21 replies to this topic

[gustavo_sanchez]

Hey guys, I just wanted to share my image of today's Sun, now that I added a ZWO tilter to get rid of the NRs I was getting with my ZWO 120MM-S. I think it quite solved the problem!

sun-07-20-2019 by Gustavo Sanchez, on Flickr

[Jim Waters]

Real nice image gustavo_sanchez.

 

EDIT - Nice website..!

Edited by Jim Waters, 21 July 2019 - 12:02 AM.

[GUS.K]

Beautiful full disk gustavo.

[nicknacknock]

Gustavo, 

 

Nice image! Do you do mosaics or you use a reducer to get a full disk image?

[gustavo_sanchez]

Gustavo,

Nice image! Do you do mosaics or you use a reducer to get a full disk image?

With the LS50 and the 120MM-S, the full disk can be imaged with a single frame, with just about a small patch of black sky to frame it. I don't know if it's worth mentioning, but the blocking filter is the B600.

That being said, while the tilter solved the NR problem, it threw out of whack the spacing and now I don't have enough "intra-focus" to use my 1.3x Barlow solution. Only thing left to shorten the imaging train is to replace the blocking filter nosepiece with a female-female t-thread connection to the helical focuser. Not sure if it will work.

[nicknacknock]

I have the LS60 incoming. In my case the ASI120 won’t cut it then.... probably the ASI178 for me....

If you stick a Barlow in the imaging train, you have to rack out the focuser, so you need an extension actually...

[gustavo_sanchez]

I have the LS60 incoming. In my case the ASI120 won’t cut it then.... probably the ASI178 for me....

If you stick a Barlow in the imaging train, you have to rack out the focuser, so you need an extension actually...

Completely true, the focus sits a bit further back with a Barlow. Still, I have to account for the nosepiece holder, which adds too much backfocus. Thus, I have to find a way to move the system forward again. As of now, the Barlow lens screws at the end of the camera nosepiece. I'm still scratching my head around this...

[gustavo_sanchez]

This is my current setup (actually, I removed the small black spacer between the tilter and camera because I found out that it was unneeded, but otherwise the setup is the same).

[nicknacknock]

No room for more infocus unless you change the focuser to something shorter. There are shorter helical focusers and an adapter to the Lunt is cheap from RAF Camera

[MAURITS]

Very nice FD Gustavo.

[torsinadoc]

fantastic image!

[gustavo_sanchez]

No room for more infocus unless you change the focuser to something shorter. There are shorter helical focusers and an adapter to the Lunt is cheap from RAF Camera

Just found (and ordered) this "Ultra Short" 1.25" nosepiece holder from Baader; this could be exactly what I need to cancel out the length of the tilter and be able to focus with my 1.3x Barlow. It's about 15mm shorter than the standard Lunt visual back. Fingers crossed.

[PhotonJohn]

Super image Gustavo.

[gustavo_sanchez]

I think I now will be able to solve my intra-focus issues. This short nosepiece adapter from Baader "negates" the extra length of the tilter, and brings the imaging train to almost the same position as the original Lunt nosepiece. Now waiting for sunshine!

[Bokchoy Ninja]

Hi there,

 

I am about to purchase the Lunt 50mm (same setup as yours, except I'm thinking of going for the feathertouch focuser), and I also own a ZWO ASI120MM Mini. I really like your full disk images and would like to re-create your setup since you seem to have it figured out!

 

Can you recommend a parts list?

 

Thanks!

[gustavo_sanchez]

Hey Ninja, the parts I have added are the ZWO T2 tilter (screw the tilter directly to the blocking filter and the camera directly to the tilter to get full disk images) and the Baader short 1.25" nosepiece holder (if you want to use the lens section of the Baader Q-Barlow screwed directly to the camera nosepiece to get 1.3x magnification instead of the nominal 2.25x from the Q-Barlow).

[Bokchoy Ninja]

Hey Ninja, the parts I have added are the ZWO T2 tilter (screw the tilter directly to the blocking filter and the camera directly to the tilter to get full disk images) and the Baader short 1.25" nosepiece holder (if you want to use the lens section of the Baader Q-Barlow screwed directly to the camera nosepiece to get 1.3x magnification instead of the nominal 2.25x from the Q-Barlow).

Perfect, thanks for the advice!

 

I think I'm about to pull the trigger on the 50.

 

Is there anything else I should know, since you've had such success with it? You don't find the default helical focuser to be problematic at all for imaging?

[gustavo_sanchez]

Perfect, thanks for the advice!

I think I'm about to pull the trigger on the 50.

Is there anything else I should know, since you've had such success with it? You don't find the default helical focuser to be problematic at all for imaging?

The focuser is not FT, but it's far from useless. I have no problem getting it to focus correctly in a couple of seconds.

[Bokchoy Ninja]

The focuser is not FT, but it's far from useless. I have no problem getting it to focus correctly in a couple of seconds.

Right on, I'll plan on going for that, then. Thanks for the advice and for the inspiration

[matt_baker]

How did you go about focusing? I have a similar setup and cannot focus and tune for my life if there's no sunspots or proms

Edited by matt_baker, 28 October 2019 - 07:10 PM.

[gustavo_sanchez]

How did you go about focusing? I have a similar setup and cannot focus and tune for my life if there's no sunspots or proms

Hi Matt,

I have swapped a few things around to try out different setups, but I have always been able to reach focus. Can you please details all the components in your setup? Even better, share an image of your setup? I'm sure I could help you identify the issue.

[matt_baker]

My setup is a Lunt LS60THa with a b600 blocking filter and a ASI120MC. I know a colour cam isn't ideal for this kind of imaging but it's all I have for now. I just can't tell at all when I'm remotely in focus or when to tune (I have a tilt tuner) and it doesn't help when there aren't any sunspots or proms. I also use sharpcap to image

Matt