Catch up, good news, bad news

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gabrieli
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Catch up, good news, bad news

Post by gabrieli »

I've been jealously admiring the extraordinary work of posters on this forum for the past while.

I finally got around to setting up my two mounts outside for the season under protective covers, an arrangement that worked well last year. I also have my table and counterweights outside under a cover. This all helps reduce the time spent carrying equipment back and forth.

Below, I have 5 images taken over the past few days of the full solar disc, a filament, prominence and some limb activity.

Using a double stacked Luint60 MT
FDmay14.png
FDmay14.png (464.74 KiB) Viewed 357 times
FDmay18.png
FDmay18.png (408.5 KiB) Viewed 357 times


Using a single stacked Stellarvue 127 + Quark
filamentmay18.png
filamentmay18.png (318.39 KiB) Viewed 357 times
prommay18.png
prommay18.png (197.77 KiB) Viewed 357 times
limbmay18.png
limbmay18.png (133.54 KiB) Viewed 357 times
I was hoping that by this time, I could confirm that I had received an order from Lunt that I placed back at the beginning of last October for a front etalon for my Stellarvue 127 to allow easy back end double stacking using a Quark or other etalons I already have. This was an LS100F. I also ordered an adapter for this filter for my 102 Apo. The lead time was indicated as 6 months but obviously may be a while longer. I briefly considered a double stacked pair of LS100Fs but very quickly realized that there would be some practical problems. One of these filters weighs 8 lbs. Two in double stack configuration would require an adapter between them plus the adapter to the Stellarview scope. The scope weighs 18 lbs and the double stack pair plus adapters would be close to 18 lbs. Balancing would be a problem although a prime focus double stacked image that 2 double stacked LS100Fs would allow sounded very appealing.

On a more disappointing note, last fall, I had to send my Solar Spectrum 0.5Å filter back to be repaired since I started noticing a weird shadow effect (see attachment) after I started using a Player One Saturn 533 camera with a bigger sensor than cameras I had tried previously. I tried different cameras with similar sized sensors with the same result. That filter has not been returned to me yet (waiting 6 months, so far) . Mark at Solar Spectrum indicated concern about the shadow. I’m hoping that the filter comes back soon.
Does anyone have any idea what the shadow could signify?
PlayerOne533 copy.png
PlayerOne533 copy.png (300.36 KiB) Viewed 357 times

Lou


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Re: Catch up, good news, bad news

Post by DeepSolar64 »

Lou,
All of these look really nice. I had intended to image that prominence yesterday but I was totally clouded out. Today is also quite cloudy. Your prom image turned out well.

James


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Re: Catch up, good news, bad news

Post by Petrus »

Wonderful captures, I really hope your solar spectrum etalon will be fixed properly and you will get the chance to use it during this season.


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Re: Catch up, good news, bad news

Post by marktownley »

Nice disks Lou. I do a very similar thing to you, my mount lives outside permanently under a soft cover - to the untrained eye of local thugs it looks like a rotary washing dryer ;)

I can imagine you are frutrated with the absence of your solar spectrum, but, as it is with Mark you can be rest assured it is in the best place. He will sort it out.


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Re: Catch up, good news, bad news

Post by MAURITS »

Nice to see Lou.


Regards,
Maurits

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Re: Catch up, good news, bad news

Post by Montana »

Lovely to see you back in business (well, sort of) :hamster: :bow
Sadly my SolarSpectrum is also back with Mark and I sent mine in January, so I have been waiting 5 months :( I feel your pain

Alexandra


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Re: Catch up, good news, bad news

Post by torsinadoc »

For reference, it took about 6 months when I returned my Daystar Quantum for repair before it was returned. Granted it needed new etalon which may have caused the delay.


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