 then I  wil sell my pst and do some new expirience With the new 40! Thanks!

Sounds good Andre , are you able to add any pics of your scope ?

Brian 

 

[andre2]

Dond be  Sure if I will do an Upgrade , Both lunt 40 and Meade pst  Has their own Character. So, I dond know  if it's Really worth . I think I will stick with my pst. If Meade would introduce a new Meade Solarmax 40 scope for a soft price, I would rather go for that one.

Edited September 1, 2020 by andre2