Most cost effective CaK ultra narrowband filter.

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Most cost effective CaK ultra narrowband filter.

Post by DeepSolar64 »

All,
Imaging has renewed my interest in the CaK wavelength. With the ASI178MM camera I can see it on the monitor and image it. I would primarily use my Astro-Tech AT72EDII refractor as my CaK scope. I would also possibly use the NexStar C102 as well, probably stopped down most of the time. What filter would be the most cost effective to start out with? A Baader double-stacked K-line dichroic filter or Lunt CaK module? DayStar also makes CaK and CaH Quarks. Does anyone else make a filter that doesn't cost a huge amount of money? I have got two mounts to buy too and money is short to come by.

James


Lunt 8x32 SUNoculars
Orion 70mm Solar Telescope
Celestron AstroMaster Alt/Az Mount
Meade Coronado SolarMax II 60 DS
Meade Coronado SolarMax II 90 DS
Meade Coronado AZS Alt/Az Mount
Astro-Tech AT72EDII with Altair solar wedge
Celestron NexStar 102GT with Altair solar wedge
Losmandy AZ8 Alt/Az Mount
Sky-Watcher AZGTI Alt-Az GoTo mount
Cameras: ZWO ASI178MM, PGR Grasshopper, PGR Flea
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Re: Most cost effective CaK ultra narrowband filter.

Post by marktownley »

Lunt CaK is the most viable way forward. Short of that get a CaK PST used if you can and mod. Personally I wouldn't bother with a K-line.


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Re: Most cost effective CaK ultra narrowband filter.

Post by DeepSolar64 »

marktownley wrote: Sun Mar 28, 2021 4:54 pm Lunt CaK is the most viable way forward. Short of that get a CaK PST used if you can and mod. Personally I wouldn't bother with a K-line.

Lunt is my first choice so far. I wish Meade Coronado still made the CaK PST.


Lunt 8x32 SUNoculars
Orion 70mm Solar Telescope
Celestron AstroMaster Alt/Az Mount
Meade Coronado SolarMax II 60 DS
Meade Coronado SolarMax II 90 DS
Meade Coronado AZS Alt/Az Mount
Astro-Tech AT72EDII with Altair solar wedge
Celestron NexStar 102GT with Altair solar wedge
Losmandy AZ8 Alt/Az Mount
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Cameras: ZWO ASI178MM, PGR Grasshopper, PGR Flea
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Re: Most cost effective CaK ultra narrowband filter.

Post by Stardust5858 »

I know Mark wouldn't bother with the baader k-line but I love it actually even though it's a glorified white light filter. It gives amazing views of falculie and spots. I do have a Lunt b1800 Ca-K module on its way but I'll still be using the badder as my higher contrast white light filter. Attached baader k-line images. The Baader cost me £240 the Lunt £1300.
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PSX_20210224_165549.jpg
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PSX_20210224_165647.jpg
PSX_20210224_165647.jpg (912.35 KiB) Viewed 2676 times


10ft x 6ft Solar RoR with Warm Room
Lunt 60mm Double Stack HA
80ed WL+ Lunt Hershal Wedge + Badder K-Line filter.
100mm AR + Lunt b1800 Ca-K module.
Neq6 Eq Mount.

2.7m Pulsar Dome.
11in Celestron SCT + White Light Filter.
70mm AR Stellavue.
12inch OO Newtonian.
Eq8 r Pro Mount.
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Re: Most cost effective CaK ultra narrowband filter.

Post by DeepSolar64 »

Nigella,
Alexandra told me the Baader K-Band filter was really good for faculae too. I can see here that that is very much true. I have an Edmund Optical 430 nm filter that I bought from Marty Wise a couple of months back. I need to get some imaging time on that filter. Like the Baader K-Line it concentrates more on the photosphere. I have read that double stacking the K-Line can give more of a CaK view of the lowest reaches of the Chromosphere but is still not narrow enough in bandwidth to equal the Lunt CaK module.

I'll look up the K-Line filter for photospheric faculae work and high rez imaging but I still have the plans for a CaK filter like a Lunt module. Except for white light, Solar is so dern expensive!

James


Lunt 8x32 SUNoculars
Orion 70mm Solar Telescope
Celestron AstroMaster Alt/Az Mount
Meade Coronado SolarMax II 60 DS
Meade Coronado SolarMax II 90 DS
Meade Coronado AZS Alt/Az Mount
Astro-Tech AT72EDII with Altair solar wedge
Celestron NexStar 102GT with Altair solar wedge
Losmandy AZ8 Alt/Az Mount
Sky-Watcher AZGTI Alt-Az GoTo mount
Cameras: ZWO ASI178MM, PGR Grasshopper, PGR Flea
Lunt, Coronado, TeleVue, Orion and Meade eyepieces

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Re: Most cost effective CaK ultra narrowband filter.

Post by Stardust5858 »

DeepSolar64 wrote: Sun Mar 28, 2021 7:54 pm Nigella,
Alexandra told me the Baader K-Band filter was really good for faculae too. I can see here that that is very much true. I have an Edmund Optical 430 nm filter that I bought from Marty Wise a couple of months back. I need to get some imaging time on that filter. Like the Baader K-Line it concentrates more on the photosphere. I have read that double stacking the K-Line can give more of a CaK view of the lowest reaches of the Chromosphere but is still not narrow enough in bandwidth to equal the Lunt CaK module.

I'll look up the K-Line filter for photospheric faculae work and high rez imaging but I still have the plans for a CaK filter like a Lunt module. Except for white light, Solar is so dern expensive!

James
It certainly is expensive James, even more so as prices have risen quite a bit.

Nigella.


10ft x 6ft Solar RoR with Warm Room
Lunt 60mm Double Stack HA
80ed WL+ Lunt Hershal Wedge + Badder K-Line filter.
100mm AR + Lunt b1800 Ca-K module.
Neq6 Eq Mount.

2.7m Pulsar Dome.
11in Celestron SCT + White Light Filter.
70mm AR Stellavue.
12inch OO Newtonian.
Eq8 r Pro Mount.
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Re: Most cost effective CaK ultra narrowband filter.

Post by marktownley »

You're not going to see a huge amount of difference with that 430nm filter you have and a K-line James. I'd use that rather than buy a K-line.


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Re: Most cost effective CaK ultra narrowband filter.

Post by DeepSolar64 »

marktownley wrote: Sun Mar 28, 2021 8:58 pm You're not going to see a huge amount of difference with that 430nm filter you have and a K-line James. I'd use that rather than buy a K-line.

Thanks Mark. I will heed your advice and experience. It looks like I will shoot for a Lunt CaK module.


Lunt 8x32 SUNoculars
Orion 70mm Solar Telescope
Celestron AstroMaster Alt/Az Mount
Meade Coronado SolarMax II 60 DS
Meade Coronado SolarMax II 90 DS
Meade Coronado AZS Alt/Az Mount
Astro-Tech AT72EDII with Altair solar wedge
Celestron NexStar 102GT with Altair solar wedge
Losmandy AZ8 Alt/Az Mount
Sky-Watcher AZGTI Alt-Az GoTo mount
Cameras: ZWO ASI178MM, PGR Grasshopper, PGR Flea
Lunt, Coronado, TeleVue, Orion and Meade eyepieces

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Re: Most cost effective CaK ultra narrowband filter.

Post by EGRAY_OBSERVATORY »

As Nigella says, the prices have risen dramatically over the last 10-years, where all my Lunt-gear has nearly doubled in price and is likely to continue that way soon.

My Calcium-K line and BF1200 have worked very well over those 10-years, with the beauty of this as being that no further adjustment, other than focusing and simple camera controlling with say SharpCap, does the bizz so easily - compared to Ha/DS etc.

Cheers
Terry


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Re: Most cost effective CaK ultra narrowband filter.

Post by DeepSolar64 »

That's weird. You would think the prices would decrease as production methods get better and more demand takes place for the equipment. Narrowband solar may always be a niche branch of amateur astronomy because of the cost. It's simply too expensive for many to get into. But again Lunt, Coronado and DayStar all have offerings on complete Ha solar instruments under 1000 dollars.

Only WL continuum is truly affordable for many people.

I'll buy equipment little at a time as I go. A small tracking mount ( SW AZGTI ), Lunt CaK module, Bigger tracking mount ( Celestron AVX ), Quark Sodium D-Line filter, and eventually my own fixed observatory!

James


Lunt 8x32 SUNoculars
Orion 70mm Solar Telescope
Celestron AstroMaster Alt/Az Mount
Meade Coronado SolarMax II 60 DS
Meade Coronado SolarMax II 90 DS
Meade Coronado AZS Alt/Az Mount
Astro-Tech AT72EDII with Altair solar wedge
Celestron NexStar 102GT with Altair solar wedge
Losmandy AZ8 Alt/Az Mount
Sky-Watcher AZGTI Alt-Az GoTo mount
Cameras: ZWO ASI178MM, PGR Grasshopper, PGR Flea
Lunt, Coronado, TeleVue, Orion and Meade eyepieces

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Re: Most cost effective CaK ultra narrowband filter.

Post by Montana »

A bit late to the party, but save up for a Lunt Module, don't spend unnecessary pennies on a Baader K line filter (especially 2!!).

My Baader K line is rubbish, it is blurred at hi res so if I add it to my Lunt CaK module I completely ruin the view. It is OK as a blocking filter for the CaK PST as it is low res, but I tried adding a 2x Barlow last week and I was disappointed that the image again is not sharp. I could do with buying another but I couldn't willfully sell on my Baader K line knowing it is faulty and I can't spend the money on another just in case it is the same :(

Alexandra


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Re: Most cost effective CaK ultra narrowband filter.

Post by EGRAY_OBSERVATORY »

Hi James, although your suggestion that modern-production methods should eventually make for a cheaper price for the end-user is logically correct, but that is, more often than not been the case for all sorts of products.

For us Solar-imagers/viewers, this is a relatively small market and for Calcium-K is even smaller than Ha, so production methods are limited by "Supply and Demand." If the demand is small, then the ultimate production, wholesale and supplier costs will always be higher (normally), as other charges for those, such as Rents, Rates, Heating, Staffing and so on, will be higher against the profits from resale to the end-user.

Likening it to a petrol-station, where all day long they would normally see 1,000 cars refuelling their tanks to the limit with three-staff doing the business. Then the same station the next day, seeing just 100 cars doing the same as above, where those staffing costs are the same, but of course the overheads will be much higher - due to 10x less profit.

Also now, I know for certain, that many previous suppliers of say Lunt, Meade/Coronado etc., etc., products, no-longer carry stocks of these brands as is no-longer viable to contain such expensive stocks for such small staffing (these days) also largely due to the internet-methods of actually taking orders from customers (with the customer's money up-front), then that supplier will order from a wholesaler or manufacturer to send that item direct to Joe Public, saving loads of dosh for higher profit margins.

Then of course, over the last 50-years or more, what prices of anything - have really gone down (or remained static for any length of time) ???
Taxation and all running costs of all sorts for everybody and businesses have also risen dramatically over the same period, which simply adds to the burden of increasing prices. Will not go into the politics, but that is life for most of us in this world...
+++
Finally as Mark and Alexandra, have stated and with my own personal acquisition of a Lunt BF1200 Cak scope for 10-years, your decision to save-up for the best and simplest method is the way forward... You will need a lot of dosh to spend-on with those acquisitions you intend in the future, so buy wisely and don't take risks - with sub-standard items...

Terry


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Re: Most cost effective CaK ultra narrowband filter.

Post by Stardust5858 »

Totally agree with all the above James. FYI, Astroshop eu there are two Lunt Ca-K module on sale. I've just bought one and arrived today. I'll still be using my baader k-line filter for white light full disk imaging.
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10ft x 6ft Solar RoR with Warm Room
Lunt 60mm Double Stack HA
80ed WL+ Lunt Hershal Wedge + Badder K-Line filter.
100mm AR + Lunt b1800 Ca-K module.
Neq6 Eq Mount.

2.7m Pulsar Dome.
11in Celestron SCT + White Light Filter.
70mm AR Stellavue.
12inch OO Newtonian.
Eq8 r Pro Mount.
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Re: Most cost effective CaK ultra narrowband filter.

Post by DeepSolar64 »

Awesome! Congratulations. I am sure I will be seeing some nice images from it.


Lunt 8x32 SUNoculars
Orion 70mm Solar Telescope
Celestron AstroMaster Alt/Az Mount
Meade Coronado SolarMax II 60 DS
Meade Coronado SolarMax II 90 DS
Meade Coronado AZS Alt/Az Mount
Astro-Tech AT72EDII with Altair solar wedge
Celestron NexStar 102GT with Altair solar wedge
Losmandy AZ8 Alt/Az Mount
Sky-Watcher AZGTI Alt-Az GoTo mount
Cameras: ZWO ASI178MM, PGR Grasshopper, PGR Flea
Lunt, Coronado, TeleVue, Orion and Meade eyepieces

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Re: Most cost effective CaK ultra narrowband filter.

Post by EGRAY_OBSERVATORY »

Well acquired Nigella and looking forward to some comparisons with the newbie, so I can decide if I wish to upgrade from the BF1200.

Best Wishes
Terry


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Re: Most cost effective CaK ultra narrowband filter.

Post by Montana »

Wow!! yours came in a lovely case or did you buy that as extra? mine came in the post in a Jiffy bag and the optics were screwed as a result (well obviously). It took me 6 years to work this out but the replacement still came in a bag? for a very expensive optical device this made me very nervous, your box I see with envy.

Alexandra


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Re: Most cost effective CaK ultra narrowband filter.

Post by Stardust5858 »

Montana wrote: Wed Mar 31, 2021 7:13 am Wow!! yours came in a lovely case or did you buy that as extra? mine came in the post in a Jiffy bag and the optics were screwed as a result (well obviously). It took me 6 years to work this out but the replacement still came in a bag? for a very expensive optical device this made me very nervous, your box I see with envy.

Alexandra
Hi Alexandra, the case was extra I'm afraid but thought it worth it with such an expensive piece of kit.


10ft x 6ft Solar RoR with Warm Room
Lunt 60mm Double Stack HA
80ed WL+ Lunt Hershal Wedge + Badder K-Line filter.
100mm AR + Lunt b1800 Ca-K module.
Neq6 Eq Mount.

2.7m Pulsar Dome.
11in Celestron SCT + White Light Filter.
70mm AR Stellavue.
12inch OO Newtonian.
Eq8 r Pro Mount.
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Re: Most cost effective CaK ultra narrowband filter.

Post by Montana »

I wasn't given a choice, but even so, it should have come in a robust cardboard box like most other optical and fragile equipment?

Alexandra


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Re: Most cost effective CaK ultra narrowband filter.

Post by Stardust5858 »

Montana wrote: Wed Mar 31, 2021 9:28 am I wasn't given a choice, but even so, it should have come in a robust cardboard box like most other optical and fragile equipment?

Alexandra
Goodness, did your's just come in a bag? If so that's rediculous.


10ft x 6ft Solar RoR with Warm Room
Lunt 60mm Double Stack HA
80ed WL+ Lunt Hershal Wedge + Badder K-Line filter.
100mm AR + Lunt b1800 Ca-K module.
Neq6 Eq Mount.

2.7m Pulsar Dome.
11in Celestron SCT + White Light Filter.
70mm AR Stellavue.
12inch OO Newtonian.
Eq8 r Pro Mount.
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Re: Most cost effective CaK ultra narrowband filter.

Post by EGRAY_OBSERVATORY »

As far as I know, all Lunt optical-gear does come in well-made Aluminium cases, possibly with the exception of other Lunt non-optical gear and possibly that Behemoth 300mm unit, where parts are likely to be packaged otherwise.
Just shows the value of Lunt and some other manufacturers into looking after their customer's gear with these items included.

Even Meade and Orion in the past, are known to also include decent Ali-Cases, of which I have some, including a giant ali- case for the ETX-125 (although that one was purchased separately) and all are very useful for protecting the assets during transit or storage... The vary-large Meade 127 Apo-Triplet also had a large ali-case included in the supply...

Where not included or available such as my Vixen's heavy-mounts etc., I obtain suitable ali-cases and fit/pad them out for the same purposes with foam or whatever...

Cheers
Terry


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Re: Most cost effective CaK ultra narrowband filter.

Post by Montana »

Not all Lunts come in boxes Terry ;)

Alexandra


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Re: Most cost effective CaK ultra narrowband filter.

Post by EGRAY_OBSERVATORY »

Well I can only tell from all my Lunt gear, so whether there is a reason for some gear to not include their own ali-cases, may be a saving in the costs from Lunt, but certainly as of about only two years ago with my own HW, it has it's ali-case.

Whether more recently the virus has caused a shortage of cases, as they are most likely manufactured by a contractor to Lunt.

As for either Lunt EU or Lunt themselves and any other company, sending any optical-item without sufficient protection from delivery firms throwing things around, is certainly not acceptable, but luckily for me, it is most unlikely that I will need any such items again. In any case all my previous optical acquisitions have been checked at and collected from my supplier before paying in cash or card.

Terry


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Re: Most cost effective CaK ultra narrowband filter.

Post by Montana »

I bought my Lunt wedge in 2013 Terry and it came from Europe in the jiffy bag. I spent 6 years not being able to get a decent image with it, then spring 2019 tested mine up against Stuart's and found the optics were out of alignment. Bresser swapped the wedge and but it still came in a flimsy cardboard box in bubble wrap but was thankfully optically wonderful, I have never looked back.

Alexandra


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Re: Most cost effective CaK ultra narrowband filter.

Post by EGRAY_OBSERVATORY »

Thanks for that update to the jiffy-bag scenario Alexandra.
I will remember that in future and would refuse to order or accept that type of disgraceful attitude as to any optical-instrument - postage.

I must add that I have a Bresser item from Bresser/Germany which was not fit for purpose - due to their admitted mistake in manufacture, so I would not easily want a repeat of that scenario.

At least they don't manufacture Lunt items, as they are purely the European Distributor of such...

Terry


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