Recommended solar eye pieces

[Dunc78]

Hello

I'm not really a visual astronomer. But iv recently taken hold of a Lunt LS50THa so would like do some visual with this scope. Can anyone recommend decent eyepieces. Iv got basic plossol ones. 

Thanks. 

[Roy Challen]

I have no experience with Lunt scopes, I have a Daystar Solarscout. By far my favourite eyepiece in this is the Baader 32mm plossl, but I also liked the Vixen 30mm NPL - it just has more reflections than the Baader. I've also used a Televue 25mm plossl (didn't get on with it), Meade 26mm Series 4k plossl ( not that great but useable), Baader 18mm BCO  (good in good seeing), and an ES 16mm 68° (good in good seeing).

Hope that helps 

[Highburymark]

Any decent Plossls or orthos are ideal. Lots of people also use zooms with the LS50, with a useful range to move between low power (30x) up to 70x when seeing allows. A 7-21mm or 8-24mm would be ideal. Best zoom is Pentax XF 6.5-19.5, but otherwise I’m sure one of the cheaper SVBony zooms would be great.
The big difference between dedicated solar scopes and the Daystar mentioned above is of course that Solar Scouts/Quarks come with a 4.2x barlow built in, so you need less powerful eyepieces with those. 

[Owmuchonomy]

Lunt's own zoom EP is very good.  I wouldn't normally recommend a zoom EP but with solar observing the seeing plays a dramatic role.  Having a zoom option helps you find the sweet spot on any given day.  I used one with my Lunt 50.  I also have to hand either my 14mm or 20mm ES 68' EPs.  They are excellent for the price.

[IB20]

I use an 11 & 20mm Televue plossl for Ha, work really well for solar. Can pick them up relatively cheaply on the used market. Have an older Celestron 12.5mm Ultima that works really nicely too. Been meaning to try the new Tak TPL line but they’re quite expensive in comparison.

[inedible_hulk]

An 11mm Tv plossal seems to be the only eyepiece I need and it gives by far the best view. My ES 82s were good, but not that comfortable in the LS50. Neither my Baader IV zoom or SvBony 3-8mm zoom reach focus.

[JeremyS]

I use one of these (available in other guises): https://www.firstlightoptics.com/ovl-eyepieces/hyperflex-72mm-215mm-eyepiece.html

[Elp]

From my experience a lot of them suffer from internal reflections hence make the sun bloom reducing contrast, even the TV plossls I've used three of the range. ESs are okay, Celestron Xcel LX are very good (a reason why Ive kept the 12) and the best one I've used, surprisingly a WO 9mm SWAN. Haven't tested on a Lunt but I got the same results via a Coronado PST and a Quark.

Edited March 28 by Elp

[Ricochet]

I use Vixen SLVs (9/6/4) with my Lunt 50. If you end up double stacking there is an off axis reflection you want to keep out of the field of view, so wide angle eyepieces can be a hinderance. In addition, there will be a sweet spot in the centre of the fov which shows more detail so you will always want to be observing on axis. 

I can also recommend the R-sky observing hoods that FLO have recently started selling. I bought a white one, the only concern is how a large white hood looks to anyone else, so the black might actually be preferable. 

[Elp]

Or, you know, you could just use a towel.

[RT65CB-SWL]

I use either of these… 

when viewing the Sun in white-light, ie refractor and solar wedge.

[Second Time Around]

The only solar I'm doing at the moment is with my Quark at a final f/26, so at that focal ratio there won't be many aberrations.

However, it's often said that prominences are a stiff test of eyepieces because of scatter.  One data point here is that I found my Baader 8-24mm zoom markedly better than my Svbony 7-21mm, although there was less difference on other objects.

Usually I'm using 25-32mm Plossls and I did other head to heads between the following:

Televue

GSO clone

Baader

Vixen NPL

I found no discernable difference between any of them.  The ones I kept were the NPLs because they were the easiest to acquire and retain the image (awkward with a Quark) due to the adjustable eyecup.  I need it in an intermediate position but if I rest my eye on the top it slips.  This is easily solved with a doubled-up hairgrip or an elastic band in the desired position.

 

Edited April 16 by Second Time Around

[Louis D]

On 29/03/2024 at 08:16, Ricochet said:

I bought a white one, the only concern is how a large white hood looks to anyone else

It could get you in a heap of trouble in some parts of the US.  I'll take a pass and use a white towel if need be.  It's also handy for wiping off the sweat while solar observing near noon here in Texas.  I run a box fan at full tilt across my body to try to keep a bit cooler while solar observing from mid-April through mid-October.  Heat stroke is a very real possibility, so I also drink plenty of fluids while outside.

[niallk]

I use a 15mm TV plossl the most with my LS50DS, tbh.

I also have the TS badged 7-21mm zoom; same as the Lunt one.  It's poor at 7mm, ok/good above that.

Given the size of my DS sweet spot, I have gone back to predominantly just the 15mm, after chasing higher mag views for a while.

Love my lil' Lunt!