SolarChat!

I've recently upgraded the Omega (three filter) CaK stack to include a Baader CCD (Blue) filter as an ERF. I also added a SkyBender filter tilter - to bring the 2A filter closer to CWL.

Been frustrated by the weather - if not rain then thick cloud...
Well, this morning there was thin high cloud so let's give it a go. Mounted on the ED80/HEQ5, with the ASI 174MM - Success!!!!!

The video files (to be processed ASAP) clearly show the current sunspot groups and large areas of bright flocculi.

The 2" filter spacer tubes hold the Baader CCD-B well in front of the stack; inside the tube, in front of the gold SkyBender is a 390nm cut filter (acts as a secondary ERF) then about 30mm spacer to a 80nm bandwith 394nm CWL filter as a pre-filter then finally the 2A bandwidth, 393.7nm CWL mounted in the SkyBender.....

I'm impressed!!! It actually works!!!
So far so good.
Onwards and Upwards

Congratulates with a new setup version! But we'd like to see the images you took with it.


Valery

SkyBurner, yeah.... I sent you an email about this SkyBender.....
Valery,
Just processing the images - coming soon...

This image is probably representative of my ability to focus and tune the filter stack....
Processed in AS3!, no wavelets no curves.....

A touch of colour and re-aligned axis.....

I bought an ASI 183MM earlier this year to compliment the shorter focal length ED80 and "improve resolution" for solar imaging.
Cutting a looooong story very short, ZWO finally admitted "technical problems when the ASI 183 is used for narrow band solar imaging" and accepted a return.
I'm now looking seriously at the ASI 1600MM as a replacement.

Thanks, Ken, for the images.

Seems to me that a single Lunt B600 CaK is much better than this army of filters and mechanics.

May be if good filters will become available, the skybender will get a good use.


Valery

I probably agree, but at a total price of a few hundred dollars it's much cheaper than the commercial options.....

I'd better pay more for a real result, than pay several hundreds backs for doubtful result.

Cool setup Ken and nice results!

Thanks Mark, appreciate.
The conditions were far from ideal.
I hope to get better weather and a better camera soon.

Something else to try Ken, imaging at that scale for full disk reduce the aperture - say 50mm, it will be much more friendly for the seeing and also put a slower light cone into the filters and tighter bandpass giving better contrast still.

Mark,
Thanks for the suggestion.
I’ll try it the next opportunity.