Hi,
This is my first post so please be gentle! I have read many of the topics on this board as well as elsewhere and am considering making the jump in to solar imaging.
My potential budget is around 2500 Australian dollars. Here that gives me an option of a Coronado 60/bf15 at $2000, a Lunt 60 pressure tuned/bf1200 at $2400 or a modded Pst which would end up costing in the same ball park, though with a potential aperture of 100-150mm.
If you were starting out and had no current equipment, which way would you go?
Perhaps an external etalon might be thrown in to the mix?
Fortunately I can't make an impulse buy as I am currently on holiday in Turkey, sitting by a pool under a beautiful sun wondering what I could see if I had a scope here!
Cheers
Gary
Starting out....what to buy?
-
vidman
Re: Starting out....what to buy?
Be gentle to someone sitting by the pool on holiday in Turkey?????? Oh puhleeeeease. LOL Enjoy your time. We don't get to stop and smell the roses (or stare at our sun) as often as we should.
IMHO...go for the Lunt 60. Add a DMK when you can for imaging.
If you haven't yet checked out Stephen's reviews go to: http://www.solarscopereviews.com
Good luck. The research is also the fun.
IMHO...go for the Lunt 60. Add a DMK when you can for imaging.
If you haven't yet checked out Stephen's reviews go to: http://www.solarscopereviews.com
Good luck. The research is also the fun.
-
peter drew
Re: Starting out....what to buy?
The Lunt 60 in any form would be an excellent start, a larger PST mod would be worth considering as a future project. The Lunt 60 might be a keeper for full disk imaging or would be a popular resale item. Good luck. 
-
marktownley
- Librarian
- Posts: 42545
- Joined: Tue Oct 18, 2011 5:27 pm
- Location: Brierley Hills, UK
- Has thanked: 20813 times
- Been thanked: 10486 times
- Contact:
Re: Starting out....what to buy?
I think with the options you have presented the Lunt 60.
http://brierleyhillsolar.blogspot.co.uk/
Solar images, a collection of all the most up to date live solar data on the web, imaging & processing tutorials - please take a look!
-
garymck
Re: Starting out....what to buy?
Thanks for the replies guys.
After reading various comments around the web I'd pretty much concluded that the Lunt was the best, though whether it is worth 20% more than a Coronado 60 11 I have been unable to determine. The ATM er in me really loves the idea of building a 150mm pst based scope, which could be done for a similar amount as the Lunt. As I,m most interested in imaging, this may be an option, but don't have the experience to determine whether the narrower bandwidth of the Lunt would ultimately be better for imaging.
Is ther anyone near Melbourne Australia with a scope I could have a look through?
Cheers
Gary ( by the pool again)
After reading various comments around the web I'd pretty much concluded that the Lunt was the best, though whether it is worth 20% more than a Coronado 60 11 I have been unable to determine. The ATM er in me really loves the idea of building a 150mm pst based scope, which could be done for a similar amount as the Lunt. As I,m most interested in imaging, this may be an option, but don't have the experience to determine whether the narrower bandwidth of the Lunt would ultimately be better for imaging.
Is ther anyone near Melbourne Australia with a scope I could have a look through?
Cheers
Gary ( by the pool again)
-
peter drew
Re: Starting out....what to buy?
Gary.
I built myself a 150mm PST based scope on the cost effective issue. As you might expect, visually it is better than a 60mm Lunt but full disc imaging is not an option. I'd be delighted to let you have a look but unfortunately I'm about as far away from Melbourne as you can get.
I built myself a 150mm PST based scope on the cost effective issue. As you might expect, visually it is better than a 60mm Lunt but full disc imaging is not an option. I'd be delighted to let you have a look but unfortunately I'm about as far away from Melbourne as you can get.