Sun FD in H-Alpha and CaK 13th of September 2021

[arnedanielsen]

Dear friends,

Today's Sun was not at all as spectacular as yesterday, but still some nice prominences and of course the departing AR2866, 2868 and 2869.

The best part was not having to dodge rain (like the day before) and the pleasure of using the new upgraded focuser for the first time. Over the weekend I replaced the stock helical focuser (which was absolutely terrible) with a MoonLite focuser. The MoonLite focuser came with an used Celestron 9.25" I bought a few years back and I just had to order the correct flange adapter to attach it to the Coronado scope. Removing the old focuser though was everything, but simple. I spent a good hour struggling trying all the tricks in the book (heating with hairdryer, light tapping with wood and a filter wrench) before I was finally able to get it loose. It appears to have been secured with red loctite.

Anyway, here is a picture of the Coronado fully dismantled.

242010245_392174175630906_8493558038250648942_n_resize.jpg (400.74 KiB) Viewed 509 times

And this from todays session using the new focuser. An absolute delight to focus!
Also seen in this picture is the 3D printed 50mm aperture mask with the a step-up outer diameter to fit the FlatCap from DayStar and the 3D printer "solar shade" for the camera :-)

241995374_371647681101991_4733755151366573285_n_resize.jpg (482.92 KiB) Viewed 509 times

The C9.25", which I use for solar WL imaging, is now without a fine-focuser until I receive a PrimaLuce Esatto 2" robotic focuser that I have on order.

OK, enough hardware talk. Here are todays imaging results.

FD image in H-Alpha using a Coronado 60mm/BF15 w/Beloptik ITF, stopped down to 50mm, Baader 35nm H-Alpha and ASI 178mm mounted on a SkyWatcher SolarQuest.

Sun60FD_083440_Ha_20210913_ZWO ASI178MM(53096324)_lapl4_ap5426_out_Contrast_resize.jpg (334.15 KiB) Viewed 509 times

Sun FD in H-Alpha 13th of September 2021

Sun60FD_083440_Ha_20210913_ZWO ASI178MM(53096324)_lapl4_ap5426_out_Contrast_Colorized_resize.jpg (356.39 KiB) Viewed 509 times

Sun FD in H-Alpha 13th of September 2021 - colorized



FD image in CaK using a William Optics ZenithStar 61II, stopped down to 46mm, Lunt CaK 1200 module, Coronado 2x CeMax and ASI 183mm camera mounted on a SkyWatcher SolarQuest.

SunCaK60_082833_CaK_(3934nm)_20210913_ZWO ASI183MM_lapl4_ap7291_out_Contrast_resize.jpg (255.69 KiB) Viewed 509 times

Sun FD in CaK 13th of September 2021

SunCaK60_082833_CaK_(3934nm)_20210913_ZWO ASI183MM_lapl4_ap7291_out_Contrast_Colorized_resize.jpg (278.73 KiB) Viewed 509 times

Sun FD in CaK 13th of September 2021 - colorized


Click on links to view full size images.

Thanks for looking and best regards,
Arne

[marktownley]

Really excellent disks Arne! I like the pictures of the scope and particularly like that rather cunning camera shade you have produced.

[MAURITS]

Great FD's Arne.

[EGRAY_OBSERVATORY]

Excellent captures Arne and of course a decent focuser can make all the difference when a previous one is just simply not up to the job...

Good to see that you are using the best tripod available as the Berlebach Report 7003 from the manufacturer who has been around for yonks and knows exactly how to make the best... I have another one of their designs as well...

Thanks for sharing your efforts and well done on the change
Terry

[Montana]

Excellent images the Sun is starting to go quiet again

Alexandra

[rigel123]

Great disks Arne!

[DeepSolar64]

Very nice images Arne and I love the setup. I have thought about getting a Moonlite focuser for my Orion70.

Is your Coronado a SolarMax or early SolarMax II? I notice it has an anodized tube.

James

[marios i.]

Nice stuff!!

[Ivan]

Arne, very beautiful FDs. It even seems to me that it was filmed through DS. The monochrome version in Ha is my favorite. I also really liked the camera screen, it even seems to me that it works like a radiator.

Ivan

[arnedanielsen]

Thank you very much everyone for all your kind comments!

Mark: Trying hard to come up with things that I can 3-D print :-)

Terry: Berlebach tripods are great. The build quality is excellent build quality and they are light and sturdy. Wood also have a nice natural vibration dampening. Plus I think they look cool! I have 4 or 5 different Berlebach tripods (from the small table-top model to a larger model for mounting my old Vixen GP-DX mount).

James: I've got a SolarMax 60, SolarMax 60 II and a SolarMax 90. I tried to order a complete MoonLite focuser for my 90 as well, but was informed that they were phasing out all manual versions and that they didn't have the required model for this scope left.

Ivan: I have tried DS this front filter with my SolarMax 60 II, but haven't mastered it yet. I'm getting far better imaging using it SS on the SolarMax 60. I haven't had the chance to measure the camera temp with and without the shade yet, but I like to think it's a good thing to keep it in the shade :-)

Best regards,
Arne

[marktownley]

A Berlebach tripod is on my shopping list for the future...

[EGRAY_OBSERVATORY]

Thanks Arne for the Berlebach comments which are the benefits of laying-out for the best.
Mine is the large one for either of my two Vixen GP-DX mounts and expected to see much more use in the coming months.
It is the "PLANET" Tripod Including Tray 37 cm + Spread Stopper and certainly is well nice and easy to use.

Mark, If I was finking about departing my Barlebach, you would have the first discounted option, but if you haven't already found the U.K. supplier, then that is :- Astrograph Ltd.
Astrograph Ltd
Address: Unit 9, Forest Hill Industrial Estate, SE23 London
Phone: 0843 330 4988
E-Mail: [email protected]
Website: www.astrograph.net

Also of course from Germany as per their website :- Berlebach ® Tripods
Wolfgang Fleischer
Chemnitzer Straße 2
09619 Mulda
Phone: +49 (0)3 73 20 / 12 01 or +49 (0)3 73 20 / 12 09
Fax: +49 (0)3 73 20 / 12 02
Email: [email protected]
Tax Number: DE811558565

Cheers
Terry

[Carbon60]

That’s a cracking Ha FD. Beautifully even.

Stu.

[ffellah]

Fabulous images and very good work with your gear, Arne.

Franco

[christian viladrich]

Beautifull FD images. Well done !

[arnedanielsen]

Thank you very much for your kind comments Stu, Franco and Christian.

Best regards,
Arne

[AJamesB]

Love the full disc images, especially the h-alpha. Great job bringing out the prominences! What processing technique to you use to do so?

[arnedanielsen]

Love the full disc images, especially the h-alpha. Great job bringing out the prominences! What processing technique to you use to do so?

Thank you very much for your kind words.

I'm sure there are both better and more efficient ways to do this, but my current flow for the H-Alpha 60mm FD images are as follows:
1) Single recording using FireCapture
-Gain = 30
-FPS = 60
-30 sec recording
-Gamma = Off
-Shutter around 3ms (max value of around 230 in the histogram)

2) Stacking in AutoStakkert!3
-Stack of best 60%
-Multiscale and AP size of 56

2) Sharpening in ImPPG
-Lucy-Richardson
-Sigma 1.1
-Iterations 60
-Unsharp
-Sigma 1,2
-Amount 3,0

3) Rotate/Crop in ACDSEE

4) Contrast adjustments in PhotoShop
-Levels
-Auto
-Black clip: 0
-White clip: 0
-Shadow/Higlights
-Shadow parameters
-Amount: 100%
-Tone Width: 30%
-Radius: 10
-Levels
-Gamma: 0,7

5) Colorization in PhotoShop
-Convert Mode
-To RGB Mode
-Levels
-Red
-Gamma 1,7
-Green
-Gamma 0,6
-Blue
-Gamma 0,2
-Color Balance
-Shadow levels: 20, 0 ,0
-Midtone levels: 20, 0, 0
-Highlight levels: 0, 0 10
-With preserve luminosity
-Hue/Saturation
-Hue 1
-Saturation - 26

6) Resize and convert to web in ACDSEE

I have slightly different sharpening settings as XML files for ImPPG and recorded actions in PhotoShop that I use for different camera/filter/scope combinations. Thus, the settings above will probably not work directly for your images, but should hopefully give you an overview of my workflow and some starting points.

Best regards,
Arne

[AJamesB]

Love the full disc images, especially the h-alpha. Great job bringing out the prominences! What processing technique to you use to do so?

Thank you very much for your kind words.

I'm sure there are both better and more efficient ways to do this, but my current flow for the H-Alpha 60mm FD images are as follows:
1) Single recording using FireCapture
-Gain = 30
-FPS = 60
-30 sec recording
-Gamma = Off
-Shutter around 3ms (max value of around 230 in the histogram)

2) Stacking in AutoStakkert!3
-Stack of best 60%
-Multiscale and AP size of 56

2) Sharpening in ImPPG
-Lucy-Richardson
-Sigma 1.1
-Iterations 60
-Unsharp
-Sigma 1,2
-Amount 3,0

3) Rotate/Crop in ACDSEE

4) Contrast adjustments in PhotoShop
-Levels
-Auto
-Black clip: 0
-White clip: 0
-Shadow/Higlights
-Shadow parameters
-Amount: 100%
-Tone Width: 30%
-Radius: 10
-Levels
-Gamma: 0,7

5) Colorization in PhotoShop
-Convert Mode
-To RGB Mode
-Levels
-Red
-Gamma 1,7
-Green
-Gamma 0,6
-Blue
-Gamma 0,2
-Color Balance
-Shadow levels: 20, 0 ,0
-Midtone levels: 20, 0, 0
-Highlight levels: 0, 0 10
-With preserve luminosity
-Hue/Saturation
-Hue 1
-Saturation - 26

6) Resize and convert to web in ACDSEE

I have slightly different sharpening settings as XML files for ImPPG and recorded actions in PhotoShop that I use for different camera/filter/scope combinations. Thus, the settings above will probably not work directly for your images, but should hopefully give you an overview of my workflow and some starting points.

Best regards,
Arne

Awesome, thank you for taking the time to respond!