WL today on new laptop & news
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WL today on new laptop & news
Hi all,
Not imaged since the eclipse in November due to the low winter sun and relentless cloud. I have been busy practicing processing old data on my new windows laptop though and just about got my head around newer versions of AS!3, ImPPG and started from scratch with Photoshop having struggled on a Macbook Air for 5 years. Thanks to all who shared info about their laptops and software. Your advise had served me well yet again! Today was the first time I captured data using Firecapture which was straightforward and noticeably faster. I went with WL as it's familiar and the jet stream directly over made me think twice about trying CaK.
Big news is that I've ordered a DS Solarscope 70 which will be ready in the next month or so. I'm still in a quandry about which scope to use with it. I was going to use my SW Evostar 80 while I decided but no end of volunteer brain and brawn is shifting the dew shield from it and I don't want the weight of DS etalons hanging from it, so in the meantime I'm just going to try it with a little 'donated' 70mm travel scope until I've properly decided. Everything is pointing towards a Tele Vue 85 which I'll save for and get next year. Does anyone have any feedback on that decision?
I'm sooooo happy to see the sun again after 4 LONG MONTHS!
Best wishes,
Nic
NS 20230319 1035 Sun WL 3256 3257 3259 by Nic Spencer, on Flickr
Not imaged since the eclipse in November due to the low winter sun and relentless cloud. I have been busy practicing processing old data on my new windows laptop though and just about got my head around newer versions of AS!3, ImPPG and started from scratch with Photoshop having struggled on a Macbook Air for 5 years. Thanks to all who shared info about their laptops and software. Your advise had served me well yet again! Today was the first time I captured data using Firecapture which was straightforward and noticeably faster. I went with WL as it's familiar and the jet stream directly over made me think twice about trying CaK.
Big news is that I've ordered a DS Solarscope 70 which will be ready in the next month or so. I'm still in a quandry about which scope to use with it. I was going to use my SW Evostar 80 while I decided but no end of volunteer brain and brawn is shifting the dew shield from it and I don't want the weight of DS etalons hanging from it, so in the meantime I'm just going to try it with a little 'donated' 70mm travel scope until I've properly decided. Everything is pointing towards a Tele Vue 85 which I'll save for and get next year. Does anyone have any feedback on that decision?
I'm sooooo happy to see the sun again after 4 LONG MONTHS!
Best wishes,
Nic
NS 20230319 1035 Sun WL 3256 3257 3259 by Nic Spencer, on Flickr
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Re: WL today on new laptop & news
….and what a great comeback, Nic. Beautiful WL image. Getting frustrated here with the relentless grey skies.
Good to hear you’ve got your hardware and software renewed/updated and you’re all up and running again. Exciting news too about the Solarscope
Stu.
Good to hear you’ve got your hardware and software renewed/updated and you’re all up and running again. Exciting news too about the Solarscope
Stu.
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Re: WL today on new laptop & news
Welcome back, Nic. And very nice WL image. Weather conditions slowly improving in the US Upper Midwest. Hope to get back myself in the coming weeks.
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Re: WL today on new laptop & news
that's a great shot and welcome to the Windows side Can't wait to see your Solarscope results.
Alexandra
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Re: WL today on new laptop & news
Great to see you back Nic, that is really crisp and pretty WL image!
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Re: WL today on new laptop & news
Nic,
So you ordered just the Solarscope etalons and not a complete scope? How do you attach the etalons to the front of a scope?
Welcome back to the " sunny side " and that's a nice image!
James
So you ordered just the Solarscope etalons and not a complete scope? How do you attach the etalons to the front of a scope?
Welcome back to the " sunny side " and that's a nice image!
James
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Re: WL today on new laptop & news
Excellent WL shot, looks like you could have tried cak imaging too on that day : )
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Re: WL today on new laptop & news
Hi Nic,
Excellent image. Nothing to criticize.
Excellent image. Nothing to criticize.
regards Rainer
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Observatorio Real de 14
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Re: WL today on new laptop & news
Thanks all for your warm, supportive feedback.
Dennis you’re right, if I’d realised the acquisition, stacking and processing were going to be this quick I’d’ve definitely gone for CaK as well! If I was on my old Mac, I’d still be dragging the files off my hard drive to stack them!
James the max aperture with the scope included from
Solarscope was 60mm so I decide to go with 70mm and get my own scope. Although I’m now I’m the comedy position of being ‘all filter and no scope’ maybe I could hold the etalons and blocking filter up to my eye like a pirate spyglass ha ha! The travel scope will be fine while I learn to use the DS system and be sure which scope to buy.
Nic
Dennis you’re right, if I’d realised the acquisition, stacking and processing were going to be this quick I’d’ve definitely gone for CaK as well! If I was on my old Mac, I’d still be dragging the files off my hard drive to stack them!
James the max aperture with the scope included from
Solarscope was 60mm so I decide to go with 70mm and get my own scope. Although I’m now I’m the comedy position of being ‘all filter and no scope’ maybe I could hold the etalons and blocking filter up to my eye like a pirate spyglass ha ha! The travel scope will be fine while I learn to use the DS system and be sure which scope to buy.
Nic
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Re: WL today on new laptop & news
Great comeback Nic. Nice and crisp WL image. Please keep us posted
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Re: WL today on new laptop & news
Nice to See you back Nic, looking forward to your new scope images.
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Re: WL today on new laptop & news
Great that you were able to image again, and great shot!
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Re: WL today on new laptop & news
A very rewarding return to imaging Nic
BTW is the dew shield threaded onto the Evostar 80? What have you tried thus far to loosen it?
BTW is the dew shield threaded onto the Evostar 80? What have you tried thus far to loosen it?
Clare & Peter
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Re: WL today on new laptop & news
Excellent white light closeup, Nic ! Beautiful detail in there. Congratulations on the new hardware and using new software. I am a Mac user at work but have a dedicated Windows laptop for solar and I think it works great.
Franco
Franco
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Re: WL today on new laptop & news
James sorry I didn’t answer how the filter attaches, you’ll find info about the adapter here
https://solarscope.co.uk/filter-systems/
Franco the Mac was fabulous in every other way, I was sorry to see it go!
Clare & Peter I was first told the dew shield just pulled off but that was the vendor’s mistake as that is true of the 72 but not the 80. The 80 screws off in theory. But I’ve had several spinach fuelled Popeyes with strong biceps with different types of straps including a mechanic’s oil filter straps and it won’t shift. The line of thought is that it’s paint that gets stuck. I was toying with the ideas suggested of hairdryer warmth and WD40 dabbed from a cocktail stick so capillary action might help until I decided that I’d be better with the telescope I have for WL and CaK as I’m fond of this little set up and then have a separate scope for h alpha. The scope I have went through a huge operation in intensive care fitting a posh focuser to it and it was touch and go whether it’d make it… so I threw in the towel being grateful that I have created a beauty and didn’t want to risk breaking it after all we’ve been through together! The little travel scope will serve me well in the mean time. I can use that with a Solarquest for outreach when I get the TV85 next year.
Everything comes to she who waits!
Nic
https://solarscope.co.uk/filter-systems/
Franco the Mac was fabulous in every other way, I was sorry to see it go!
Clare & Peter I was first told the dew shield just pulled off but that was the vendor’s mistake as that is true of the 72 but not the 80. The 80 screws off in theory. But I’ve had several spinach fuelled Popeyes with strong biceps with different types of straps including a mechanic’s oil filter straps and it won’t shift. The line of thought is that it’s paint that gets stuck. I was toying with the ideas suggested of hairdryer warmth and WD40 dabbed from a cocktail stick so capillary action might help until I decided that I’d be better with the telescope I have for WL and CaK as I’m fond of this little set up and then have a separate scope for h alpha. The scope I have went through a huge operation in intensive care fitting a posh focuser to it and it was touch and go whether it’d make it… so I threw in the towel being grateful that I have created a beauty and didn’t want to risk breaking it after all we’ve been through together! The little travel scope will serve me well in the mean time. I can use that with a Solarquest for outreach when I get the TV85 next year.
Everything comes to she who waits!
Nic
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Re: WL today on new laptop & news
Nic,
It does make more sense to match the etalon size with the aperture of the scope. I agree.
I thought an adapter would be required. Thanks for the link.
James.
It does make more sense to match the etalon size with the aperture of the scope. I agree.
I thought an adapter would be required. Thanks for the link.
James.
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Re: WL today on new laptop & news
Fantastic white light image Nic.
In regards the Evostar 80 dew shield,I found this review of the scope https://astrofarsography.com/skywatcher ... 0ed-review and the reviewer states that the objective lens is supported within the dew shield rather than the tube so isn't removable.
Alun
In regards the Evostar 80 dew shield,I found this review of the scope https://astrofarsography.com/skywatcher ... 0ed-review and the reviewer states that the objective lens is supported within the dew shield rather than the tube so isn't removable.
Alun
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Re: WL today on new laptop & news
Thanks Alun, that further confirms my decision to ‘leave well alone’. The faff of unscrewing the unscrewable dew shield and rebalancing it on the mount quickly switching from ha to WL to CaK would have become tiresome long term!
It’ll be reet!
Nic
It’ll be reet!
Nic
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Re: WL today on new laptop & news
Hi Nic, yes it's been a very-long four months for me too for too many differing reasons.
In fact, the last time I was even able to sit outside and enjoy 'Old Sol' was the same month that you were able to last image.
So a warm welcome back to SC and looking forward to seeing more of your fab images.
Best Wishes with the newbies and CLEAR SKIES please...
Terry
In fact, the last time I was even able to sit outside and enjoy 'Old Sol' was the same month that you were able to last image.
So a warm welcome back to SC and looking forward to seeing more of your fab images.
Best Wishes with the newbies and CLEAR SKIES please...
Terry
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Re: WL today on new laptop & news
Hi Nic,
What is the rationale for a TV85? Have you any direct experience of it? Do you know how the dew shield on it works? Is it retractable / removeable?
Personally, the fact the dew shield on the ED80 is absolutely rock solid makes it the perfect candidate for mounting heavy etalons on. My experience is with a retractable dew shield, if there is any play in it the weight of the etalons will impart a turning moment and cause the etalons to sag, and so tilt, inducing a band across the view rather than it being even. This is a faff to adjust.
I'd start off with the adapter plate for the ED80 and see how you get on. They're relatively cheap to manufacture in the bigger scheme of a DS70 etalon setup.
Mark
What is the rationale for a TV85? Have you any direct experience of it? Do you know how the dew shield on it works? Is it retractable / removeable?
Personally, the fact the dew shield on the ED80 is absolutely rock solid makes it the perfect candidate for mounting heavy etalons on. My experience is with a retractable dew shield, if there is any play in it the weight of the etalons will impart a turning moment and cause the etalons to sag, and so tilt, inducing a band across the view rather than it being even. This is a faff to adjust.
I'd start off with the adapter plate for the ED80 and see how you get on. They're relatively cheap to manufacture in the bigger scheme of a DS70 etalon setup.
Mark
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Re: WL today on new laptop & news
Thanks Mark,marktownley wrote: ↑Tue Mar 21, 2023 6:14 am Hi Nic,
What is the rationale for a TV85? Have you any direct experience of it? Do you know how the dew shield on it works? Is it retractable / removeable?
Personally, the fact the dew shield on the ED80 is absolutely rock solid makes it the perfect candidate for mounting heavy etalons on. My experience is with a retractable dew shield, if there is any play in it the weight of the etalons will impart a turning moment and cause the etalons to sag, and so tilt, inducing a band across the view rather than it being even. This is a faff to adjust.
I'd start off with the adapter plate for the ED80 and see how you get on. They're relatively cheap to manufacture in the bigger scheme of a DS70 etalon setup.
Mark
I absolutely intended to do as you suggest however in conversation with Helmut I learned a few details which made me think again. I am an over thinker by nature! He tests Solarscope filters with a TV85 and also Mark uses the DS70 with a TV85 see this thread
viewtopic.php?t=36218
so I know the dew shield won’t be a problem and the Solarscope works to a high standard with it. Helmut was very good in suggesting less expensive alternatives but I don’t want to spend £500-700 on an in between scope I’d rather just put that towards the TV85. It is also short and light in weight which are important to me. Helmut suggested that front fitting etalons are best placed as near to the lens as possible. The dew shield on the SW Evostar 80 would create a distance of about 10-11cm between the lens and the etalons. In spending a great deal of money (happily, as you get what you pay for) I want it to be on a good quality scope which will do it justice. Helmut has offered to make me an adapter for my SW Evostar 80 but I just feel uneasy about using it knowing the above. Do you, or does anyone else, know of any other light weight, small telescopes with a retractable dew shield of the kind of magnification of the Evostar 80 or TV85 that I could consider? As soon as I’m 100% sure which to get, I’ll find a way to get it asap but while I’m dithering and dillying, I’ll use the travel scope. I’ve already made so many equipment misjudgements I don’t want to make another on this final hurdle! It’s a ‘pension pot’ gift to self!
Always grateful,
Nic
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Re: WL today on new laptop & news
I'd stick with the Televue, they are proven to work very well indeed with the Solarscope and are a perfect pairing. Don't' the front etalons naturally screw on the front of the Televue too? using a screw thread is also much better than an adapter plate.
Alexandra
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Re: WL today on new laptop & news
That's interesting. Our SW 72ED's dew shield screws off. We think that you were on the right track with the WD40 & heat solution. We have a product in Australia called Penetrene which would be something we would give a try, standing the scope on it's front to apply it to the rear of the thread and let it wick through. Another thought for the application of heat was a dew strap wrapped exactly around the thread area only. This would hopefully help that expand while keeping the rest cool and not expanded.nicspenceryork wrote: ↑Mon Mar 20, 2023 12:59 pm Clare & Peter I was first told the dew shield just pulled off but that was the vendor’s mistake as that is true of the 72 but not the 80. The 80 screws off in theory. But I’ve had several spinach fuelled Popeyes with strong biceps with different types of straps including a mechanic’s oil filter straps and it won’t shift. The line of thought is that it’s paint that gets stuck. I was toying with the ideas suggested of hairdryer warmth and WD40 dabbed from a cocktail stick so capillary action might help until I decided that I’d be better with the telescope I have for WL and CaK as I’m fond of this little set up and then have a separate scope for h alpha. The scope I have went through a huge operation in intensive care fitting a posh focuser to it and it was touch and go whether it’d make it… so I threw in the towel being grateful that I have created a beauty and didn’t want to risk breaking it after all we’ve been through together! The little travel scope will serve me well in the mean time. I can use that with a Solarquest for outreach when I get the TV85 next year.
Everything comes to she who waits!
Nic
Anyway, if it's not needed, all is good
Clare & Peter
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Re: WL today on new laptop & news
Nic
A friend of mine has a TeleVue 85. It's an excellent scope. The dew shield retracts on his but older models I think have a fixed dew shield. The dew shield is threaded for the metal lens cap in the same way my Coronado SMII90 is.
James
A friend of mine has a TeleVue 85. It's an excellent scope. The dew shield retracts on his but older models I think have a fixed dew shield. The dew shield is threaded for the metal lens cap in the same way my Coronado SMII90 is.
James
Last edited by DeepSolar64 on Tue Mar 21, 2023 6:24 pm, edited 1 time in total.
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
Visual Observer
" Way more fun to see it! "
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
Visual Observer
" Way more fun to see it! "
- nicspenceryork
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Re: WL today on new laptop & news
So grateful to you all for your suggestions, interest and kindness, you’ll be the first to know of any updates (it’ll save my non solar friends from glazing over and stifling a yawn!)
Thanks
Nic
Thanks
Nic
- marktownley
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Re: WL today on new laptop & news
Say no more if this is what Helmut recommends, even better if the etalons can screw onto the end of the OTA where the dew shield would go.nicspenceryork wrote: ↑Tue Mar 21, 2023 7:44 amThanks Mark,marktownley wrote: ↑Tue Mar 21, 2023 6:14 am Hi Nic,
What is the rationale for a TV85? Have you any direct experience of it? Do you know how the dew shield on it works? Is it retractable / removeable?
Personally, the fact the dew shield on the ED80 is absolutely rock solid makes it the perfect candidate for mounting heavy etalons on. My experience is with a retractable dew shield, if there is any play in it the weight of the etalons will impart a turning moment and cause the etalons to sag, and so tilt, inducing a band across the view rather than it being even. This is a faff to adjust.
I'd start off with the adapter plate for the ED80 and see how you get on. They're relatively cheap to manufacture in the bigger scheme of a DS70 etalon setup.
Mark
I absolutely intended to do as you suggest however in conversation with Helmut I learned a few details which made me think again. I am an over thinker by nature! He tests Solarscope filters with a TV85 and also Mark uses the DS70 with a TV85 see this thread
viewtopic.php?t=36218
so I know the dew shield won’t be a problem and the Solarscope works to a high standard with it. Helmut was very good in suggesting less expensive alternatives but I don’t want to spend £500-700 on an in between scope I’d rather just put that towards the TV85. It is also short and light in weight which are important to me. Helmut suggested that front fitting etalons are best placed as near to the lens as possible. The dew shield on the SW Evostar 80 would create a distance of about 10-11cm between the lens and the etalons. In spending a great deal of money (happily, as you get what you pay for) I want it to be on a good quality scope which will do it justice. Helmut has offered to make me an adapter for my SW Evostar 80 but I just feel uneasy about using it knowing the above. Do you, or does anyone else, know of any other light weight, small telescopes with a retractable dew shield of the kind of magnification of the Evostar 80 or TV85 that I could consider? As soon as I’m 100% sure which to get, I’ll find a way to get it asap but while I’m dithering and dillying, I’ll use the travel scope. I’ve already made so many equipment misjudgements I don’t want to make another on this final hurdle! It’s a ‘pension pot’ gift to self!
Always grateful,
Nic
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- DeepSolar64
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Re: WL today on new laptop & news
Nic,
An Astro-Tech AT72EDII from Astronomics would probably be a good choice for those etalons too with little of the scopes aperture stopped down. Of course I would recommend the TV85 as well. Too bad those aren’t 80mm etalons! The TV85 though not exactly heavy is solidly built for it’s size.
James.
P.S. Mounting the etalons on the 85 would be easier than on the 72 though.
An Astro-Tech AT72EDII from Astronomics would probably be a good choice for those etalons too with little of the scopes aperture stopped down. Of course I would recommend the TV85 as well. Too bad those aren’t 80mm etalons! The TV85 though not exactly heavy is solidly built for it’s size.
James.
P.S. Mounting the etalons on the 85 would be easier than on the 72 though.
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
Visual Observer
" Way more fun to see it! "
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
Visual Observer
" Way more fun to see it! "
- eroel
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Re: WL today on new laptop & news
Nic:
Beautiful clean crisp image.
Thanks for the comeback Nic.
Best regards.
Eric.
Beautiful clean crisp image.
Thanks for the comeback Nic.
Best regards.
Eric.
- marios i.
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Re: WL today on new laptop & news
Nic,
Beautiful wl image!
Beautiful wl image!
Marios S.Ioannou
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