Advice on Solar Scopes

[m11 (Mel)]

Hi All,

Just wanted to ask everyone for their advice on what to do.

I currently have a Lunt Solar Single Stack Pressure tuned 60mm scope. I thinking of double stacking it to improve the contrast or should I just saved for a Ls 80mm single stack?

My understanding is the double stack module for a 60mm etalon is around $2.5k and a Lunt 80mm is $5.7k.

Thanks everyone

Mel

[Star Catcher (Ted Dobosz)]

Hi Mel, a tough one to decide on. DS views are hard to beat however you will be dealing with a substantially darker view in the 60mm. It will be fine as long as you don't pump up the magnification too much. Really depends on how you want to view or image??

I have the 80mm SS and DS and shift between both happily however I mainly do imaging. It is a great scope and its a good compromise between light gathering and price. I think Ivan (Gus) in this forum has both the 60mm and 100mm Lunt in DS versions and could provide a better opinion.
Ted

[m11 (Mel)]

Hi Ted,

Yah, having a dilemma trying to work out what to do.

I would be primarily only visual.

I guess another option is to sell the 60mm to buy the 80mm and enventually the double stack module.

Thanks,

Mel

Originally Posted by Star Catcher

Hi Mel, a tough one to decide on. DS views are hard to beat however you will be dealing with a substantially darker view in the 60mm. It will be fine as long as you don't pump up the magnification too much. Really depends on how you want to view or image??

I have the 80mm SS and DS and shift between both happily however I mainly do imaging. It is a great scope and its a good compromise between light gathering and price. I think Ivan (Gus) in this forum has both the 60mm and 100mm Lunt in DS versions and could provide a better opinion.
Ted

[Derek Klepp]

Mel I have an old 60mm and the 100m SS Lunts .The larger aperture always shows more.Honestly I would save for a bigger aperture.Perhaps check out the Solarchat forum for different opinions.
Derek

[m11 (Mel)]

Hi Derek,

Thanks for that.

Thinking I should have got the single stack 80mm to begin with now

I will look to save up for the single stack 80mm.

Thanks for that.

Mel

Originally Posted by Derek Klepp

Mel I have an old 60mm and the 100m SS Lunts .The larger aperture always shows more.Honestly I would save for a bigger aperture.Perhaps check out the Solarchat forum for different opinions.
Derek

[SteveInNZ]

Originally Posted by Star Catcher

I have the 80mm SS and DS and shift between both happily

Is there an advantage to the SS version that would have you choose that over the DS one ?

Steve.

[m11 (Mel)]

I might be able to swing to a lunt 100mm ss. Would you recommend the 80mm ss or is the 100mm ss worth going up too?

Too many choices - first world problems.

Thanks,

M11

[Merlin66 (Ken)]

If your budget can stretch to the 100mm then that’s the way to go.

[m11 (Mel)]

Hi Ken,

Thanks for that. I assume the 100mm is is better all round?

Is it worth going the 100mm b1800 as its another 600 over the b1200?

Thanks,

M11

[Merlin66 (Ken)]

The 12mm B1200 blocking filter is probably as good as you need.
The Solar diameter is only 1/100 the focal length, any additional coverage just adds to the FOV not the detail or contrast.

I have the BF15 (15mm) on my 102mm f11 PST Mod and that gives more than enough coverage.

[m11 (Mel)]

Hi Ken,

Thanks for that.

Will put a order soon as I have been told it could be a 6 month wait.

Thank you for your help.

M11

[AstroJunk (Jonathan)]

DS is far more important than aperture. Sure a 100mm is a fantastic scope and I have had the pleasure of using every Lunt Ha DS up to 152mm, but without a DS unit you will be wasting your money.

And the one I bought - a Lunt 50mm DS, and I'm delighted with it - but then i'm not much of a solar observer and have invested my $$ in real telescopes

[Star Catcher (Ted Dobosz)]

Originally Posted by SteveInNZ

Is there an advantage to the SS version that would have you choose that over the DS one ?

Steve.

Depends what your interest is. DS will give you more surface details but SS will provide brighter prominences. I use SS for imaging prominences and DS for imaging surface details. Visually the DS provides nicer views of surface structure when they are there. DS on the LS80 does tend to look a little dark especially if you try and crank up the viewing power.

Ted

[m11 (Mel)]

Hi Astrojunk,

Hehe, there always seems to be something to buy

So basically you are recommending to get the largest aperture that you can double stack?

Just saw the ds module for the 100mm is 5k whereas the 80mm is 2.7k. Solar scopes are defintely more expensive than my night scopes.

Ahh , if only I won lotto

Thanks,

M11

Originally Posted by AstroJunk

DS is far more important than aperture. Sure a 100mm is a fantastic scope and I have had the pleasure of using every Lunt Ha DS up to 152mm, but without a DS unit you will be wasting your money.

And the one I bought - a Lunt 50mm DS, and I'm delighted with it - but then i'm not much of a solar observer and have invested my $$ in real telescopes

[Wavytone]

Out of curiosity... are these rather pricey "solar scopes" equipped with singlet, achro or more complex objective ?

The reason I ask is that given you're using filter to produce a monochromatic image there's no point using an achro or APO objective ... the only aberrations to worry about are the 5 monochromatic Seidel ones.

[Merlin66 (Ken)]

The PST and I think all the Coronado Ha scopes are doublets.
The majority of the Lunt scopes are singlet objectives.
(From what I've learnt the Spherical aberration is a concern in Ha systems)

The costs are not in the objective but in etalon and subsequent ERF/ ITF/ blocking filters

[m11 (Mel)]

Thanks everyone for their help and knowledge.

I have ordered the Lunt b1200 100mm scope and been told it will be at least a four month wait.

Will save for the double stack. Might take awhile though

Can I ask what alt az mount would you recommend for the scope?

Thanks again,

M11

[m11 (Mel)]

Just figured out how to use the Solarmax II double stack in the 60mm. It pays to read the manual.

Wow is all I can say in regards to what I saw. It was a significant difference in constrast when compared to my Lunt 60mm single stack. I really enjoyed the view and for me it was like viewing Saturn for the first time.

I am definetely saving for double stack modules for my 60mm and 100mm on order.

Thank you for everyones help.