Lunt Solar Scopes

[CapturingTheNight (Greg)]

Hello,
I'm considering buying a solar telescope and was interested in getting a Coronado PST but got some advice from a friend overseas who works in a telescope shop that the PST's have oxidization issues on the filters since Meade took them over. She recommended I investigate Lunt scopes and the comparable model by Lunt is the LS35T Deluxe package http://luntsolarsystems.com/blog/ls35t-deluxe-package.
None of the Lunt dealers in Australia has this model listed on their sites. They only start at the 60mm versions which are out of my current budget. I contacted one about if they could get me what I wanted and was quoted nearly $400 dollars more than what it is listed as on the Lunt website. Considering the Aus dollar and that they are ment to be purely dealers for Lunt and not on-sellers I was more than disappointed with this.

Has anyone had any experience with going direct through Lunt. They recommend on their website going through your local dealer but at that price.....no way. Or, can anyone talk up the PST and assure me that my friend is wrong.

I know I could just get a solar filter for my 10" scope, but in the long term I think I would get more enjoyment of imaging more detail offered by the Ha scopes.

Any thoughts appreciated.

Cheers

[casstony]

Give Sirius Optics a call Greg - they should be able to get any Lunt product you want and their prices are usually fairly competitive with US prices (website may be out of date).

I've bought two filters and a solar scope from Sirius - one of the filters arrived with a broken etalon from rough handling - Sirius replaced it immediately from stock rather than making me wait for the original to be repaired in the US; the broken etalon would have been a lot more hassle if I'd purchased direct from Lunt.

[CapturingTheNight (Greg)]

Originally Posted by casstony

Give Sirius Optics a call Greg - they should be able to get any Lunt product you want and their prices are usually fairly competitive with US prices (website may be out of date).

I've bought two filters and a solar scope from Sirius - one of the filters arrived with a broken etalon from rough handling - Sirius replaced it immediately from stock rather than making me wait for the original to be repaired in the US; the broken etalon would have been a lot more hassle if I'd purchased direct from Lunt.

Thanks for the advice Tony. I'll see what they can do for me. I certainly want to get something before the Venus transit next year, but sooner the better I think.

[Poita (Peter)]

I thought the rust issue had been sorted out some time ago with the PST?

[stephenb (Stephen)]

I purchased my Lunt Ha60 direct from Lunt. Rikki Hocking in Customer Service was fantastic to deal with.

I originally was going to buy through a Lunt dealer in Oz but I was told the production time was 3 months and I had to pay full cost up front.

I immediately contacted Lunt in the US and was quoted a lead time of 10 days from purchase to dispatch (owing to back log in production). Shipped via UPS, tracked every kilometre from Austin TX to UPS's Loiusville Air Hub, then on board UPS34 as it hopped to Honolulu and Sydney. Arrived within 2 days. So all up about 12-13 days from payment to arriving on my doorstep. That was 12 months ago so things may have improved.

[Max Vondel (Peter)]

I purchased a Lunt solar wedge about 6 month's ago.
Shipped in from the USA all went well....no nasty surprises

But don't forget GST on purchases over $1000-

Similiarly, I also purchased 2 Quicksilver Monoblocks from the US.
Only $1300- but had to pay $450- in customs clearance etc...!
(and 1 block blew out a major capacitor within 5 hours use on standard KT88 valves!)

So check how they intent to send it, standard customs clearance sucks!

[Merlin66 (Ken)]

Greg,
I have used many PST's over the last few years, and modded a few of them along the way.
I can assure you 100% that the current production PST ( with the blue objectives) do NOT have the issue with "rusting"
Infact I haven't seen a "rust" objective on any serial above, I think,#102000
This is becoming an urban legend and should NOT stop you considering a PST or any other Coronado product.
Please please feel to pass this message to your friend.
(I detail the rust issue etc in my PST mod write-up -available on request)

[casstony]

The objectives on the newer model PST's can't rust/oxidise since the filter that was mounted between the doublet objective elements on the original design has been shifted to the rear of the scope (at the bottom of the eyepiece holder). Rear mounted filters can still oxidise and have been known to oxidise on some of the Coronado scopes - I don't know if this is still a problem. Lunt claims to avoid the possibility of blocking filter oxidisation through a proprietary manufacturing process.

[Merlin66 (Ken)]

The rear ERF filter (in front of the actual blocking filter) protects the blocking filter from excessive energy; same in the Lunt.
It will be interesting to see what happens (if anything) with the Lunt over the next few years. They haven't been on the market long enough to develop too many problems...

[CapturingTheNight (Greg)]

Originally Posted by stephenb

I purchased my Lunt Ha60 direct from Lunt. Rikki Hocking in Customer Service was fantastic to deal with.

I originally was going to buy through a Lunt dealer in Oz but I was told the production time was 3 months and I had to pay full cost up front.

I immediately contacted Lunt in the US and was quoted a lead time of 10 days from purchase to dispatch (owing to back log in production). Shipped via UPS, tracked every kilometre from Austin TX to UPS's Loiusville Air Hub, then on board UPS34 as it hopped to Honolulu and Sydney. Arrived within 2 days. So all up about 12-13 days from payment to arriving on my doorstep. That was 12 months ago so things may have improved.

Thanks for letting me know that you had a good experience Stephen.

Originally Posted by Max Vondel

I purchased a Lunt solar wedge about 6 month's ago.
Shipped in from the USA all went well....no nasty surprises

But don't forget GST on purchases over $1000-

Similiarly, I also purchased 2 Quicksilver Monoblocks from the US.
Only $1300- but had to pay $450- in customs clearance etc...!
(and 1 block blew out a major capacitor within 5 hours use on standard KT88 valves!)

So check how they intent to send it, standard customs clearance sucks!

Ouch! I'll keep that in mind, thanks Peter.

Originally Posted by Merlin66

Greg,
I have used many PST's over the last few years, and modded a few of them along the way.
I can assure you 100% that the current production PST ( with the blue objectives) do NOT have the issue with "rusting"
Infact I haven't seen a "rust" objective on any serial above, I think,#102000
This is becoming an urban legend and should NOT stop you considering a PST or any other Coronado product.
Please please feel to pass this message to your friend.
(I detail the rust issue etc in my PST mod write-up -available on request)

Thank you very much for clarifying that Merlin. I'll let my friend know. I'll keep that in mind when I make my decission.

[Derek Klepp]

Greg just saw this post. I,d consider all options for a solar scope number one being budget then check out all the options. I have a Daystar version and although they don't appear much I am happy with mine despite certain things. The PST represents good value for money then its all up from there.As for going direct just remember shipping costs GST and import duties. I think the Lunt 60mm models are good value for money and just call all the Aussie suppliers and go with who you feel comfortable with.

[CapturingTheNight (Greg)]

Originally Posted by Derek Klepp

Greg just saw this post. I,d consider all options for a solar scope number one being budget then check out all the options. I have a Daystar version and although they don't appear much I am happy with mine despite certain things. The PST represents good value for money then its all up from there.As for going direct just remember shipping costs GST and import duties. I think the Lunt 60mm models are good value for money and just call all the Aussie suppliers and go with who you feel comfortable with.

Thank you very much for your thoughts Derek I have never heard of the Daystar solar scopes before. Sadly my current budget would only extend to either a PST or a 35ml Lunt. The best price I can find in Australia for the lunt is about $100 more than the PST, so seeing as my fears about the PST have been corrected, I will probably end up with one of them soon. Might be an early chrissy pressy to myself

[frolinmod]

Although I can't speak to your exact model choices, when you get into the larger more expensive solar scopes I personally think the Lunts are all around better than the Coronados, but that you pay a premium for that. I also think it's difficult to beat Coronado on price alone. The neat thing about solar scopes is that they can often be resold without incurring a loss.

[CapturingTheNight (Greg)]

Originally Posted by frolinmod

Although I can't speak to your exact model choices, when you get into the larger more expensive solar scopes I personally think the Lunts are all around better than the Coronados, but that you pay a premium for that. I also think it's difficult to beat Coronado on price alone. The neat thing about solar scopes is that they can often be resold without incurring a loss.

Thanks for you thoughts Ernie I recently took the plunge and got a Coronado PST. I love it and have started imaging with it. One day when money is more plentiful i'll certainly be upgrading to a bigger and better scope.