Solar Spectrum Sundancer 2 vs. PST40 mod 1
- Bastelhannes
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Solar Spectrum Sundancer 2 vs. PST40 mod 1
Hi folks,
just had first light with the brand new Sundancer 2, which arrived yesterday.
Unfortunately I am still fighting with camera technique, but I wanted to share my first impressions.
It's a nice unit: I took my Evostar 120, attached a DERF 110 mm in front and just the Sundancer 2 in the back.
Wow.
A nice, evenly illuminated and homogenous field of view. No sweet spot detectable. But... huge scale. The 3x telecentric lens quite magnifies the details.
I directly compared it with a PST40 mod stage 1.
To be honest: The details are the same in both systems.
Pro Sundancer 2:
- no sweet spot
- no internel reflections
Cons Sundancer Pro 2:
- really great (die I mention great?) maginfication
- longer exposure times
Pro PST mod 1:
- same details for less money
- more fun
Cons PST mod:
- a few reflections (ghost image), but this will be solved
- sweet spot
More information is going to follow soon...
Cheers,
Bastelhannes
just had first light with the brand new Sundancer 2, which arrived yesterday.
Unfortunately I am still fighting with camera technique, but I wanted to share my first impressions.
It's a nice unit: I took my Evostar 120, attached a DERF 110 mm in front and just the Sundancer 2 in the back.
Wow.
A nice, evenly illuminated and homogenous field of view. No sweet spot detectable. But... huge scale. The 3x telecentric lens quite magnifies the details.
I directly compared it with a PST40 mod stage 1.
To be honest: The details are the same in both systems.
Pro Sundancer 2:
- no sweet spot
- no internel reflections
Cons Sundancer Pro 2:
- really great (die I mention great?) maginfication
- longer exposure times
Pro PST mod 1:
- same details for less money
- more fun
Cons PST mod:
- a few reflections (ghost image), but this will be solved
- sweet spot
More information is going to follow soon...
Cheers,
Bastelhannes
My greatest fear is being married alive.
- marktownley
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Re: Solar Spectrum Sundancer 2 vs. PST40 mod 1
Thanks for the first impressions!
Just bear in mind any telecentric etalon system won't have a sweet spot, this is only something you get with a collimated etalon system - as in the PST...
Very much looking forward to more thoughts and details.
Just bear in mind any telecentric etalon system won't have a sweet spot, this is only something you get with a collimated etalon system - as in the PST...
Very much looking forward to more thoughts and details.
http://brierleyhillsolar.blogspot.co.uk/
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- Bastelhannes
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Re: Solar Spectrum Sundancer 2 vs. PST40 mod 1
Mark,
Thank you for clarifying. It was my first raw impression I wanted to share. (Of course I am going to try a telecenter in front of a PST soon).
As soon as I got the first images I am going to show them here. But please be gentle to me, I am a beginner in imaging and will do a lot of mistakes and there will be plenty room for improvement...
Thank you for clarifying. It was my first raw impression I wanted to share. (Of course I am going to try a telecenter in front of a PST soon).
As soon as I got the first images I am going to show them here. But please be gentle to me, I am a beginner in imaging and will do a lot of mistakes and there will be plenty room for improvement...
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- marktownley
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Re: Solar Spectrum Sundancer 2 vs. PST40 mod 1
I wouldn't bother - the PST bandpass becomes huge and will show very little in the way of features. Different types of etalons with sundancer / solar spectrum and PST.Bastelhannes wrote: ↑Sat Sep 18, 2021 6:55 am Of course I am going to try a telecenter in front of a PST soon.
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- Bastelhannes
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Re: Solar Spectrum Sundancer 2 vs. PST40 mod 1
Okay.. first pictures
This was taken with Evostar 120 (shortened), DERF 110 mm, PST40-mod 1,Baader Hyperion MK IV (24mm) and ZWO ASI 178
This was taken with Evostar 120 (original), DERF 110 mm, Solar Spectrum Sundancer 2, focal and ZWO ASI 178
This was taken with Evostar 120 (shortened), DERF 110 mm, PST40-mod 1,Baader Hyperion MK IV (24mm) and ZWO ASI 178
This was taken with Evostar 120 (original), DERF 110 mm, Solar Spectrum Sundancer 2, focal and ZWO ASI 178
This was taken with Evostar 120 (shortened), DERF 110 mm, PST40-mod 1,Baader Hyperion MK IV (24mm) and ZWO ASI 178
This was taken with Evostar 120 (original), DERF 110 mm, Solar Spectrum Sundancer 2, focal and ZWO ASI 178
This was taken with Evostar 120 (shortened), DERF 110 mm, PST40-mod 1,Baader Hyperion MK IV (24mm) and ZWO ASI 178
This was taken with Evostar 120 (original), DERF 110 mm, Solar Spectrum Sundancer 2, focal and ZWO ASI 178
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- marktownley
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Re: Solar Spectrum Sundancer 2 vs. PST40 mod 1
Good first results Karsten! Are you using eyepiece projection with the PST mod?
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Re: Solar Spectrum Sundancer 2 vs. PST40 mod 1
Mark,
yes I do. It is so far just a stage 1 mod, so its the only chance to use a ZWO ASI 178.
I am designing, as I mentioned before, a conversion kit for the PST40, so it going to be easier to build a stage 2 mod of the PST40. After I have built this I am going to compare the Sundancer 2 focal with PST mod 2 focal.
The sundancer 2 was a test device, but I decided to keep and buy it. But in the future with a Baader 0.4 reducer.
yes I do. It is so far just a stage 1 mod, so its the only chance to use a ZWO ASI 178.
I am designing, as I mentioned before, a conversion kit for the PST40, so it going to be easier to build a stage 2 mod of the PST40. After I have built this I am going to compare the Sundancer 2 focal with PST mod 2 focal.
The sundancer 2 was a test device, but I decided to keep and buy it. But in the future with a Baader 0.4 reducer.
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- Bastelhannes
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Update: Solar Spectrum Sundancer 2 vs. PST40 mod 1
Update:
I played along with the Sundancer 2 for a few days. I collected some thoughts, results and impressions:
1. The little hand controller clicks every few seconds very audible. Baader Planetarium is aware of this and is working on a solution.
2. My ZWO ASI 178 definitely is not suitable for monochrome as mentioned already in this forum
3. No remote control possible so far. I am thinking about replacing the existing controller box with the annoying clicking by an Arduino solution: the control of the temperature to adjust the CWL of the etalon. The micrometer for a rapid tilt adjustment is a different issue (no idea so far)
4. For details the Sundancer 2 with the 3x telecentric is fantastic, but I am going to get a 0.4x reducer to get a better overview.
Because I am a noob in programming: has anyone designed a program for temperature control with Arduino or ESP so far?
I played along with the Sundancer 2 for a few days. I collected some thoughts, results and impressions:
1. The little hand controller clicks every few seconds very audible. Baader Planetarium is aware of this and is working on a solution.
2. My ZWO ASI 178 definitely is not suitable for monochrome as mentioned already in this forum
3. No remote control possible so far. I am thinking about replacing the existing controller box with the annoying clicking by an Arduino solution: the control of the temperature to adjust the CWL of the etalon. The micrometer for a rapid tilt adjustment is a different issue (no idea so far)
4. For details the Sundancer 2 with the 3x telecentric is fantastic, but I am going to get a 0.4x reducer to get a better overview.
Because I am a noob in programming: has anyone designed a program for temperature control with Arduino or ESP so far?
My greatest fear is being married alive.
Re: Solar Spectrum Sundancer 2 vs. PST40 mod 1
HI from your images with both filters. You are in the red wing of Ha.
The SD2 lower the setting and try -4 and see if the contrast is better.
Mark W.
The SD2 lower the setting and try -4 and see if the contrast is better.
Mark W.
- Bastelhannes
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Re: Solar Spectrum Sundancer 2 vs. PST40 mod 1
Hi Mark,
Thank you very much for your hint. I am going to try it as soon as the sun is visible again and i have free time to try it.
Your help rises a general question: How do I know, if I am in the red wing or blue wing of H-alpha?
Thank you very much for your hint. I am going to try it as soon as the sun is visible again and i have free time to try it.
Your help rises a general question: How do I know, if I am in the red wing or blue wing of H-alpha?
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- marktownley
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Re: Solar Spectrum Sundancer 2 vs. PST40 mod 1
You can tell you are in the red as the spicules are seen as dark clusters of 'rosettes'.Bastelhannes wrote: ↑Mon Oct 04, 2021 7:04 am Your help rises a general question: How do I know, if I am in the red wing or blue wing of H-alpha?
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