SSM DIY

Use this section to discuss "standard" Baader/Coronado/ Lunt SolarView/ Daystar, etc… filters, cameras and scopes. No mods, just questions/ answers and reviews.
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AtiCelestron
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SSM DIY

Post by AtiCelestron »

Hi everyone.
I want to ask about Solar Scintillation Monitor. Should I use it if my telescope is 120mm in diameter? Or at this size, seeing doesn’t really have an effect. An engineer friend of mine would make the SSM. Can you show an accurate and well-functioning description? I wouldn’t necessarily use it with FireCapture. The Easiest version also does where only the current seeing can be read.


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Re: SSM DIY

Post by marktownley »

Seeing absolutely has an effect!

I think there a few DIY SSM threads in the mods section.


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Re: SSM DIY

Post by AtiCelestron »

I’ve seen the older posts, but I thought there might be a newer or better solution since then.


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Re: SSM DIY

Post by Radon86 »

Yes, please can someone update us on the DIY SSM ?
I see a SSM made by Baader on their Baader planetarium website for over 350 euros. It would be nice if someone could update on us on alternative components from the original DIY SSM plans.

Do people buy the Badder SSM ?
How many people use the SSM (DIY or not) for solar imaging ??

I thought I could maybe try building the SSM DIY but need to get the components and blueprint first of all (I got the pdf file from last time). It should be a good project over the cold dark weeks when the sun is quite low and will not be able to image through the low horizon fog and cloud !!!


Thanks.
Magnus


Solar: H-alpha": Quark Chromosphere filter; Baader white light filters
Scopes: Altair Astro Travel ED70mm (F 420mm, D=70mm);; Skywatcher 90mm (F 910mm D=90mm); GSO focuser;;Altair Astro 60mm guidescope (D=60mm,F=225mm)
Cameras: ASI120mm-S,ASI174mm
Mount: SW HEQ5 Pro, SW EQ3 Pro Synscan (SW = Skywatcher),Vixen Polarie tracker (portable setup)
Accessory: SW Auto-focuser
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Re: SSM DIY

Post by rsfoto »

AtiCelestron wrote: Fri Oct 01, 2021 4:25 am Hi everyone.
I want to ask about Solar Scintillation Monitor. Should I use it if my telescope is 120mm in diameter? Or at this size, seeing doesn’t really have an effect. An engineer friend of mine would make the SSM. Can you show an accurate and well-functioning description? I wouldn’t necessarily use it with FireCapture. The Easiest version also does where only the current seeing can be read.
Hi,

Look here on the page 5 is the PDF file for Download

viewtopic.php?f=9&t=16746


regards Rainer

Observatorio Real de 14
San Luis Potosi Mexico

North 22° West 101°
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Re: SSM DIY

Post by Radon86 »

rsfoto wrote: Wed Dec 08, 2021 12:32 am
AtiCelestron wrote: Fri Oct 01, 2021 4:25 am Hi everyone.
I want to ask about Solar Scintillation Monitor. Should I use it if my telescope is 120mm in diameter? Or at this size, seeing doesn’t really have an effect. An engineer friend of mine would make the SSM. Can you show an accurate and well-functioning description? I wouldn’t necessarily use it with FireCapture. The Easiest version also does where only the current seeing can be read.
Hi,

Look here on the page 5 is the PDF file for Download

viewtopic.php?f=9&t=16746
Thanks Rainer.
I have got this, now to build it. I was just wondering if anyone had a useful workflow or a link to how they made their DIY SSM ?

Thanks.
Magnus


Solar: H-alpha": Quark Chromosphere filter; Baader white light filters
Scopes: Altair Astro Travel ED70mm (F 420mm, D=70mm);; Skywatcher 90mm (F 910mm D=90mm); GSO focuser;;Altair Astro 60mm guidescope (D=60mm,F=225mm)
Cameras: ASI120mm-S,ASI174mm
Mount: SW HEQ5 Pro, SW EQ3 Pro Synscan (SW = Skywatcher),Vixen Polarie tracker (portable setup)
Accessory: SW Auto-focuser
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Re: SSM DIY

Post by rsfoto »

Hi Magnus,

I made one, played with it, found it very interesting to see how my LED bar was flickering and then I said, for what ?

If you do solar imaging again and again and again with time you will get so much experience in judging your scintillation just by looking at you Monitor and see how the waves of turbulence pass over the Sun's surface ...

From this you can interpolate how long you make your videos for assembling the final image. I use 480 frames which means about 30 seconds and with that I assemble my images for my full disks. MY camera makes max 16 frames per second and I use between 40 and 50ms exposure time.

What I find by far more useful is a remote adjustment of the etalon and by far more important then knowing how your seeing is and you can not change seeing but you can change the etalon adjustment which bring much more then getting disappointed by some numbers product of measuring something you can not change. At the end of this answer is an image of my remote etalon adjustment. Not cheap but very effective.

Another by far more important adjustment is focusing and that is for me the key for getting good, medium or bad images ... and this again can only be achieved by experience and many many hours watching the Monitor and seeing how the waves of turbulence affect the focusing.

I understand the itch in the fingers by having a SSM but is it really useful ? At least for me it was not ... In the message of which I gave you the link there are some answers from my DIY SSM.

IMHO Rainer

Coro-Step-02.jpg
Coro-Step-02.jpg (382.29 KiB) Viewed 1610 times


regards Rainer

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North 22° West 101°
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Re: SSM DIY

Post by Radon86 »

Thank you Rainer, I will read your advice again as there is so much wisdom and experience there.
I managed to order the Vixen polarie adaptor and am now waiting for its delivery to my home.
Thank you very much.

Magnus


Solar: H-alpha": Quark Chromosphere filter; Baader white light filters
Scopes: Altair Astro Travel ED70mm (F 420mm, D=70mm);; Skywatcher 90mm (F 910mm D=90mm); GSO focuser;;Altair Astro 60mm guidescope (D=60mm,F=225mm)
Cameras: ASI120mm-S,ASI174mm
Mount: SW HEQ5 Pro, SW EQ3 Pro Synscan (SW = Skywatcher),Vixen Polarie tracker (portable setup)
Accessory: SW Auto-focuser
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Re: SSM DIY

Post by Radon86 »

Dear Rainer,

That is astonishing piece of equipment - etalon adjustment. Beyond my understanding at present, but thank you.

Magnus


Solar: H-alpha": Quark Chromosphere filter; Baader white light filters
Scopes: Altair Astro Travel ED70mm (F 420mm, D=70mm);; Skywatcher 90mm (F 910mm D=90mm); GSO focuser;;Altair Astro 60mm guidescope (D=60mm,F=225mm)
Cameras: ASI120mm-S,ASI174mm
Mount: SW HEQ5 Pro, SW EQ3 Pro Synscan (SW = Skywatcher),Vixen Polarie tracker (portable setup)
Accessory: SW Auto-focuser
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Re: SSM DIY

Post by rsfoto »

Boso36 wrote: Thu Dec 09, 2021 9:15 pm Dear Rainer,

That is astonishing piece of equipment - etalon adjustment. Beyond my understanding at present, but thank you.

Magnus
Hi Magnus,

The Coronado etalons are tuned by a little golden wheel which has a left and right threaded pin on ech side and this achanges the angle of the upper part against the lower part. Tuning by turning it with the fingers will enver achieve wht I achieve by changing the angle with the screw I have there and a stepper motor.

In the next days I will try to design some parts for 3D printers and see if it works as I still avae some tuning rings left over.

That is all ;)


regards Rainer

Observatorio Real de 14
San Luis Potosi Mexico

North 22° West 101°
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Re: SSM DIY

Post by Radon86 »

rsfoto wrote: Thu Dec 09, 2021 9:57 pm
Boso36 wrote: Thu Dec 09, 2021 9:15 pm Dear Rainer,

That is astonishing piece of equipment - etalon adjustment. Beyond my understanding at present, but thank you.

Magnus
Hi Magnus,

The Coronado etalons are tuned by a little golden wheel which has a left and right threaded pin on ech side and this achanges the angle of the upper part against the lower part. Tuning by turning it with the fingers will enver achieve wht I achieve by changing the angle with the screw I have there and a stepper motor.

In the next days I will try to design some parts for 3D printers and see if it works as I still avae some tuning rings left over.

That is all ;)
Thank you Rainier.
Very interesting. I hope to do similar projects in future.

Magnus


Solar: H-alpha": Quark Chromosphere filter; Baader white light filters
Scopes: Altair Astro Travel ED70mm (F 420mm, D=70mm);; Skywatcher 90mm (F 910mm D=90mm); GSO focuser;;Altair Astro 60mm guidescope (D=60mm,F=225mm)
Cameras: ASI120mm-S,ASI174mm
Mount: SW HEQ5 Pro, SW EQ3 Pro Synscan (SW = Skywatcher),Vixen Polarie tracker (portable setup)
Accessory: SW Auto-focuser
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Re: SSM DIY

Post by Radon86 »

I found a very interesting and do able SSM from :

https://www.blackwaterskies.co.uk/2017/ ... itor-sssm/

I am preparing to order parts, and comparing this build to the build which was recommended on this site. Anyone know if they are similar and this is compatible with Firecapture ??

https://www.blackwaterskies.co.uk/2017/ ... itor-sssm/

Thanks
Magnus


Solar: H-alpha": Quark Chromosphere filter; Baader white light filters
Scopes: Altair Astro Travel ED70mm (F 420mm, D=70mm);; Skywatcher 90mm (F 910mm D=90mm); GSO focuser;;Altair Astro 60mm guidescope (D=60mm,F=225mm)
Cameras: ASI120mm-S,ASI174mm
Mount: SW HEQ5 Pro, SW EQ3 Pro Synscan (SW = Skywatcher),Vixen Polarie tracker (portable setup)
Accessory: SW Auto-focuser
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