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Post by markt on Jul 15, 2008 18:30:34 GMT
Given the low number of nights I seem to get to be able to observe on I thought I would branch out into a bit of solar observing. Just taken delivery of a Thousand Oaks Type 2 Solar Filter to fit my ETX 90. I'm pleased with initial results - even if the sun is a pretty featureless disk at the moment. No doubt I'll be taking some pics with it so when I have some of the featureless disk i'll post them here for you all to see. I want to get some nice shots of the solar eclipse on the 1st august. Later this year I want to get a Coronado PST for The Ha view and mount the 2 scopes in tandem... Happy days!
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Post by André on Jul 16, 2008 12:20:18 GMT
Hi Mark
That's a great combination. I am using my ETX90 with various solar filters for over ten Years now and there is allways something to explore. Even in White Light! Unfortunately the PSTs are very expensive. Lets wait how prices will evolve when the LUNT System is on the market :-)
André
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Post by markt on Jul 16, 2008 16:02:34 GMT
The Gods of the heavens have been taunting me - as soon as I took the filtered scope out last night in rolled a bank of cloud, disappearing after the sun had gone behind a building from my garden. Then today at work the sun has been blazing away, only for me to come in from work for, you've guessed it, for clouds to roll over... Still I got this pic yesterday before being totally clouded out. Focus isn't as sharp as it could be and it nicely shows up the dust on the sensor on my 350D... *makes note to clean sensor* Still, it's a nice image scale and the partial solar eclipse on august 1st should be framed nicely. Plenty of practice between now and then should hopefully make perfect... Lets hope for clear skies!
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Post by markt on Jul 16, 2008 16:49:37 GMT
H-alpha filter for solar eclipses? Extravagant, or what? I'm happy with my piece of kite foil (don't do it at home - it's proper solar filter stuff really). Ho hum... The Ha filters are a couple of quid, but I don't think extravagant - if funds allowed I would have bought one aswell as the thousand oaks in readiness for the eclipse. I intend having one before the year is out tho... Now we're (roughly) at solar minimum I reckon it's the best time to get solar gear - the views are just going to keep getting better over the next decade, and as the views get better so does the buzz factor. Last solar maximum I had a 20x50 spotting scope I used to project the solar image onto white card, I even have a 'log book' somewhere in the loft where I diligently recorded this at every clear day. You'll have to let me know if you get hold of the PSTs John, in my grand plan I have a daytime solar 'rig' and a night time astro 'rig.'
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