Lunt 60mm Ha scopes

[thunderchildobs]

I am looking for a Ha scope suitable for both visual and imaging.
Some of the Lunt 60mm's looking intersting., possbily the Lunt 60mm B1200 P/T version. Price range around $2500.

Any suggestions or links to images would be appreciated.

My old 40mm PST has got the "rust" problem on the front lens and I am looking to upgrade.

Thanks
Brendan

[MikeyB]

$2,300 actually, I don't know about Bintel's stock availability though.

Nice scopes - I've just bought a used one after several years observing with an excellent PST. The Lunt has great resolution - fine details such as fibrils are very sharp in good seeing. Pressure tuning is a bit like a 10:1 Crayford and finding the best setting for a given feature takes quite a bit of twisting to explore the tuning range. Build quality and appearance is first-class.

[Waxing_Gibbous]

"Casstony" has a double-stacked Lunt 60 that's a real corker. I could've spent hours looking through it.
If memory serves, it also had the pressure-tuners which allow you to dial in detail on either the surface plages or coronal emissions.
V.Nice.

[Merlin66]

Brendan,
You could consider modding the ol' PST to a say 80mm...will give fantastic views - better than any SM40/SM60 or Lunt.
I have a double stacked SM60 and if you work carefully with the tuning, it does everything that needs to be done...I've never see or used the "pressure" tuning so can't comment. Tilt tuning seems to work 100% for me.

[casstony]

Tilt tuning or pressure tuning both work fine. One advantage of the pressure tuned scope is that it doesn't have to go back to the factory to be matched for double stacking - the pressure tuned etalon has no tilt so it's easy to order a DS filter with an apropriate amount of tilt. Call Sirius Optics for current prices (and good service).

On a side note, two of my daughters friends had their first look at the Sun today - not particularly impressed until I explained that those little fiery loops were bigger than the Earth, then their jaws dropped - it's all in the perception :) .

[Merlin66]

Coronado said the same ie return to base to set up an SM60 double stack...I ignored that and now have the necessary experience and practise in setting up different DS arrangements...not easy but not impossible.

[casstony]

I've done the same with Lunt filters but there's still a risk that you'll get a poorly performing set - the perpendicular etalon of the pst or pressure tuned Lunt removes the guesswork.

[Merlin66]

Definately a degree of fiddle fart, but well worthwhile.
I have a sketch which shows how the filters should be arranged to give maximum resolution. if there's any interest I can upload.
I now have a double stacked SM60 with a PST etalon working very well!
(The double stacked PST/ PST didn't work too well for me - a real PITA to get things absolutely correct - but I see a guy in HK has had success)

[thunderchildobs]

Thanks for the ideas.

Brendan