TheSkySearchers

04/14/2024

My new Lunt 50mm HA Solar scope has arrived last week and I was impatiently waiting for a chance to take it for a spin. The forecast for the next ten days did not look great, but to my surprise and delight the sun broke the clouds today around 10 am. I have dropped everything, grabbed the scope and Manfrotto tripod and run out. Eventually, I would like to use the scope on a tracking mount but did not want to mess with it today.
My plan was to use Baader Mark IV zoom. Unfortunately, there was not enough inward travel to reach focus with it. So, I have run back home and grabbed my EP case. TV Delites in shorter FLs did not reach focus either, but due to outward focuser limit. Vixen SLVs on the other hand worked nicely in all FLs.

It took some practice finding the sun. The eye position for this scope is very sensitive and prone to blackouts, I have learned to hover above EP to keep the sun image steady, which is different from nighttime observing. At night I use a hoodie to block stray light. For sun I have discovered that baseball cap works better.

I have started at low power SLV 25mm (14x) where the Sun was smallish and worked my way down to 6mm (58x). Wow, just wow! The level of details exceeded my best expectations.

As I cranked power larger sunspots got resolved into small groups and mini sunspots popped all over the sun disk. Granulation, filaments, arches, proms, umbra and penumbra in sunspots, all were there with finest level of details. Proms showed intricate patterns down to tiniest threads. As I turned slowly the pressure handle new details within the disk came into view.

One hour in I was just warming up. Run home to grab more of short FL EPs, but when came back the clouds moved in. Glad that my wife managed to take a look and she was blown away to! Now we both are solar heads for life.

Very detailed first light report ! I was confident you wouldn't be disappointed . The restricted view is due to the blocking filter size , B600 is 6mm , the B1200 is double the size at 12mm and will open up your field of view . Could be something to consider down the road

Good for you Andrey! What a nice read and congrats on the good luck with the viewing. Your skies behind you look menacing!

Bigzmey wrote: ↑Sun Apr 14, 2024 9:26 pm Glad that my wife managed to take a look and she was blown away to! Now we both are solar heads for life.

Always good when you can get the other half involved; nice for you both.

Not trying to help you spend your $$$, but Mike is so right. I went from a 5mm to a 10mm and visually it was even more amazing, plus easier to find ol' Sol.

Like you said, it's always a bit more...

Nice report and a big recommendation for VROD

All the best,

Thanks Mike and Mark! What you are saying makes perfect sense. I will add 12mm to my list.

Was not sure how much we would like HA solar, but since it clicked with us, will be looking into upgrades for sure down the road.

I got one several years ago. Love the views but did have to replace the EP holder with a 15mm as the 30mm one the scope came with did not give enough inward focus for some of my EPs.

Was going to double stack it but never did. Maybe someday.

Enjoy it

Sounds a nice first lighting for both of you, best of Solar Heading indeed !

Thanks Chich and Aaron!

I am contemplating double stacking. In addition to cost my concern is that it will dim the image and it will be harder to observe during bright day.

@Bigzmey
The amount of dimming at the eyepiece will hardly be noticeable but the detail double stacking brings out is well worth the investment IMO . The reduced brightness becomes more apparent when imaging , the slightly dimmer view requires more exposure time and slows down the frame rate , the same happens when using barlows .
Hope this is helpful .

Solsearcher wrote: ↑Sat May 04, 2024 8:49 pm @Bigzmey
The amount of dimming at the eyepiece will hardly be noticeable but the detail double stacking brings out is well worth the investment IMO . The reduced brightness becomes more apparent when imaging , the slightly dimmer view requires more exposure time and slows down the frame rate , the same happens when using barlows .
Hope this is helpful .

Thanks! That definitely helps.

very happy for you and your wife, very good report of an excellent product.
too bad the baader zoom didn't give the expected result .
i'm still wondering if i should buy 2 for mine with my binos .
thx Andrey .

Thanks Jean-Yves!

Baader Mark IV is a good quality zoom. I have been using it for years. The problem is a short focuser travel on the Lunt 50mm. I can't get focus with many of my favorite EPs like TV Delos and Pentax XW, not just the zoom. The good part is I got plenty of EPs to find those that work with Lunt.

Something to be aware of. I have tried to use my binoviewers with two Baader zooms but they have ~5cm diameter and my nose get's in the way. I know other people use them for binoviewing so it comes down to face structure.

@Bigzmey

If your focus issue is not enough outward travel adding an extension tube should bring a larger variety of E/P's and barlow combinations into play .

Congrats on the new scope. I'm sure you are going to enjoy it.

A few more points.

I've used my Baader zoom but it is a heavy EP so be sure it is in securely. Knew of one fellow who had his slip out. I usually set up over grass/soft ground and lay a tarp or sheet down. Makes it easier to find smallish dropped items as well. I've tried several EPs and found an old 10mm Kellner which gives good views.

For keeping the sunlight out of the way at the Ep you can pick up one of those foam drink sleeves (cosy, koozie?). You cut the hole in the bottom to fit over the EP and you might have to carve the top a bit to fit your face but the result is a pretty good light shield. I also saw one fellow who adapted a pair of welding goggles, replacing the glass plate with a rubber or foam sheet with a hole cut out to go over the EP.

I've not done any photography with it but the focus can be an issue. That said, there have been some very good photos made. I was on cloudy nights when I got mine (2015) and one of the commenters posted some very nice photos she had made with hers. The discussions are archived now and hard to find but i can send you the link, i think I still have it saved.

My wife is not an astro keener but after her first look through the scope (which was through the window , -30 at the time) she declared that this one was hers

Bigzmey wrote: ↑Sun May 05, 2024 1:59 am Thanks Jean-Yves!

Baader Mark IV is a good quality zoom. I have been using it for years. The problem is a short focuser travel on the Lunt 50mm. I can't get focus with many of my favorite EPs like TV Delos and Pentax XW, not just the zoom. The good part is I got plenty of EPs to find those that work with Lunt.

Something to be aware of. I have tried to use my binoviewers with two Baader zooms but they have ~5cm diameter and my nose get's in the way. I know other people use them for binoviewing so it comes down to face structure.

I also have this problem with my binos, what I do, I move the bf back about 2 inches and that's it, it works very well.

Thanks everyone! Our Sunday morning solar tradition took a hit today. We had a rain overnight and the clouds still hanging around. Maybe I will take a pick tomorrow at lunch.

Going to the 'bright side' is another world. It's fun to be able to watch what our sun is up to.
Congratulations!

Gordon wrote: ↑Sun May 05, 2024 5:20 pm Going to the 'bright side' is another world. It's fun to be able to watch what our sun is up to.
Congratulations!

Thanks Gordon! Looks like I found another rabbit hole to jump into, but I am loving it.

Sorry to hear you got clouded out! I was looking forward to a report on your new Sunday tradition... If it makes you feel any better that was me today too. Befor I got into Solar, I thought it was just the night time skies that were bad

Hope it gets better for you Andrey!

Thefatkitty wrote: ↑Sun May 05, 2024 11:22 pm Sorry to hear you got clouded out! I was looking forward to a report on your new Sunday tradition... If it makes you feel any better that was me today too. Befor I got into Solar, I thought it was just the night time skies that were bad

Hope it gets better for you Andrey!

We should join the clouds appreciation society, then they will be really confused.