Show us your set up in action during the day.

[Paz]

I got a Ha session in late this morning. I knew I had an hour or so free but whilst away from home for the morning, so this whole set up goes in 3 small bags that are light and easy to carry quite a way.

I agonise about observing away from home, you only have to forget one little thing and it's all over but today I remembered everything!

 

Edited May 7, 2022 by Paz

[Guest]

The binos are just hanging out in the house because the cloud cover is just ridiculous.

[Mandy D]

My Samyang 800 mm f/8 mirror lens on a Nikon D3200 looking for sunspots. Didn't find any this time!

[reddoss]

My set up during the day. A SW MN190 on an EQ8, Altair Astro field pier tripod and a QHY 16200A-CFW5 (LRGBHa) camera.

Edited May 23, 2022 by reddoss

[Paz]

I was observing the moon in daylight today. Much more civilised than observing in the cold and dark! This is towards the end of the session with 10mm SLVs and a 1.7x gpc making for 272x magnification. There was a bit of wobble to the seeing as well as the daylight scatter but still enjoyable views.

[CCD-Freak]

My current setup waiting for nightfall.

ES 127EDT, AP900GTO, ASI2600MCP, UO 80mm "Kit Scope" for guiding all sitting on a Todmorden pier at SRO.

My "Happy Place"  (^8

 

 

[ScouseSpaceCadet]

Casual white light today inbetween chores:

[badhex]

Finally gave in a bought a Herschel wedge. APM 2" - from what I can tell they are manufactured by Lunt. Very impressed with my first look! Took a cheeky snap with my phone through the EP. 

[Franklin]

Little Vixen SD81s on Solar duty today. Lunt wedge, Badder SC filter and 8mmLVW, Sol showing some amazing detail in various sunspot groups.

All the heat has certainly loosened up the slo-mos on the little Porta II.

 

[markse68]

Lovely day for it  Showing my colleague some solar prominences (?) and blowing his (and mine!) mind that they’re bigger than this planet. There’s lots to see today!

Mark

 

[Stu]

49 minutes ago, markse68 said:

Lovely day for it  Showing my colleague some solar prominences (?) and blowing his (and mine!) mind that they’re bigger than this planet. There’s lots to see today!

Mark

 

Pretty amazing location Mark! What’s the seeing like up there?

[Stu]

Had the Tak out quite early this morning to catch the better seeing before things got too hot. Some great views at x200, granulation very clear and loads of fine detail in the ARs. Had to drop down to x100 once it got warm and shimmery.

[markse68]

51 minutes ago, Stu said:

Pretty amazing location Mark! What’s the seeing like up there?

It seemed pretty steady this afternoon Stu- bit windy for the white light Tal but good clarity at low powers. I don’t see a lot of granulation though. I see quite a lot of detail in the sunspots and a bit of texture on the leading limb but not really granularity. Is that something that would improve with a wedge? I’ll have to get up early and catch it in cooler air too.

I’m going to post in the scope section about the new to me PST as i’m a bit worried about it…

Mark

PS it's amazing how modern phone cameras can have the sun in frame and not be completely blown out by it!

Edited August 13, 2022 by markse68

[globular]

1 hour ago, markse68 said:

Love your tripod (and your colleagues TeleVue flip flops).
Are they available or a Mark one-off?

[markse68]

8 minutes ago, globular said:

Love your tripod (and your colleagues TeleVue flip flops).
Are they available or a Mark one-off?

I think the flip flops should be available at all good TKMaxx stores Glob

Tripod’s my diy alt-az - it’s a bit one off unfortunately

Mark

Edited August 13, 2022 by markse68

[Stu]

33 minutes ago, markse68 said:

It seemed pretty steady this afternoon Stu- bit windy for the white light Tal but good clarity at low powers. I don’t see a lot of granulation though. I see quite a lot of detail in the sunspots and a bit of texture on the leading limb but not really granularity. Is that something that would improve with a wedge? I’ll have to get up early and catch it in cooler air too.

I’m going to post in the scope section about the new to me PST as i’m a bit worried about it…

Mark

PS it's amazing how modern phone cameras can have the sun in frame and not be completely blown out by it!

There was plenty of granulation visible today for me, I do think a wedge is a step up for the fine detail and punchy contrast over the film. I assume your Tal is a good one? I’ve had three, all quite different and one was definitely better than the others. You don’t need an apo, but do need a well corrected and collimated scope to catch the finer detail I reckon.

[markse68]

9 minutes ago, Stu said:

There was plenty of granulation visible today for me, I do think a wedge is a step up for the fine detail and punchy contrast over the film. I assume your Tal is a good one? I’ve had three, all quite different and one was definitely better than the others. You don’t need an apo, but do need a well corrected and collimated scope to catch the finer detail I reckon.

What was wrong with your Tals Stu? Was it collimation issues? When the seeing allows this one is sharp on the sun spots and I do see some texture- its just a bit lost in the bright whiteness of the disk.

Mark

[Stu]

1 hour ago, markse68 said:

What was wrong with your Tals Stu? Was it collimation issues? When the seeing allows this one is sharp on the sun spots and I do see some texture- its just a bit lost in the bright whiteness of the disk.

Mark

Collimation was generally sortable but some showed more CA than others and one was definitely better at splitting doubles.

I can’t see from the pictures, are you using a wedge or film on the Tal? What filters? A variable polarising filter might help cut the brightness down. I use a continuum filter but you could also try an OIII which does a good job too of enhancing the detail. A wedge is a step up from film in my view.

[markse68]

Just now, Stu said:

Collimation was generally sortable but some showed more CA than others and one was definitely better at splitting doubles.

I can’t see from the pictures, are you using a wedge or film on the Tal? What filters? A variable polarising filter might help cut the brightness down. I use a continuum filter but you could also try an OIII which does a good job too of enhancing the detail. A wedge is a step up from film in my view.

Hi Stu, its baader film- no filters. I'll try some filters- have an Oiii but not a continuum. Its a 2" focuser so I could try my ADC but would have to be straight through (awkward)

Mark

[Stu]

11 minutes ago, markse68 said:

Hi Stu, its baader film- no filters. I'll try some filters- have an Oiii but not a continuum. Its a 2" focuser so I could try my ADC but would have to be straight through (awkward)

Mark

Definitely give the OIII a go, might help.

[Simon128D]

Not in action but setup the family for a spring clean and inspection of all systems and gear for the season ahead. It was a good photo op too. 

 

[Andy ES]

9 hours ago, Simon128D said:

Not in action but setup the family for a spring clean and inspection of all systems and gear for the season ahead. It was a good photo op too. 

 

Impressive  array of kit! Especially the one second on the left 😁

[Steve Ward]

On 13/08/2022 at 22:27, Stu said:

Definitely give the OIII a go, might help.

I use an Oiii filter with my Tal and Baader film for all my images instead of a Continuum filter to boost contrast.

Never tried it visually as I use the ND3.8 Imaging film.

It dims the view too much for imaging with the ND5.0 though but worth a try for visual for sure.

I only use the Oiii because I already had one in the arsenal thus saving myself forking out yet another £100 or so on a 2" Continuum ... 😉

[Nigella Bryant]

My set up is growing. Imaging the sun in three wavelengths today. HA, CaK and Continuum. 

[L8-Nite]

Astral 100 at a favourite observing spot up on a local mountain.