My DayStar Solar Scout SS60-ds thread

[Roy Challen]

Seeing was excellent here earlier, although cloudy now

[Ags]

Hopefully tomorrow morning...

[chops]

I found the eyepiece extenders made a big difference to the scope’s usability; they were recommended by HighburyMark when I wrote my first (very positive) impressions of the SS60. I hope something helps you here - I find it a cracking, inexpensive, Ha scope.

 

[Victor Boesen]

2 hours ago, chops said:

I found the eyepiece extenders made a big difference to the scope’s usability; they were recommended by HighburyMark when I wrote my first (very positive) impressions of the SS60. I hope something helps you here - I find it a cracking, inexpensive, Ha scope.

 

Highly agree with this! I am using a Quark, which extends the eye relief quite far out. I've used this eyepiece from TS quite a lot:

https://www.teleskop-express.de/shop/product_info.php/info/p1428_TS-Optics-40-mm-1-25--Superview-Okular-mit--T2-Gewindeanschluss-fuer-Kameras.html

It has an adjustable extension to the main lens (see the small locking screw in the third image). They also do a 32mm which I haven't tried. However, I'm sure this will probably be too low magnification with a SS60?

[Ags]

Just came in from a session with the Scout. It is definitely best tuned around -2 or -3. Finally I had clear skies and a bright sun, and can now truly say I enjoy the views from this scope. There was some surface mottling but it was very subtle, but the prominences were sharply defined and spectacular. A nice thing about proms is they can be viewed at full 60mm aperture, at least with my scope. It felt like standing on the rim of a volcano, looking down into the lava lake. There is one particularly fiery group just on the eastern limb of the Sun.

Took some images but new headaches (imaging huhh?). It looks like my 0.5 reducer needs some aligning as I could only get half the sun in focus - no issues without the reducer, but then of course no whole disk.

Here is a quick process of one sequence - sun is a bit bright and low in contrast as I was trying to boost the proms. This Ha processing malarky is very interesting, has features of DSO processing too. You can clearly see something is tilted. Definitely need to learn how to do solar flats!

   

Edited April 16, 2022 by Ags

[Ags]

1 hour ago, Victor Boesen said:

They also do a 32mm which I haven't tried. However, I'm sure this will probably be too low magnification with a SS60?

Interestingly, I was viewing proms today with an NLV 12 mm and the view held up well, floaters aside. I even tried an SLV 6 mm, but that pushed things a little too far!

[Roy Challen]

23 minutes ago, Ags said:

It felt like standing on the rim of a volcano, looking down into the lava lake. There is one particularly fiery group just on the eastern limb of the Sun.

 

 

Looking into a lava lake is probably almost as good as looking at the sun in ha! Those proms on the approaching limb were cracking a short while ago, weren't they?

Re; floaters. Stopping down makes them worse, so I don't tend to go below 18mm with eyepieces.

[Ags]

Yes stopping down will reduce the exit pupil, but I was looking at the proms, so was using full aperture.

[Highburymark]

All looking very positive Ags. I love playing around with different eyepieces when solar observing. Keep reading good things about the 32mm Baader plossl, which I haven’t tried. There’s also the option of adding some aftermarket eyeguards to blot out extraneous light - I found some from Edmund Optical which fit a pair of Zeiss microscope eyepieces and work well.

[Victor Boesen]

6 minutes ago, Highburymark said:

Keep reading good things about the 32mm Baader plossl, which I haven’t tried

1+ from me too! In fact, I think I will get one more to make a pair for future binoviewing;) Both for H-alpha and wide field DSO observing.

[Ags]

Not serious imaging as I didn't shoot flats, but inverting the contrast makes this scope look sharp!

[Ags]

Tried reseating the lens of the reducer, reversing it and moving it closer the sensor, but the issue is not resolved. I may need to get a new reducer :(.... and some more T2 spacing rings.

Sun looks phenomenal today, a couple of spots to admire and loads of proms.

[Ags]

Here is today's effort. I tried shots at 30 mm, 43 mm and 60 mm, but I feel the contrast was by far best at 30 mm, although larger apertures did seem to show finer detail. If I can get flats working better, I might be able to process more heavily and use a wider aperture. I will try 37 mm tomorrow - that might be a good compromise. Not quite a full disk - need more T2 spacers! At least at f31 (30 mm) I seem to have even focus across the disk.

Edited April 17, 2022 by Ags

[zcapp96]

Using my 290mm and full aperture I get flats by placing the plastic bag the scout comes in over the end of the telescope and aiming at the centre of the Sun and this seems to work well but the field of view is so much narrower that what you are using.

[Ags]

Yes, I made a flat box with some white plastic but the system needs some refinement. I might try white paper instead.

[Ags]

Today's effort at 37mm aperture (f25). Some lovely detail in the proms, and even in the sunspots.

 

[Roy Challen]

Great images Ags.

[Ags]

Tried with my humble Super 25 eyepiece today. I much prefer the views over the 30 mm, despite the many shortcomings of the Super 25. I could make out nice detail in the filaments and proms. There's an SLV 25 with my name on it somewhere.

I've posted the picture elsewhere, but just putting it here in case this thread gets googled.

[Ags]

I have given up on the solar bullet finder. It is simply vague and annoying!

Fortunately the scope is black, and I now get perfect alignment every time by just watching the sunlight graze the dust on the focus ring!

[Highburymark]

Images are looking better and better Ags. Alas uniformity is the most difficult thing to achieve with many solar filters, but looks like you’re getting really nice results, and far more contrast by stopping down the aperture.

[Ags]

Thanks, I just wish I could find focus every time!

[Paz]

13 hours ago, Ags said:

I have given up on the solar bullet finder. It is simply vague and annoying!

Fortunately the scope is black, and I now get perfect alignment every time by just watching the sunlight graze the dust on the focus ring!

This is interesting to read, I've found the more solar observing I do the less I use finders and the more I use shadows on the scope, but I thought I was the only person on the planet doing this!

[TerryMcK]

My Scout is setup at one end of a Primaluce side by side. At the other end is my William Optics ZS73 with an Altair Astro Herschel wedge. As the mounts are parallel when I see the sun in the "sun aiming spot" in the wedge I find that the sun is near enough centre of the Scout's bullet finder.

Edited May 4, 2022 by TerryMcK

[Nigella Bryant]

I use a permanent mounted configuration of scope's and use cart-du-ceil and green swamp server for telescope control and firecapture, autostakker3, ImPPG and Photoshop for image stacking and processing. Centre's every time in the scope's.

I've not got the Scout but principles are the same. 

[Ags]

6 hours ago, Paz said:

This is interesting to read, I've found the more solar observing I do the less I use finders and the more I use shadows on the scope, but I thought I was the only person on the planet doing this!

I like it when something absurdly low tech (or in this case, no tech) works like a charm.