Lunt 152 DSII - First Use and Questions

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MallinCam Jack
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Lunt 152 DSII - First Use and Questions

Post by MallinCam Jack »

I received my DSII module three weeks ago and the skies did not cooperate until today to allow me to try it out. I have the B3400 blocking filter and live in SE Louisiana - 30' above sea level. To achieve focus with the Lunt zoom eyepiece and 1.25" diagonal, I had to remove the spacer ring between the DSII and the cone. I seriously doubt that I will be able to achieve focus with a 2" diagonal as there was very little focus travel left when using the 1.25" diagonal.

When using just the PT, it is adjusted to where the brass threads are just fully covered. WIth the DSII module in place, I had to almost bottom out the PT and the same with the DSII. The glow present in my Lunt 80 with DSII is still present in the 152, but not as bad as in the 80.

Regarding surface detail, it is enhanced when using the DSII as one would suspect. However the visibility of surface detail depens upon where in the FOV one is looking. The best detail was seen about 2/3rds of the way form the center of the FOV toward the 10 o'clock position. I had a nice prom visible at this location as as I moved the limb to the center of the FOV, the prom disappeared entirely. Also while looking at surface detail 2/3rds of the way from the centero of the FOV toward 10 o'clock, none was visible in the center of the FOV and much less was visible away from the center except at the 10 o'clock position.

Is my DSII behaving normally? Has anyone had similar experineces with their DSII on a Lunt 152?

Yours truly,

Jack Huerkamp


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Valery
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Re: Lunt 152 DSII - First Use and Questions

Post by Valery »

Hi Jack,


It is not normal that a sweet spot is so much asymmetrical in the FOV. I think that you have to spend a fair amount of time trying to find
the best possible (for your DS rig) relative orientation of the DS-II towards the main etalon and also the BF3400 filter towards both etalons
at their best orientation. You need to find the orientation when the sweet spot will be sysmmetrical in the FOV and will cover as much area as possible.

If this not help much, better to send the telescope with DS-II module to Lunt Engineering and ask them to help to adjust the telescope to
it's best possible etalon and BF oriantation. Lunt's customer service is known to be excellent.

If you find such orientation yourself or Lunt Ebgineering will, then better to make marks on the cells of etalons, spacer, diagonal with BF
- so that this best orientation will never be forgotten. Some photos willl help to keep this too.

I did this with my own home made 150mm telescope with internal etalons. This took several hours of patient try and error adjustment.


BTW. Can you measure with a ruler the DS-II input and output lenses aperture? Thanks for this in advance.


"Solar H alpha activity is the most dynamic and compelling thing you can see in a telescope, so spend accordingly." (c) Bob Yoesle.

Largest full size 185 - 356mm Dielectric Energy Rejection Filters (D-ERF) by ARIES Instruments.
MallinCam Jack
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Re: Lunt 152 DSII - First Use and Questions

Post by MallinCam Jack »

Valery,

Thanks for your reply.

Today I spoke to a friend of mine who also just received his DSII for his Lunt 152. He had just gotten off the phone with Rikki Hocking and she basically told him the same thing you related to me. She told my friend to try start with both PTs at the 3 o'clock position as seen from the back of the scope. Achieve the best image and then rotate the DSII to the 12 o'clock position to see if the image improves. Repeat with the SDII at the 9 o'clock position. Note where the two PTs are when the image has the most detail as this is where the two etalons are functioning the best. This afternoon I started with the PT at 12 o'clock and then moved the DSII from 12 o'clock through 6 o'clock and got the best views with the two PTs roughly 180 degrees apart.

Rikki did not mention the roatation of the B3400. I will try to see if this makes a difference the next clear day we have here in SE Louisiana.

Yours truly,

Jack Huerkamp


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Re: Lunt 152 DSII - First Use and Questions

Post by MallinCam Jack »

Valery,

I will measure the lenses on the two side of the 152 DSII the next time I remove it and post the measurements.

Yours truly,

Jack Huerkamp


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Re: Lunt 152 DSII - First Use and Questions

Post by Valery »

Nice to hear from you so good news. Hope you will adjust your DS rig to the perfection and will mark up all the components with photos - so, you will be able to repeat it anytime you wish.

We all, of course, wait your further images of the Sun at high resolution through such a powerful instrument - LS152.

I will wait your measurements. If possible, end me the e-mail with your measurements results.

Thanks,

Valery.


"Solar H alpha activity is the most dynamic and compelling thing you can see in a telescope, so spend accordingly." (c) Bob Yoesle.

Largest full size 185 - 356mm Dielectric Energy Rejection Filters (D-ERF) by ARIES Instruments.
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