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Thanks Jeff. I was ready to pull out my hair with the transparency. The views were mucky.

I wish I could see that gap on the limb like you can. Have you ever seen it in a 60? I wonder if mine being a double stack might hinder me seeing it as well since the views are dimmer.

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Erika --

Sorry, lost track of this thread.

I've never looked through a 60, but I have asked several folks who use 50 and 60mm obstructed and unobstructed instruments as I was considering replacing my SM40 if I could bring in the gap & spicules.

Anyway, the results of my informal survey were mixed. At least one respondant could see it with an unobstructed 50, and several with obstructed 60s, but I also found several with both obstructed and unobstructed 60s who couldn't see it.

One respondant did suggest it had more to do with magnification than aperture. I think it must be at least a little of both, though, as I can't see it in my SM40 at 75X, and can in my SF70 all the way down to 65X.

My only conclusion is that aperture, obstruction, magnification, and viewer all matter -- which means neither one of us is any wiser in what the bare minimum would be personally.

Cheers,
-- Jeff.

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Nikon 18x70s / UA Millennium                                       Colorado:
Solarscope SF70 / TV Pronto / AP400QMD                       Coronado SolarMax40 DS / Bogen 055+3130
APM MC1610 / Tak FC-100 / AP1200GTO                        Tak Mewlon 250 / AP600EGTO

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I didn't bother with close up prominence sketches. The view was interesting enough as a full disk.

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