The new one is ready

[swisswalter]

Hi all

I do not have yet a pic of the sun with the new scope, because we are beneath high altitude fog but there will be finally coming days of sunshine also here.

My new/used FH 127/1200 is now pimped with a PST etalon and a new focuser, of coure there is also a D-ERF in front of the objective.

Now I'm waiting that this persisting fog dissapears to see if I have to shorten the tube in order to get into focus.

I will report again if there are any news, maybe somebody has a way to check the focus test with out the sun. Just on the bench or in the lab

[marktownley]

I look forward to hearing (and seeing!) more! This is something I want to do myself...

You could put the PST etalon on the back of your lunt 100 to double stack

[swisswalter]

thank you mark

I can't remove the blocking filter from the lunt 100. So ading the PST etalon after the blocking filter is giving a very dim signal, but you may have another idea

[marktownley]

Hmmm, learned something there - didn't realise the blocker was fixed, I kinda thought it was just a diagonal that went into the focusser. Where does the blocker live in the 100?

[swisswalter]

Hi Mark

the blocking is in the focuser tube, firmly fixed. I have not yet found out how to remove it in order to make experiments

[marktownley]

I guess they make them that way to make them 'safe' - that way nobody can accidentally view an unfiltered sun...

[swisswalter]

Hi Mark


sh........ :-(

[solarchat]

Mark,
The Coronado BF30 and the Lunt B3400 (unless you ask otherwise) are placed inside the telescopes just before the focuser and just behind the internal etalon. The smaller BF's from both companies are housed inside of diagonals or "straight thru" tubes that can be removed and shared with other telescopes.
I did have a friend make up a 2 inch diagonal for me to use with several scopes that has the BF3400 blocking filter screwed on to the end of it rather than inside the scope. Works great but man, do I get nervous when I take it out and put it in, that's about $2000 worth of BF...

To be honest with you guys, I have had better imaging and visual success with the BF15, B1800's and the B1200's than the larger B3400. I think the smaller glass is much easier to get perfectly uniform across the surfaces than the larger ones.
I have never had a factory scope that exceeded the B1800's field of view. Of course, we Americans and I suspect all of us have to have the biggest and the best of everything dont we..?

[marktownley]

I've heard a few people say that the smaller blockers work better than the larger ones - Nick Howes being one of them. I think you're spot on with the idea that it's harder to consistently figure a larger peice of glass than a smaller one, especially if the thickness of the larger glass doesn't increase increase proprtionately with the the increase in diameter. Same theory applies to ERFs too...

[solarchat]

Funny you should mention Nick Howes! Just got off the line with him and he is thrilled to be the newest member of the Charlie Bates Solar Astronomy Project Outreach CLub..!

[marktownley]

Funny you should mention Nick Howes! Just got off the line with him and he is thrilled to be the newest member of the Charlie Bates Solar Astronomy Project Outreach CLub..!

Fantastic! That's great news! I had thought of messaging him and Pete Lawrence about this. There's a few other people i need to drop a line too aswell

[solarchat]

OK Marky, its final. You are "Minister in Charge of UK Membership"

You dont have to do anything but it is a cool title...

[swisswalter]

Hi Stephen

Me too, I would like to become a minister :-)