How to: solar telescopes

[lesbehrens (Les)]

hi, i am interested in getting into solar observing and wondering the best way to get started. i dont know if i should buy a solar telescope of buy a filter? i know of two types of solar telescoes the Lunt solar systems and Coronado. which one is the better brand? what type of detail would i expect to see through a 60mm one? or do i need a camera set up to get some detail?
thanks

[Blue Skies (Jacquie)]

I'm surprised that no one has answered your query yet. I'm supposed to be packing a suitcase right now but I'll just say that the sun is very quiet at the moment, very quiet, so what ever you do choose I hope you aren't disappointed. It looks like we have another 12 months before much starts happening in the next solar cycle.

I've only looked through Coronado scopes so I can't comment on the Lunt models. The pst does a nice job for the size. I have looked through a 40mm once and was amazed. The 60mm is probably only for the hard core solar heads!

Hopefully someone else will come along soon - although it is easter and they might all be away! Patience might be in order until next week for full answers.

[Miaplacidus (Brian)]

Mmmmm.... Well, I have a PST and I enjoy it, but I can imagine it might be considered an ex-y luxury item for a lot of people. Watching dynamic solar flares is certainly more interesting that watching static sun spots, but it still isn't quite super-8 racing cars.

I started with a standard solar filter for my ETX (which I have adapted for my Megrez using some plumbing parts). It is a lot cheaper, but if there aren't any sun spots then all you get is a white disk, which is dull. I think the cheapest option is making one with Baader solar film. Mylar? (Is there a how to somewhere here?)

Anyway, welcome to the site.

Cheers,

Brian.

[anj026]

If you have a simple refractor or reflector it is relatively easy to rig up a solar projection bracket which will allow you to see sunspots and eclipses when they occur. I've not tried the hydrogen alpha scopes but it seems you are looking at hundreds of dollars just to get started. The white light filters are certainly more economical and will also show sunspots and eclipses when they occur.

[lesbehrens (Les)]

Originally Posted by anj026

If you have a simple refractor or reflector it is relatively easy to rig up a solar projection bracket which will allow you to see sunspots and eclipses when they occur. I've not tried the hydrogen alpha scopes but it seems you are looking at hundreds of dollars just to get started. The white light filters are certainly more economical and will also show sunspots and eclipses when they occur.

viewing the sun spots with a filter does it look like the pictures i see on the net? just a white disc with black dots?

[Zuts]

Originally Posted by lesbehrens

viewing the sun spots with a filter does it look like the pictures i see on the net? just a white disc with black dots?

The solar filter just gives you a white disc with as you say black dots. If you are very very lucky you may imagine a bit of granulation.

I havnt looked through a PST but they give a good view of some granulation and flares, much better for imaging. So if this is what you want, a 'real' view of the sun then go with the PST. Like anything it is all about money, if you want to see more then you will have to spend more, say an ED80 plus 60 mm alpha filter with a better bandpass than the PST but costing many thousands of dollars.

I would say this, if you buy a white light filter you will probably be dissapointed, see one sunspot so to say then see them all. A PST would be a much better option and for a 'real' solar scope at 800 AUD very good value. If you enjoy this then you may want to go to the next level and can sell, losing only a few hundred dollars.

Paul

[lesbehrens (Les)]

Originally Posted by Zuts

The solar filter just gives you a white disc with as you say black dots. If you are very very lucky you may imagine a bit of granulation.

I havnt looked through a PST but they give a good view of some granulation and flares, much better for imaging. So if this is what you want, a 'real' view of the sun then go with the PST. Like anything it is all about money, if you want to see more then you will have to spend more, say an ED80 plus 60 mm alpha filter with a better bandpass than the PST but costing many thousands of dollars.

I would say this, if you buy a white light filter you will probably be dissapointed, see one sunspot so to say then see them all. A PST would be a much better option and for a 'real' solar scope at 800 AUD very good value. If you enjoy this then you may want to go to the next level and can sell, losing only a few hundred dollars.

Paul

have you seen through any solar scope? i would like to see the prominces. will the images be sharp? or will they look like the cloud bands on jupiter? hard to see? is there any one close to kilcoy so i mite be able to view through your scope??

[Merlin66 (Ken)]

Believe me, if you can get the chance to look through either a PST or one of the SM40 Hydrogen alpha filtered scopes it'll blow your socks off.
The proms and surface granulations are very easily seen ( and enjoyed).
At the moment there are some spectacular proms to be seen.