too many doubts / $

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alessbonsai
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too many doubts / $

Post by alessbonsai »

Hello
I am more and more confused, it is a time of crisis and I am not sure whether to take a DS for my PST (I am having a lot of fun), or to transform my 100esprit refractor (I use it for astrophotofraphy) into imaging solarscope.
70/900 acro vIsual
102/1000 acro visuaL
PST
I can't find a right combination.
Quark .... but I read that they are not all perfect
The PST does not disassemble I tried but I can't and I'm afraid of breaking it
BF SS DS etc etc too many variables.
Coronado VS Lunt
I don't want to spend too much and then not be satisfied
Please suggest me some HW combinations
Danke


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Re: too many doubts / $

Post by Montana »

I would do exactly as Justapictureposter says above, but in the meantime buy a second hand DS for your PST, it is fantastic and worth every penny :)

Alexandra


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Re: too many doubts / $

Post by EGRAY_OBSERVATORY »

I somewhat agree with justapictureposter's comments - where, what you pay for is what you get.

I would add though the the Lunt 60mm Ha scope and its' blocking-filter of at least a BF1200, as well as their Double-Stack for better contrast,
should also be considered, as a lower cost for the outlay. Included with either package, to have the FeatherTouch focuser is an added advantage
for fine-focusing use.

I have used/am using the Lunt Ha 60mm + FeatherTouch + BF1200 + Double Stack unit since 2010 without any pressure-tuning or problems at all.

Always start at the beginning with the scope, FT and BF before spending more on the other options...

As far as "Coronado VS Lunt" is concerned, LUNT wins hands-down, whereas The Coronado consortium of suppliers is a possible risk at present..
(Lunt - more or less only deal with Solar-viewing techniques) and their customer-service/advice is superb (compared to Meade at present).

Cheers
Terry


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Re: too many doubts / $

Post by David Fox »

Aperture never satisfies :seesaw
I loved my 50tha for years, wanted more and recently went 60tha.... nah now I want the 80.
Would I have taken that good advise and saved my pennies for the 80, definitely not, but probably should have :roll:
I also use a wedge with the esprit 120 but that's just not hydrogen satisfaction.

Good luck mate with whatever you decide.


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Re: too many doubts / $

Post by marktownley »

Looks like you have a good PST looking at the images on your website. My advice, buy a secondhand DS etalon for the PST, then start saving up for a Lunt80.


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Re: too many doubts / $

Post by Carbon60 »

Aperture fever.....it's a real condition.

Pretty much as others have said, if you're having fun with the PST, then double stacking it will bring even more joy as the details will really pop with the tighter bandwidth. This is the simplest and probably most satisfying next step unless you really want to spend much more and upgrade.

I'd go for a dedicated hydrogen alpha scope in the range 60-90 mm (Lunt or Coronado) depending on your budget. The suggested Lunt 80 is an excellent scope and could be the one to go for when you're ready, although double stacking this will really bump the price up.

Stu.


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Re: too many doubts / $

Post by alessbonsai »

Thanks friends, however that's what I thought too, now I'm looking for a DS for the PST, and then when I'm rich I'll buy something big


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Re: too many doubts / $

Post by Bob Yoesle »

Unless you can find a pre-Meade SM40 on the used market, I would think twice about post-Meade etalons unless you get a no-questions asked ability to return it. I would avoid rich-view tuning etalons altogether.

You can now get a new Lunt LS50C double stacking filter (https://luntsolarsystems.com/shop/solar ... ck-filter/) on sale. Get a local machinist, trades-school machine technology students (may do it for free as a student exercise), or Precise Parts, to make an adapter.


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Re: too many doubts / $

Post by Highbury Mark »

Bob Yoesle wrote: Thu Feb 18, 2021 3:15 pm
You can now get a new Lunt LS50C double stacking filter (https://luntsolarsystems.com/shop/solar ... ck-filter/) on sale. Get a local machinist, trades-school machine technology students (may do it for free as a student exercise), or Precise Parts, to make an adapter.
Wow. $779 for the Lunt 50mm DS filter in the States.
The same filter is £1,349 in the UK. At today’s exchange rate, that’s a smidgeon under $1900. :o


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Re: too many doubts / $

Post by SimonM »

Highbury Mark wrote: Thu Feb 18, 2021 7:41 pm Wow. $779 for the Lunt 50mm DS filter in the States.
The same filter is £1,349 in the UK. At today’s exchange rate, that’s a smidgeon under $1900. :o
Mark, would you say that is the equivalent of highway robbery e.g. "Highbury"? :band

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Or, is the correct Solar Term "daylight" robbery?

Simon


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Re: too many doubts / $

Post by Bob Yoesle »

Wow. $779 for the Lunt 50mm DS filter in the States.
The same filter is £1,349 in the UK. At today’s exchange rate, that’s a smidgeon under $1900. :o
Crikey! At the current exchange rate of ~ 0.71, that should be only £557. Even at the regular price of $849 that's only £607... With a 20% VAT that works out to £668 or £730 respectively. So the prices are essentially doubled!

When I've bought items from overseas such as Baader, BelOptik, etc., it's usually just the exchange rate value plus shipping, which is generally very reasonable? Is it Brexit fallout?

I'd be happy to purchase for someone in GB for costs plus shipping.

PM me if interested to work out details.


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Re: too many doubts / $

Post by Highbury Mark »

Bob Yoesle wrote: Fri Feb 19, 2021 11:00 am
Wow. $779 for the Lunt 50mm DS filter in the States.
The same filter is £1,349 in the UK. At today’s exchange rate, that’s a smidgeon under $1900. :o
Crikey! At the current exchange rate of ~ 0.71, that should be only £557. Even at the regular price of $849 that's only £607... With a 20% VAT that works out to £668 or £730 respectively. So the prices are essentially doubled!

When I've bought items from overseas such as Baader, BelOptik, etc., it's usually just the exchange rate value plus shipping, which is generally very reasonable? Is it Brexit fallout?

I'd be happy to purchase for someone in GB for costs plus shipping.

PM me if interested to work out details.
Amazing isn’t it! It’s why I ended up going for Solarscope SF70DS filters - same price as an LS80DS B1800 in U.K. In the States the Lunt would be 3x or 4x cheaper. The only (mainstream) brand that’s much cheaper here is Baader.


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Re: too many doubts / $

Post by SimonM »

Highbury Mark wrote: Fri Feb 19, 2021 1:52 pm The only (mainstream) brand ... here is Baader
In my mind, Baader makes very good products - even "bargains". I recently bought one of their Baader 2" Cool-Ceramic Safety Herschel Prisms - the Photographic version, that is UK competitively priced IMHO considering the five filters that are included with the Wedge and ClickLock and a delight to use.

Two further things I like about the company are their quick responses to requests for information and their published data. Unfortunately, some of their products become quite expensive in the US compared to European prices.

I've previously bought Celestron products that turn out not to be compatible (the lame excuse being that there are just too many products to think about testing, including their own) and where information (size) is considered a "trade secret" - thanks, but no thanks! For the record, I have bought filters from other vendors when the "obvious" thing is usually, just to "get the Baader one".

Simon


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