19th and 21st April lots of testing
- Montana
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19th and 21st April lots of testing
Friday (19th) dawned and looked a spectacular solar day as forecast, but I took it easy. I didn't rush out, I spent 30 minutes cleaning every lens I had and made them all sparkle. I then tidied my cupboard and felt really good after. It was then around 9am and the Sun was just about making it over the tree so I set up the TEC140 and the Solarscope DSF100 and indulged in some hydrogen alpha fun. I first took a full disc with the ASI174 and a 1.6x barlow, more detail can be seen from flickr when using the magnifying glass click.
2019-04-19 Sun full disc f colour by Alexandra Hart, on Flickr
Then went on to the 3x telecentric and saw a wonderful prominence
Sun_091356_19_04_2019 by Alexandra Hart, on Flickr
Then a look at departing AR12738
Sun_093211_19_04_2019_pano by Alexandra Hart, on Flickr
Sun_093211_19_04_2019_pano f colour by Alexandra Hart, on Flickr
Now on to the Celestron C11. Yesterday we did surgery to remove the giant lump of fluff off the primary mirror. We got some of the hubbies wine tubing and I tied some string to the end. We could then poke it through the central hole and use the string to bend the tubing round and steer it. Then with the air blower attached, puff and it was gone
So, it spent the night in the greenhouse cooling and was out at 9am this morning (21st). I predicted that on day three of a high pressure we should have good seeing and I was correct. To start I tested the C11 with the Baader 3.8ND film to see if I could replicate the good seeing I had last year.
Yes, it was beautiful and the Valery was correct, the 5x Powermate gave a much clearer in focus and contrasty image than the 3x Barlow (both Televue). It was much easier to take images with the 5x than the 3x.
Sun_084027_21_04_2019 by Alexandra Hart, on Flickr
Sun_084027_21_04_2019 f colour by Alexandra Hart, on Flickr
With the seeing red hot, I quickly swapped for the Aries ERF and the Lunt CaK wedge. I stopped the C11 down to 23cm. I put the 5x powermate in and noooo. I could see where the stable clear seeing was but it was impossible to get any focus at all. Contrast was great but totally blurred.
I then changed to 1x, nothing at all. Again I don't get focus and when I process, instead of dots I get streaks. I have always seen this, even with the TEC, this is why I have never felt I could do CaK. I do not see what others see with beautiful pin point dots. I then stopped down to 18cm and this improved focus a little so I tried my trusty cheap 2x Barlow and got superb contrast but again I see streaks not dots. To be honest, it reminds me of a PST double stack when the optics are slightly out, what do other people think? or am I being a bad workman blaming my tools? I thought this was a good test though as I had a good idea of what the seeing was like. Ultimately I would like to test this side by side with Stuarts Lunt Wedge for an proper diagnostic. I have had my doubts ever since I went to Italy and tried this out as a direct comparison with Luca's home brew CaK. That is the only time I have ever seen a fabulous crystal clear CaK image through the TEC. If the optics are not up to scratch for a C11, what can I do about it, any suggestions?
Alexandra
2019-04-19 Sun full disc f colour by Alexandra Hart, on Flickr
Then went on to the 3x telecentric and saw a wonderful prominence
Sun_091356_19_04_2019 by Alexandra Hart, on Flickr
Then a look at departing AR12738
Sun_093211_19_04_2019_pano by Alexandra Hart, on Flickr
Sun_093211_19_04_2019_pano f colour by Alexandra Hart, on Flickr
Now on to the Celestron C11. Yesterday we did surgery to remove the giant lump of fluff off the primary mirror. We got some of the hubbies wine tubing and I tied some string to the end. We could then poke it through the central hole and use the string to bend the tubing round and steer it. Then with the air blower attached, puff and it was gone
So, it spent the night in the greenhouse cooling and was out at 9am this morning (21st). I predicted that on day three of a high pressure we should have good seeing and I was correct. To start I tested the C11 with the Baader 3.8ND film to see if I could replicate the good seeing I had last year.
Yes, it was beautiful and the Valery was correct, the 5x Powermate gave a much clearer in focus and contrasty image than the 3x Barlow (both Televue). It was much easier to take images with the 5x than the 3x.
Sun_084027_21_04_2019 by Alexandra Hart, on Flickr
Sun_084027_21_04_2019 f colour by Alexandra Hart, on Flickr
With the seeing red hot, I quickly swapped for the Aries ERF and the Lunt CaK wedge. I stopped the C11 down to 23cm. I put the 5x powermate in and noooo. I could see where the stable clear seeing was but it was impossible to get any focus at all. Contrast was great but totally blurred.
I then changed to 1x, nothing at all. Again I don't get focus and when I process, instead of dots I get streaks. I have always seen this, even with the TEC, this is why I have never felt I could do CaK. I do not see what others see with beautiful pin point dots. I then stopped down to 18cm and this improved focus a little so I tried my trusty cheap 2x Barlow and got superb contrast but again I see streaks not dots. To be honest, it reminds me of a PST double stack when the optics are slightly out, what do other people think? or am I being a bad workman blaming my tools? I thought this was a good test though as I had a good idea of what the seeing was like. Ultimately I would like to test this side by side with Stuarts Lunt Wedge for an proper diagnostic. I have had my doubts ever since I went to Italy and tried this out as a direct comparison with Luca's home brew CaK. That is the only time I have ever seen a fabulous crystal clear CaK image through the TEC. If the optics are not up to scratch for a C11, what can I do about it, any suggestions?
Alexandra
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Re: 19th and 21st April lots of testing
Excellent observing adventure!
And nice results.
PM sent.
Valery
And nice results.
PM sent.
Valery
"Solar H alpha activity is the most dynamic and compelling thing you can see in a telescope, so spend accordingly." (c) Bob Yoesle.
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Largest full size 185 - 356mm Dielectric Energy Rejection Filters (D-ERF) by ARIES Instruments.
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Re: 19th and 21st April lots of testing
The Ha and WL are to drool over Alexandra! Very impressive indeed. There is something unusual going on with the CaK - looks astigmatic to me. There's a pair of hot mirrors at the objective end of the module, my money is they're sat squiff which is what is introducing the problems. Here's the image of the same area I took this morning at 40mm aperture, yours should be blowing it out of the water if your module wasn't introducing astigmatism...
cak-close-up-bw by Mark Townley, on Flickr
cak-close-up-bw by Mark Townley, on Flickr
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- Montana
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Re: 19th and 21st April lots of testing
Thanks guys
Mark, that is exactly what I was thinking. Any ideas on how to fix it?
Alexandra
Mark, that is exactly what I was thinking. Any ideas on how to fix it?
Alexandra
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Re: 19th and 21st April lots of testing
Alexandra:
Superb granulation and super CaK and Ha shots.
Best wishes,
Eric.
Superb granulation and super CaK and Ha shots.
Best wishes,
Eric.
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Re: 19th and 21st April lots of testing
Hi Alexandra,
Great images but specially the ones in White light with the great details of the rice grain.
Very well done
Great images but specially the ones in White light with the great details of the rice grain.
Very well done
regards Rainer
Observatorio Real de 14
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North 22° West 101°
Observatorio Real de 14
San Luis Potosi Mexico
North 22° West 101°
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Re: 19th and 21st April lots of testing
Excellent Ha and WL images, Alexandra. We’ll run the side-by-side and see what we get.
Stu.
Stu.
H-alpha, WL and Ca II K imaging kit for various image scales.
Fluxgate Magnetometers (1s and 150s Cadence).
Radio meteor detector.
More images at http://www.flickr.com/photos/solarcarbon60/
Fluxgate Magnetometers (1s and 150s Cadence).
Radio meteor detector.
More images at http://www.flickr.com/photos/solarcarbon60/
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Re: 19th and 21st April lots of testing
Great set, love the granulation
David
Kit: Skywatcher Evostar 120 on Celestron CG-4 / Bresser AR102xs / Lunt B1200 Ca-K Module / Lacerta Herschel Wedge / Daystar Combo Quark / ZWO ASI178MM & 120MC-S / QHY5-II Mono
Kit: Skywatcher Evostar 120 on Celestron CG-4 / Bresser AR102xs / Lunt B1200 Ca-K Module / Lacerta Herschel Wedge / Daystar Combo Quark / ZWO ASI178MM & 120MC-S / QHY5-II Mono
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Re: 19th and 21st April lots of testing
Great images Alexandra, love the HR WL. Ca-K imaging is always tricky. I could never go over a X2 Barlow with my LUNT152 Ca-K module
Pedro Re'
https://pedroreastrophotography.com/
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Re: 19th and 21st April lots of testing
A super set, Alexandra. Top granulation, two AR’s, a very nice prom, some Ca K. Great you had the time to clean your equipment and shoot each frequency without rushing. This not a luxury we have all the time. The results are there.
Franco
Franco
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Re: 19th and 21st April lots of testing
If memory serves the 2 hot mirrors are held in place by 3 small allen head studs from the side of the tube. One set for one of the hot mirrors, one for the other, undo the first set of three and the first hot mirror and remove it. The Aries ERF has lots of out of band blocking so you will be fine, remember normally the Lunt CaK module is designed to be used without any ERF.
My money is on the angle of dangle between the two hot mirrors being such that it is causing the astigmatism that is seen.
Does the eyepiece end of the Lunt unscrew off? You could use this with your K-line filter as a blocker potentially too as another solution that would help you getting nearer focus.
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Re: 19th and 21st April lots of testing
Thanks guys for all the kind words. Mark I have done some tests with Stuart today. Will post in a another post for discussion.
Alexandra
Alexandra
Re: 19th and 21st April lots of testing
really great set ! Alexandra. very crisp details. thanks for sharing
-Mike
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Re: 19th and 21st April lots of testing
Alexandra...
The Ha and WL images are superb Great to see you getting great shots without having to shoot through the bedroom window
As for the CaK, I'm hoping it can be fixed up easily...will see how the thread on its woes progresses.
Brian
The Ha and WL images are superb Great to see you getting great shots without having to shoot through the bedroom window
As for the CaK, I'm hoping it can be fixed up easily...will see how the thread on its woes progresses.
Brian
Brian Colville
Maple Ridge Observatory
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Photos: https://www.flickr.com/photos/185395281@N08/albums
10'x15 Roll-off Roof Observatory
Takahashi EM400 Mount carrying:
C14 + Lunt 80ED
Deep Sky Work - ASI294MM Pro+EFW 7x36/Canon 60D (Ha mod), ONAG
Planetary Work - SBIG CFW10, ASI462MM
2.2m Diameter Dome
iOptron CEM70G Mount carrying:
Orion EON 130ED, f7 OTA for Day & Night Use
Ha Setup: Lunt LS80PT/LS75FHa/B1200Ha + Home Brew Lunt Double Stack/B1800Ha on the Orion OTA + Daystar Quantum
WL, G-Band & CaK Setup: Lunt Wedge & Lunt B1800CaK, Baader K-Line and Altair 2nm G-Band filter
ASI1600MM, ASI432MM, ASI294MM Pro, ASI174MM, ASI462MM
Maple Ridge Observatory
Cambray, ON Canada
Photos: https://www.flickr.com/photos/185395281@N08/albums
10'x15 Roll-off Roof Observatory
Takahashi EM400 Mount carrying:
C14 + Lunt 80ED
Deep Sky Work - ASI294MM Pro+EFW 7x36/Canon 60D (Ha mod), ONAG
Planetary Work - SBIG CFW10, ASI462MM
2.2m Diameter Dome
iOptron CEM70G Mount carrying:
Orion EON 130ED, f7 OTA for Day & Night Use
Ha Setup: Lunt LS80PT/LS75FHa/B1200Ha + Home Brew Lunt Double Stack/B1800Ha on the Orion OTA + Daystar Quantum
WL, G-Band & CaK Setup: Lunt Wedge & Lunt B1800CaK, Baader K-Line and Altair 2nm G-Band filter
ASI1600MM, ASI432MM, ASI294MM Pro, ASI174MM, ASI462MM