I already have Baader solar film and a Baader solar continuum filter. I'm guessing that a Herschel wedge would not necessarily be a worthwhile upgrade then? Especially considering that I could use it only with my small refractor, not the Mak or the Dob…
Steffen,
I use my Baader wedge on a 102mm achromat.
The performance in "white light" is much better than the view with the Baader solar film (which is already pretty good.)
If you want to get maximum resolution and image clarity - the Herschel wedge is the way to go!
(A good 100mm scope is all you really need under normal seeing conditions - all the possible detail is visible - Sunspots, plage, granulation etc)
This is more in my price range . Also would be looking to use it with a 5"/120 f5 achromat. I know it states refractor up to 6". But how safe is it when you start getting up to these size scopes?
Gavin,
The Herschel wedge is regularly used on 150mm achromats.
It has been used in observatories with apertures up to at least 200mm.
It's a 100% safe to use with the appropriate secondary ND filters after the wedge.
Gavin,
The Herschel wedge is regularly used on 150mm achromats.
It has been used in observatories with apertures up to at least 200mm.
It's a 100% safe to use with the appropriate secondary ND filters after the wedge.
Thank you Ken
Gives me some piece of mind .
Don't suppose you have any opinions on the Lunt wedge then?
Gavin,
I started by building my own wedge from a 60mm 30 degree optical prism..it worked very well....
I had an opportunity to buy a Baader and went for it.
The eyepiece end can accommodate a T thread to C adaptor and allows the DMK to mount securely..
The Lunt design is fairly basic, but does perform pretty well.
Over on the Solar Chat group they have stripped down both the Lunt and the Baader for comparison...
An interesting finding was that the Lunt prism was a thin tapered (slight wedge) piece of glass...in the Baader it's a "proper" 15deg (?) optical glass wedge prism.
Which ever one you go for, the surface detail will be better than with the film/ aperture glass filters.
Just remember to fit the additional ND filters.
Hope this helps.
.
. Also would be looking to use it with a 5"/120 f5 achromat. I know it states refractor up to 6". But how safe is it when you start getting up to these size scopes?
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