6 replies to this topic

[revans]

Prominence animation from May 11, 2025. Lunt40mm DS F/10 178MM. EQ6-R Pro mount. Seeing 3/5. Image is my Astrobin link. Time-Lapse was 1hr 6 min. 
 
Rick
 
 

[Bob King]

Nice job, Rick. Thanks for sharing your animation.

Bob

[revans]

Nice job, Rick. Thanks for sharing your animation.

Bob

I am really surprised about what can be seen and recorded with only a 40mm scope.  I think that in some ways the Lunt 40 is special because double stacked, both etalons are tilt tuned and out front.  It seems to create very good contrast when you are on band.  Of course resolution can only go so far with 40mm but on the other hand this little scope seems to deal well with seeing that is average or below average.  

 

Bigger can be better, but it isn't always necessarily better

 

Rick

[rigel123]

That looks great Rick!

[revans]

Here is a more close up view, but the Lunt 40mm is too small to allow very much image enlargement, at least using the ASI178MM camera.  I'm not sure if there is a monochrome camera with pixels just a bit smaller (maybe a 678MM with 2 micron pixels) but I'll have to check that possibility out. Image links to my Astrobin page as usual.
 
Rick
 

[gstrumol]

Nice Ric!

 

But I think it's time to bring your big gun (LS100DS) out, no? 

[revans]

Nice Ric!

 

But I think it's time to bring your big gun (LS100DS) out, no? 

Yes, but the overcast/clouds are back and will be here until the weekend.  I also want to put the Quark/Lunt40 etalon combination on my 6 inch f/8 refractor but I have to solve two issues first.... I would need quite good seeing.... and I would have to use that scope on an alt/az mount which means that I have to use a recently purchased Pegasus Astro Rotator.  I've given myself until the fall to accomplish this goal.  Meanwhile, when seeing is good but not great then I'll use the Lunt100MTDS and probably the Quark/Lunt40 combo on my EQ6-R Pro mount attached to the imaging train of my Esprit 80 f/5 or my Esprit 120 f/7.  I could also use this combo on my old Meade 127 f/9 and perhaps this is actually the next thing I should try before returning to the Lunt100.  I've been saving this scope for a day with great/exceptional seeing.  Only the 6 inch refractor needs the alt/az mount plus rotator. I can use the others on my EQ6-R Pro which does a good job at solar tracking.

 

I'm having this weird issue with shadows using a Barlow with the Lunt100MTDS.  I need to move the Newton ring corrector right to the camera and not interpose the barlow as I've been doing.  I think that should solve it.  So, that is another experiment that needs to get done fairly soon.  

 

Rick