Lunt 35 v Coronado PST Shootout

[Merlin66]

Gaz,

That would be certainly close to the mark. As Nick says, we've all had outstanding success with the Vixen "donor".

If any of the Modded PST users can provide details of their plate scales I could further "refine" the modelling.....

Ken

[brianb]

I'm seeing the proms and granuation easily but other surface detail (except sunspots obviously) are still escaping me at the moment. I'm not sure if the kit needs adjusting or my fledgling solar observing skills arn't up to scratch yet.

How long are you looking? And how transparent is your sky?

With a thin high cloud cover the surface details do tend to lose contrast. It usually takes me 5 - 10 mins to "get my eye in" properly when observing in Ha; a cloth over the head helps, as does avoiding use of high powers and using a good simple eyepiece which gives high contrast (Baader Genuine Ortho highly reccomended, the 9mm is short enough for high power with a f/10 scope, 12.5mm usually works better for me).

Imaging works better with a single stack scope especially when there is thin high cloud because I can tweak the contrast to show low contrast details.

And there's no doubt that individual PSTs differ in the performance of their etalons, though in my experience the prisms in the "black box" are even more variable.

[NickH]

Amen to that...prisms on those things are the weak point for sure..

BF5 vs BF10 is a major factor too...the 5's just don't cut it IMHO when modding

[NGC 1502]

Hi all. Further to the comparison review I posted on the Lunt 35 v PST, a clubmate

has recently acquired a Lunt LS60THa/B1200, plus a 50mm Ha double stack unit.

On July 24th I had the opportunity to do some side by side viewing with his LS60,

and my LS35.

Well of course as we set up, the clouds rolled in.....& I only had a couple of hours

to spare, but gradually the cloud broke up and we got going.

We were both surprised at how well my L35 held up for viewing prominences,

compared to the L60. I'd say if you are a visual only observer, & just want to

view proms, then the L35 represents excellent value for money (they were going

for £385 at Astrofest ! )

However, when it came to disc detail, the L60 walked all over my L35. A lot of

structure was easily visible in the 60, that just wasn't there in the 35.

And when we fitted the double stack......WOW !!!........is the best description

I can think of !

Now, where's my credit card ? !!

Best Regards, Ed.

[pbyrne]

Given the choice of buying either I would tend to come down on the side of the PST. My reasoning for this is that with the Lunt you are held to the 35mm objective and the single Angstrom supplied. With the PST there is the opportunity to double stack it with a 40mm filter and show even greater detail.

[NickH]

Lunt is 0.75A (in theory anyway) which is about what a DS PST delivers... (in theory as the reflectivity/coatings and etalon seem to deliver a very very bright and contrast limited image). The bigger picture is that the LS focuser in theory again is better, (though S@N didn't like it...and I trust Pete totally), but you can mod a PST to much bigger aperture easily...

[daslolo]

On 28/07/2010 at 12:51, NickH said:

but you can mod a PST to much bigger aperture easily...

look what Stu did with his LS35! 🤯 and he didn't need to tear apart his scope

https://solarchatforum.com/viewtopic.php?f=9&t=11271&p=112624&hilit=Lunt35+mod#p111990

[Solar B]

That's a blast ... 🌞 I have seen a couple of good mods from using an SM60II rear 

etalon assembly the same has also been completed with Lunt LS60s , whilst I do 

like mods (looking into one again myself) they can be quite cumbersome and fiddly

plus often as not they look ghastly 😊.

Brian 

[Peter Drew]

58 minutes ago, Solar B said:

That's a blast ... 🌞 I have seen a couple of good mods from using an SM60II rear 

etalon assembly the same has also been completed with Lunt LS60s , whilst I do 

like mods (looking into one again myself) they can be quite cumbersome and fiddly

plus often as not they look ghastly 😊.

Brian 

Not as ghastly as the price tag of large bespoke Ha telescopes!.   🙂

[Solar B]

No idea what your on about Peter 😀

http://apm-telescopes-englisch.shopgate.com/item/333631383036

[Peter Drew]

3 minutes ago, Solar B said:

No idea what your on about Peter 😀

http://apm-telescopes-englisch.shopgate.com/item/333631383036

Eeeek!  My 150mm F10 Istar PST Mod with triband ERF cost me less than 2K..

[Solar B]

And that ones used ... $30K new is usually £30K by the time it's gets over here

they are DS though 🌞

https://luntsolarsystems.com/shop/solar-products/hydrogen-alpha/230mm-telescopes/lunt-ls230tha-double-stack-solar-telescope-with-b3400-blocking-filter/