Favourite eyepiece for HA viewing

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axlefoley
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Favourite eyepiece for HA viewing

Post by axlefoley »

Looking for advise on a good eyepiece for HA viewing with a 500FL scope with a Coronado SM90 and a BF15, I am using a Lunt 7-21 zoom and reasonably happy with it but is there something better.

What do you use.


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Re: Favourite eyepiece for HA viewing

Post by Merlin66 »

I would normally recommend what I used to use (!!) - a TV smooth side 10.4mm plossl.
It seemed to hit the right spot for me, well that was until.....
Sometimes the God's actually smile on me..not often... I was very lucky (and thankful) to acquire (at a price I couldn't afford) a Pentax SMC WX 8-24mm nitrogen filled Zoom.
This eyepiece probably weighs more than a PST, and needs it's own garage - even bigger than the biggest Nagler!!!!
BUT for solar, and my eyes, it rocks!!
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axlefoley
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Re: Favourite eyepiece for HA viewing

Post by axlefoley »

Thanks mate and those Pentax zooms ain't cheap are they.


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Re: Favourite eyepiece for HA viewing

Post by Merlin66 »

Yeah,
Thankfully you only buy one a lifetime!!


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Re: Favourite eyepiece for HA viewing

Post by GUS »

Hi everyone- just joined forum ,I live west of Sydney Australia and have been involved in solar observing since mid 2011 when I bought my first h alpha scope. I am a visual observer and use a lunt 60 PT and also a Coronado solarmax 40.The eyepieces I mainly use are the 20,15,11,8 mm Televue Plossls and Orion premium zoom eyepiece.

The zoom is good for general overview to judge weather conditions as to useful magnification, then if conditions are good I will use the TV eyepieces. I find the 8 mm provides the best view of proms when weather conditions are right and the 15 & 11 mm for better surface detail , with the 20 mm providing the best overall disk view. I find the TV eyepieces provide very high contrast views of disk features and more so of proms and spicules. The apparent field of view might be a bit restrictive especially at 11 & 8 mm but when I use those powers, I only scan small areas at a time.
Being involved in amateur astronomy for over 25 years I have a collection of different brand eyepieces to test out on the sun and to compare to- some other good eyepieces are the original Celestron ultimas of which I use the 5 mm version on proms on the best days.

I have tried Ethos, Naglers, Vixen LVWs(the 13 mm being a good performer on the Ls 60) .,WOs etc, as well as the TV 2.5 x powermate and the ultima 2 x barlow, but with the extra glass in the light path the views are not as contrasted. Most of my observing is done in single stack mode, but I also use a solarmax 2 60 mm etalon for double stacking the lunt. When in DS mode I usually use less power for similar weather conditions. I also prefer to use a Coronado 10 mm blocking filter as it gives a brighter image and I can usually see more surface detail compared to the Lunt bf 1200 although views of proms are the same.
I have tried binoviewers (William optics) and find the views to be good, but prefer to view with one eye. And the most important thing for best views is to shield out stray light as much as possible.

Hope this helps.


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Re: Favourite eyepiece for HA viewing

Post by swisswalter »

Hi GUS

welcome to that wonderful site. Have fun in the sun.

I found that the simplest eyepieces work the best for me for Ha viewing. Plössel, Kellner. My naglers are mediocre. Well I have to try yet some AP-Zeiss ;)


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Re: Favourite eyepiece for HA viewing

Post by Derek Klepp »

Thanks Gus.


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Re: Favourite eyepiece for HA viewing

Post by axlefoley »

Yeah thanks for that Gus and Walter


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Re: Favourite eyepiece for HA viewing

Post by GUS »

Thanks guys, have been following this site for about 2 years now, and in that time have learnt a lot from your regular contributors, and I am glad that I finally joined and can contribute to this great site.

Many thanks
GUS.


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Re: Favourite eyepiece for HA viewing

Post by Peter Williams »

I was given a Skywatcher LER 20mm eyepiece with the secondhand Lunt LS60THa I bought and it is quite useful, easily fits the entire disk and proms and allows relaxed viewing. It shows good detail on the surface.
Recently I tried my Pentax XW 10mm and found it fits the full disk but you need to look around the edges more consciously to see the proms, detail is more magnified and it's great for looking at areas of particular interest.
I've not tried higher power on the sun yet.


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Re: Favourite eyepiece for HA viewing

Post by marktownley »

A pentax 6.5-19.5mm zoom for me...


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