SolarChat!

MalVeauX

Interesting, thanks! Mirrors without corrector plates that sabotage near UV are probably best for near UV as you've shown here. I'm curious what do you think attributes the better near UV performance on the Rumak compared to other two designs? And do you think its worth it on these designs at these ...

MalVeauX

Old thread. But is this still the case that the Baader Triband SCT/D-ERF is not the Edge but a standard Celestron SCT? Any recent comparison knowledge about the Baader vs Airylabs D-ERF? Does it really make a difference if you are at f/30+? Maybe im wrong, but the only application i see where the e...

MalVeauX

Hi Franco, It depends on how you want to do it. The TZ-4 is T2 threaded on the side that would interface with your etalon and camera imaging train. The other side is T2 but inserts at full depth for standard 2" gear. So you could thread a 1.25" to T2 adapter onto its nose and install a min...

MalVeauX

It's great that everything works for you, but I would like to see a photo of how to do it C8 + Lunt 60 and PST Ok, I'll do a photo of the imaging train on my next session. It's exactly the same as a refractor setup, it just inserts into the 2 inch focuser. I use a crayford on the back of the SCT in...

MalVeauX

It's great that everything works for you, but I would like to see a photo of how to do it C8 + Lunt 60 and PST Ok, I'll do a photo of the imaging train on my next session. It's exactly the same as a refractor setup, it just inserts into the 2 inch focuser. I use a crayford on the back of the SCT in...

MalVeauX

Hi,

Lots of people add a weight to the front of a longer dovetail, the weight can clamp onto the bottom of the dovetail. That's about as elegant as it gets.

Very best,

MalVeauX

Marty , you said that you are preparing a fresh new modification for crossing the C8hd with Lunt 60, at what stage is this modification? And you want this Telecentric modification or PST? If this modification will be better that 150mm dont do it my new 150mm refractor because have C8 HD, but dont h...

MalVeauX

I am afraid that TZ4 will not work with B1200. If you will use the B1200 behind it, you will get the same vignetting level. Try smaller compact telecentric(s) like I mentioned in my previous post. Valery Hrm. Will the B1200 not work because of the diameter or due to the space it takes in back focus...

MalVeauX

Hi, Aleksey These images are very impressive. I especially like the first with very nice detail in the penumbra. I'm waiting for a Lunt LS60MT in a few weeks to do a mod like yours with the etalon part coupled with a new Stellarvue 127 (seems to have generous back focus with a removable section) an...

MalVeauX

Altair astro now has 160mm duo band (HA & CaK). They call it tri-band but in reailty CaK & CaH are the same for a DERF's FWHM. https://www.altairastro.com/d-erf-energy-rejection-filters-71-c.asp So you could do a 150mm full aperture frac, or you could go for a 7 inch frac and mask down to 16...

MalVeauX

I will send my technical contact at Touptek the patterned images. If anyone has some, by accident, especially as FITS: I would be more than glad to forward them... My email address: karsten at teleskop-spezialisten.de Another user figured out the grid. It had to do with some pixels in a similar bay...

MalVeauX

Marty, Can you show us that Siebert telecentric and tell us it's geometric? I can tell you, that any telecentric from these three (TV 4x, TV2.5x and Meade 3x) works just fine with Lunt B1200 in front of it and reducer + camera inserted in it fron behind. I also used a Quark native 4.3x telecentric ...

MalVeauX

If you take the IMX183 sensor and solve the artifact grid issue (Sony's issue), it would be one of the more ideal "do all" solar cameras. I'm lucky, mine doesn't have the grid issue, and using it binned for the first time the other day I was very pleased. 1ms exposure time with virtually ...

MalVeauX

You'd have to get it commercially made custom from someone, like Edmund Optics, etc, or any other lab but it will be enormously expensive for a single filter run that is custom (remember, the glass needs to be high quality and optically flat too, this adds to the cost). Baader does 180mm and Altair ...

MalVeauX

Thanks Marty but have only Televue Powermate 4x and want use her..... Im my mind that baader TZ4 or TZ3 special for Ha only marketing=))) I haven't disassembled my Lunt 60 yet to make it telecentric and I don't know if I can disassemble it so easily how PST! Right now my country blocked for shippin...

MalVeauX

Thanks Marty! Would the use of a Lunt 60 etalon [instead of a PST] suggest a camera with a larger sensor [than the 174] to capture the increased "useful" field? It depends on the field angle vs acceptance angle. On my 1200mm focal length 150mmF8 frac, my field angle is sufficient with the...

MalVeauX

Hi, If you want a killer solar camera, it needs to have a few features: 1) Smaller pixels that do not show grid artifact (as small as it can possibly get, 2.Xum range) Binning can handle longer focal ratio needs; small pixels are ideal for full disc imaging setups 2) 1" sensor or even slightly ...

MalVeauX

Interesting result Marty, something is definitely not right. When you had the siebert telecentric made what focal ratio / length was it designed for? Good question, that was never discussed. It was just a 4x telecentric listed. I mentioned it was for an etalon and he said he knew about it and lots ...

MalVeauX

MalVeauX I know you are a wonderful solar photographer I have been following your work for several years and also your modifications. I am in a city near the forest and I usually shoot early in the morning from 7 am to 10 am usually sing good enough for me to shoot for 2-3 hours. I don't think if I...

MalVeauX

Perhaps Marty can be persuaded to give us the exact details of using a Telecentric with a PST etalon? Assuming it has not already been covered but I have missed seeing it. It's well covered elsewhere, I don't want to drive this thread off topic, but the idea is if you're using collimating lenses wi...

MalVeauX

I think I've seen 2 or 3 Solarmax II & III series etalons, ever, that had good uniformity. Sadly. Very best, I know James on this forum is happy with his SMII 90 Marty, and it was bought for a great price, but reports of uniform filters are hard to come by. Let’s hope Orion can start to turn th...

MalVeauX

Heya, I'm just trying to stress the practicality of the optics vs the seeing conditions, and the relative cost dumping into that with a variable to low quality etalon. If your goal is h-alpha, I would stress that a high quality etalon is paramount, before trying to get into high-res apertures with a...

MalVeauX

I think I've seen 2 or 3 Solarmax II & III series etalons, ever, that had good uniformity.

Sadly.

Very best,

MalVeauX

Hi, 1) Yes its possible, however you would need to use a full aperture energy rejection filter with it, and this is very costly even at 102mm. If you have a Baader 75mm ERF you could use that but you will obviously lose a lot of aperture doing this. Quite frankly at 4" aperture, I would say don...

MalVeauX

This is THE ONLY correct way to get no or almost no vignetting and very narrow bandwidth with the PST. To make all work it is enough if the focal point will be a few sm after the end of the BF exit 1.25". The front of the PST cell should be right after the end of the 4" telecentric. The f...

MalVeauX

Update, I was able to install this conversion blocking filter into an imaging train and it was sturdy enough. So maybe I don't need to go 2". I would like to use something better than a single thumb bolt, so I need to find a good way to figure out how to better attach where the eyecup piece is ...

MalVeauX

Hi, iStar lenses are great ways to get into narrowband imaging with a big refractor via achromatic doublet lenses at various focal-lengths. Before fussing and worrying over the quality of the lens or best figure for HA wavelength, etc, you really need to make sure you have seeing conditions that eve...

MalVeauX

Hi, Yes, its common practice to use a PST etalon without both of its collimating lenses after any telecentric as a doubles stack. The challenge is getting a good PST etalon with good uniformity and luminosity for high transmission. So instead, you could look into other air spaced etalons, like a Lun...

MalVeauX

Hi, Ok i think i understand: you want to use a reducer in front of the blockfilter, then yes it might vignette it. Thx for the explanation, interesting project. Mmm, not quite. Here's how it looks: Etalon -> Telecentric -> Etalon 2 -> Blocking Filter -> Reducer -> Sensor = Vignetting of blocking fi...

MalVeauX

The ITF role is to block wavelengths >1500nm where 'normal' dielectric filters start to have a high transmission again. Something like KG3 is blocking all the way up to 3000nm. Arguably these wavelengths won't affect imaging, but you wouldn't want all this long wavelength IR going in your eye. Ok, ...

MalVeauX

Why would you need a Quark Combo to use a imx432 sensor? Im using that sensor with the standard Quark and have no problems. Free aperture of the etalon is what is important, not block filter size in this particular case. And they are the same with 21mm. Perhaps you read that out of context? I was r...

MalVeauX

Why would you need a Quark Combo to use a imx432 sensor? Im using that sensor with the standard Quark and have no problems. Free aperture of the etalon is what is important, not block filter size in this particular case. And they are the same with 21mm. Perhaps you read that out of context? I was r...

MalVeauX

Marty, Thanks very much for the detailed explanation! I thought maybe back focus would be an issue. I guess I'm leaning towards trying a Quark at this point. I was figuring on the standard model, but your comment on BF size makes me wonder if the combo with my 4x Power Mate would be better, assumin...

MalVeauX

Marty, Is the Lunt etalon taken from one of the 60mm modular scopes? Does it fit directly into a 2" focuser? I'm just wondering if it's a viable option for double stacking the Lunt 100THa. Maybe the resulting large gap between the two etalons would be an issue?? I'm not keen on the idea of a D...

MalVeauX

Ahh yes, not thought about the heat there... I think I would just try it without the ITF and see how you get on, probably the best way. I guess I'm just trying to understand what the ITF is actually for in an imaging setup. It's in all blocking filter assemblies I've seen except old one where it wa...

MalVeauX

The only other way I thought was remove the filters from the housings and 3D print custom housings to fir 2" or T2. This is honestly the easiest option. I just didn't want to go to this because the PLA material isn't as rigid as aluminum in 90 degree F ambient temperatures (Florida). The weigh...

MalVeauX

I couldn't find a good position for the blocking filter prior to the 4x telecentric (was trying Valery's suggestion). This is THE ONLY correct way to get no or almost no vignetting and very narrow bandwidth with the PST. To make all work it is enough if the focal point will be a few sm after the en...

MalVeauX

Hi, Your camera should come to focus at the same position regardless of the placement of the blocking filter. If you have the blocking filter out of the focuser chamber by 1~2 inches, then you will have your focuser racked in more. If you have the blocking filter flush to the focuser, you will find ...

MalVeauX

Tareq, Do not stress big aperture with near UV wavelengths. 393nm is nearly 59~60% higher angular resolution than 656nm H-alpha, and accordingly needs significantly better seeing conditions. A 100mm aperture critically sampled in 393nm Calcium is equivalent to about a 150mm aperture critically sampl...

MalVeauX

I too have thought the same in the past but have never come up with a solution. I know there are adapters that are 2" that have 1.25" rings that thread into them so that a 1.25" filter or assembly can be suspended inside a 2" chamber and threads down to whatever location in that...

MalVeauX

Hi all, I'm looking at various options to convert 1.25" blocking filters (usually diagonal based) to straight through and 2 inch (or T2) for rigid imaging train use (imaging only, not looking at this for visual). I have already converted a few 1.25" diagonal blocking filters to straight th...

MalVeauX

Super resolution!

Very best,

MalVeauX

Thanks all, Your Ha double-stack configuration is quite effective. Maybe a camera with larger pixel could be an option ? So you won't need the focal reducer which seems to be the issue ? I'm not sure exactly what is what yet. The above, I didn't use a focal reducer and so the FOV was mostly filled o...

MalVeauX

Hi, I had a fair morning to take a look at the now very photogenic AR3014 with its lovely penumbra, despite not being overly large spots, the region itself with its massive penumbra is just lovely to see visually and of course quite a gem to image. Seeing was fairly good this morning, sub-arc-second...

MalVeauX

BTW, looking at this very interesting sweet spot image, it seems to me that the very center of the image is a bit out of band. So there is only a ring which is on dead on band. The system is clearly not telecentric. Have you tried in a collimated beam ? To check the difference of size in the sweet ...

MalVeauX

Hello Marty, The image with the "PST etalon only" + telecentic 4x is very surprising. There is no sweet spot with a telecentric mount. So, I was wondering: - are you using the PST etalon alone (i.e. no other etalon in the stack) ? - are you sure the "telecentric" is really telec...

MalVeauX

Hello Marty, The image with the "PST etalon only" + telecentic 4x is very surprising. There is no sweet spot with a telecentric mount. So, I was wondering: - are you using the PST etalon alone (i.e. no other etalon in the stack) ? - are you sure the "telecentric" is really telec...

MalVeauX

Thanks all, Looks like I need to rebuild a blocking filter assembly to become a 2 inch (m48x0.75) module so it will handle the stress of a long imaging train and fit into things with the least amount of imaging train space. I may have to do this with my 10mm coronado blocking filter since its not in...

MalVeauX

If I may, I would suggest to use BF1200 after the LS60 etalon, then Siebert 4x, then PST etalon and then FR. In such a useful FOV should be larger and more usform in brightness. Valery, good to see you safe and able to access the internet! I will try this configuration next chance for sure. Very be...

MalVeauX

What were your exposure and gain on the ds? On the IMX174, at 5ms, I was in the 200~300 gain area. I didn't use a reducer for the above images. Running around 200 FPS with a ROI crop. The two etalons are not so much the transmission grinder, as the various combinations of ITF and blocking filters. ...

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