Use this section to discuss "standard" Baader/Coronado/ Lunt SolarView/ Daystar, etc… filters, cameras and scopes. No mods, just questions/ answers and reviews.
mdwmark wrote: ↑Thu Aug 19, 2021 2:33 am
As for the .3ASO or .3 RG32, there was a technical problem. So instead of sending them out and may have them come back. I just didn't send any out till it was solved. So these will be back later this year.
I have a 0.3ASO on order from ya, and I'd rather wait a few extra months for something that meets your expectations rather than have you rush something out the door that you wouldn't be happy with, so take your time!
Quick question though, do you have by chance any samples of the typical expected uniformity between the ASO and RG units? The RG example posted above looks perfectly and enviously even, but I'm not sure what to expect with the ASO. Are we talking quark chromosphere levels of evenness, etc for the ASO? I'm having last minute fears of wondering if I should have instead sprung for the RG, even if more expensive up front, but without seeing examples or hearing from you a description I don't know what to think, lol!
Or, if anyone with an ASO that has some example images, pre-processing, and wouldn't mind sharing them, that would be great too!
Lunt ls100tha single stacked + hinode solar guider on ioptron cem26 mount
asi178mm
asi294mm
2x, 3x, and 4x telecentrics
0.6x and 0.4x telecompressors
I think Mark somewhere on this Forum did text about how he test the filters and the different spec. My own small ASO1 0.3A filter are in another Galaxy when you benchmark the filter against a better than average Quark. I sold a good Quark I just bought for fun to a observer who really like the views in the Quark. It is a good one - but the SS filter are just so much better. I do have a Quantum SE 0.6 filter too (Del Woods etalon) and I think it is pretty close to the full size ASO filters.
Dont worry…
Hello to all
I inquired with Unitron Italia, importer of Baader Planetarium products, regarding the availability of Solar Spectrum 1.25 'filters.
It seems that the products will be available starting from Spring 2022 but with a significant price increase (from +50 to + 100%) in order to adjust them to the price of the corresponding Daystar filters; therefore a filter like the 1.25 0.5 Angstrom which cost 4250 euros could reach a cost of around 7000 - 8000 euros. I imagine it will be important to make a price / quality assessment of Solar Spectrum and Daystar products.
Carlo
Yes, they are not available in Europe, I was given an indefinite wait list time. Interesting to hear there is now a date for European customers. However, I find it unusual that they have to adjust their prices to match Daystar? Don't they make it and sell it as to what it costs + profit, surely Daystar don't have a say in how much they should sell it for. An increase of double is quite an inflation. Pity, as their quality is outstanding and everyone should be able to own one.
http://brierleyhillsolar.blogspot.co.uk/ Solar images, a collection of all the most up to date live solar data on the web, imaging & processing tutorials - please take a look!
Arrakis97 wrote: ↑Thu Nov 04, 2021 1:26 pm
Hello to all
I inquired with Unitron Italia, importer of Baader Planetarium products, regarding the availability of Solar Spectrum 1.25 'filters.
It seems that the products will be available starting from Spring 2022 but with a significant price increase (from +50 to + 100%) in order to adjust them to the price of the corresponding Daystar filters; therefore a filter like the 1.25 0.5 Angstrom which cost 4250 euros could reach a cost of around 7000 - 8000 euros. I imagine it will be important to make a price / quality assessment of Solar Spectrum and Daystar products.
Carlo
That's the first that I have heard of this price increase. There is going to be an increase, but that is to offset the price of what parts cost me. I don't know how Daystar figulars there pricing but they are much different compared to when I ran Daystar. To compare, my pricing has not changed much in the last 10 years.
Mark W.
Solar Spectrum
Arrakis97 wrote: ↑Thu Nov 04, 2021 1:26 pm
Hello to all
I inquired with Unitron Italia, importer of Baader Planetarium products, regarding the availability of Solar Spectrum 1.25 'filters.
It seems that the products will be available starting from Spring 2022 but with a significant price increase (from +50 to + 100%) in order to adjust them to the price of the corresponding Daystar filters; therefore a filter like the 1.25 0.5 Angstrom which cost 4250 euros could reach a cost of around 7000 - 8000 euros. I imagine it will be important to make a price / quality assessment of Solar Spectrum and Daystar products.
Carlo
That's the first that I have heard of this price increase. There is going to be an increase, but that is to offset the price of what parts cost me. I don't know how Daystar figulars there pricing but they are much different compared to when I ran Daystar. To compare, my pricing has not changed much in the last 10 years.
Mark W.
Solar Spectrum
Thank you for your explanation; Could you please give a cost and time prediction for solar-spectrum-observer-series-1,5 - 0,5 Angstrom model availability?
Thanks
Reading above I get the idea of the Del Woods run Daystar being better than its current incarnation ran by ICSTARS. Just like David Lunt's Coronado Tucson Vs. Meade Coronado. Why is the original companies better?
Lunt 8x32 SUNoculars
Orion 70mm Solar Telescope
Celestron AstroMaster Alt/Az Mount
Meade Coronado SolarMax II 60 DS
Meade Coronado SolarMax II 90 DS
Meade Coronado AZS Alt/Az Mount
Astro-Tech AT72EDII with Altair solar wedge
Celestron NexStar 102GT with Altair solar wedge
Losmandy AZ8 Alt/Az Mount
Sky-Watcher AZGTI Alt-Az GoTo mount
Cameras: ZWO ASI178MM, PGR Grasshopper, PGR Flea
Lunt, Coronado, TeleVue, Orion and Meade eyepieces
One important thing most amateurs miss about narrow etalons. The narrower the etalon the faster it broadens out with F#.So an .3Ang filter will never be .3A in a F/30 beam. If you are going to work at F/30 you are better off getting an .5Ang. It you want to use an F/20 , then get an 1Ang filter because the .3 or .5 or even a .7Ang will have about the same Hw.
I am new to this H-alpha thing. I am not quite sure what he mean. Is there anybody can help me to understand?
Triband C9.25
H-a: Quark Chromosphere with BF mod
WL: Antlia 500nm/ 3nm, 393 nm/ 3nm
Ca-K: homebrew (includes 2x 1.5A filters, thanks Apollo)
Player One Apollo Max + Mars MII
Barlows:
-2x Gerd Düring 2.7x
-2x TMB 1.8x
I just got my SS RG-18 0.3A back from Mark this week. I wish he would communicate more with me! I sent it back in October and it just would have been nice to get updates every 2-3 weeks without having to send another email or 3. But all is good now, I forgot how good the view was. Mark is having trouble finding materials and he’s in need of a pump repair for the coating machine. Like every small business the small problems create big headaches.
I’m now waiting for a calcium filter. I think it’s close to completion
James
These pretzels are making me thirsty! (C.C.)
The Quark introduced me to this wonderful side of the hobby and the sun hasn’t disappointed yet.
Solar Equipment: Solar Spectrum RG-18 0.3A, Coronado Solarmax 90mm etalon Isle of Man SN-001, Tuscon SN-380 and Meade SM2, Lunt LS80 DS, Quark Chromosphere, Lunt 2" wedge, 2-Lunt CaK II 1200, Baader 3.8 and 5.0 solar film in 208mm cells, and 3D printed Sol'Ex SHG, Lunt 40mm
Coming Soon: Solar Spectrum CaK II <1A filter
Why do you not venture into a SpectroHeliograph ? 10 times cheaper and lots of fun printing, assembling and learning how to use it? Those SE / PE and whatever called etalons are prohibitively expenseve unless you won the Lottery.
You live in Belgium and it is easy for you to source all kind of materials for a SpectroHelioGraph. Just look at the Quality thesmiths aka Douglas is achieving.
My actual SHG has a resolution of 0.063Å/pixel using a 2400lines/mm grating and a 420mm focal length.
If I managed to get it going already 3/4 of the way you will also manage it.
Grüße Rainer
Last edited by rsfoto on Fri Jun 16, 2023 2:13 am, edited 1 time in total.
Why do you not venture into a SpectroHeliograph ? 10 times cheaper and lots of fun printing, assembling and learning how to use it? Those SE / PE and whatever called etalons are prohibitively expenseve unless you won the Lottery.
You live in Belgium and it is easy for you to source all kind of materials for a SpectroHelioGraph. Jut look at the Quality thesmiths aka Douglas is achieving.
My actual SHG has a resolution of 0.063Å/pixel using a 2400lines/mm grating and a 420mm focal length.
If I managed to get it going already 3/4 of the way you will also manage it.
Grüße Rainer
I have a Sol’Ex and enjoy using it, but it’s an imaging only device. I can’t see the image in the device. I really like to see the sun in real time. The Solar Spectrum is the epitome of mica etalons at least the one I own. I’ve looked through a few quarks and they don’t compare. I’ve looked through some quantum pe’s and they are pretty good but still not as good as the SS I own. I’m no expert this is just my opinion but in this narrow area of amateur astronomy with few manufacturers you really can’t find a better deal for a quality mica etalon.
BTW this is an old thread and I think Maurits decided to get the SS RG etalon.
James
These pretzels are making me thirsty! (C.C.)
The Quark introduced me to this wonderful side of the hobby and the sun hasn’t disappointed yet.
Solar Equipment: Solar Spectrum RG-18 0.3A, Coronado Solarmax 90mm etalon Isle of Man SN-001, Tuscon SN-380 and Meade SM2, Lunt LS80 DS, Quark Chromosphere, Lunt 2" wedge, 2-Lunt CaK II 1200, Baader 3.8 and 5.0 solar film in 208mm cells, and 3D printed Sol'Ex SHG, Lunt 40mm
Coming Soon: Solar Spectrum CaK II <1A filter
hopskipson wrote: ↑Thu Jun 15, 2023 9:29 pm
I’m now waiting for a calcium filter. I think it’s close to completion
Any updates?
http://brierleyhillsolar.blogspot.co.uk/ Solar images, a collection of all the most up to date live solar data on the web, imaging & processing tutorials - please take a look!
hopskipson wrote: ↑Thu Jun 15, 2023 9:29 pm
I’m now waiting for a calcium filter. I think it’s close to completion
Any updates?
About a week ago, according to Mark, my unit is ready for testing. Of course the weather in California has not cooperated. Mark has updated his website for the new year and included information on narrow band filters, calcium k line filters and reduced pricing on Suna models.
James
These pretzels are making me thirsty! (C.C.)
The Quark introduced me to this wonderful side of the hobby and the sun hasn’t disappointed yet.
Solar Equipment: Solar Spectrum RG-18 0.3A, Coronado Solarmax 90mm etalon Isle of Man SN-001, Tuscon SN-380 and Meade SM2, Lunt LS80 DS, Quark Chromosphere, Lunt 2" wedge, 2-Lunt CaK II 1200, Baader 3.8 and 5.0 solar film in 208mm cells, and 3D printed Sol'Ex SHG, Lunt 40mm
Coming Soon: Solar Spectrum CaK II <1A filter