Cheap solar options?

[SteeDee87]

Hey guys,

So i'd be really interested to start doing some solar viewing and was thinking about getting myself a simple refractor or something and adding a solar filter to it. Im looking for something that will give me decent views. I want to be able to see prominences and sun spots etc. I dont know to much about this field at all. What would be a decent scope for this? I dont want to spend too much at this time. I've just spent $1200 on a 12" lightbridge so budget is tight!

Thanks

Steve

[frolinmod]

You are not going to see prominences or the chromosphere inexpensively. The least expensive way to view prominences is to purchase a small purpose built Hydrogen Alpha solar telescope such as a Coronado (aka Meade) PST. You do have to be careful if you buy a used PST because while some are good, some are very bad. You need to look through a few before you can judge.

If you're happy viewing the sun in white light, seeing little more than sunspots and the like in the photosphere, then a front mounted filter made with Baader AstroSolar Safety Film (visual ND5) is the least expensive and arguably the best option. Adding a green or red eyepiece filter to that can improve contrast. The Baader Solar Continuum filter is sort of just a narrow band green filter, but some people swear by it for enhancing contrast.

[Poita]

Yeah, other than a PST, nothing under a grand 2nd hand is going to let you see proms etc.
You could get a Herschel Wedge or a white light filter and use an existing scope, you will see sunspots, and if the scope is good you can see some of this kind of detail.
http://www.optcorp.com/pdf/Baader/SunspotsThruHerschelWedge.jpg

[malclocke]

I've made a Baader filter for my 10" dob recently, it works pretty well. I didn't bother making it to full aperture, just made one of about 4 inches that sits off axis.

Shows good detail on sunspots, but not anything else. But considering it cost me about $20 NZD it's definitely worth it versus the price jump to seeing anything more.

[SteeDee87]

Thanks for all the info. Guess its time to start saving then...:). Ive just looked on Bintel at their solar scopes range. There are two scopes priced around $1500. Not much price difference between the two. But would there be much difference between the views? Thanks

http://www.bintel.com.au/Telescopes/Solar/Coronado-SolarMax-II-60--BF5-/1009/productview.aspx

http://www.bintel.com.au/Telescopes/Solar/Coronado-PST-with-Double-Stack/1008/productview.aspx

[OICURMT]

IMHO...

Visual: 60mm single stack over the 40mm double stack

Ken (Merlin66) is probably the person to ask, as he probably has more seat time than any of us...

OIC!


<EDIT: Just noticed the SMII 60 has a BF5... what a waste... in which case the 40mm double stack PST would probably be better...>

[ZeroID]

I'd suggest you get some Baader Solar film and make a filter for whatever small refractor or scope you have available. At $20 or so it's a cheap way to start and will give you some solar viewing pleasure and experience.

I made one for my 80mm f5 and it gets a bit of use whenever the sun appears. Quick and easy to grab & go and I've even taken a few pix with it through the DSLR and an adapter.

And keep saving for the PST .... :thumbsup:

[frolinmod]

Coronado BF5 or Lunt B600 blocking filters are in my opinion claustrophobic. I don't recommend them. I recommend at least a Coronado BF10 or a Lunt B1200. I also recommend pressure tuning rather than tilt tuning. But now you're getting into the big bucks.

Most importantly with solar scopes, I think more than with regular scopes, is that you need to have the ability to compare your scope to other similar scopes to ensure you have a good one and not a bad one. This is very much true with the low end PST scopes, but alas is also still true on the high end.

By the way, I think a Herschel wedge is only marginally better than Baader Astrosolar Safety film. Head to head with everything else being equal the wedge will beat the film every time. But a slightly increased aperture on the film compared to the wedge and the film wins hands down. And of course the film can be used with almost any type of telescope including SCTs and MAKs. For example, a little 8" SCT with a full aperture film filter is way more convenient than an 6" refractor with a wedge. (Before everyone attacks me for heresy, I have and use both.)

[Poita]

I consistently get better views through the BF5 thxn through the BF10 or the B1200. If you are not using high magnification the the bf5 or B600 give plenty of viewing room.

If you are going for higher mags/longer focal length or photography then the bigger blocking filters come into their own.

[Poita]

If they were the only two options the the 60 is way way better than the double stack PST. The pst has appalling focus, is difficult to use for photography and is just generally clunky. Having used both and a Lunt 60, i'd save my pennies a bit longer and get the Lunt, go second hand if you can get a look through it. As stated elsewhere solar scopes are patchy, Paul got two bad units recently and the third was finally okay, and that was at the more expensive end. Get a look through a good one before you buy.

[barx1963]

I have the SM60 BF10. Views are generally OK but I need a good EP to get nice views. The supplied EP (25mm Plossl) was pretty ordinary.
I have been able to use this with a DMK41 CCD camera.
I am now of the opinion that the focuser on these scopes is OK at best, getting a lunt with a standard crayford or feathertoucjh may have been a better option.

My 2c worth

Malcolm

[John.Osborn]

Seeing you are looking at one wave length of light you can use a relative cheep eyepiece as long it has been prepared like edges blackened
I prefer Cemax eyepieces