LUNT 300mm Ha SolarScope - Question ??

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LUNT 300mm Ha SolarScope - Question ??

Post by EGRAY_OBSERVATORY »

Does anyone know of anybody who has the 300mm Lunt Ha scope ??

I've just come across an advert of today showing these for sale at:- £130,152.30p and a cheaper one at £94,235.29p ...!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Apparently does not include EP's or a mount, but does include a Dovetail bar, :oops: so I just wonder what the weight and length are, as the supplier doesn't seem to know ??

Also what are the benefits of this 300mm version are over my 60mm version and whether it is worth trading mine in for this purchase ?? :seesaw

Also could I get a discount off of each of 30p and 29p respectively - as my cheque books don't have enough space for all those numbers ??? :P

Honest answers only please, as there's a lot at stake here... :bow

Thank you in advance
Terry
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Re: LUNT 300mm Ha SolarScope - Question ??

Post by marktownley »

My guess is very few people have a L300...


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Re: LUNT 300mm Ha SolarScope - Question ??

Post by Alto »

Looks like the Forth Road Bridge with glass at either end.

Actually I do have one, I visit it often in my dreams....

Wonder how it would function under UK skies!


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Re: LUNT 300mm Ha SolarScope - Question ??

Post by marktownley »

Alto wrote: Sat Feb 20, 2021 10:00 am Wonder how it would function under UK skies!
Like a £100k paperweight!


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Re: LUNT 300mm Ha SolarScope - Question ??

Post by Alto »

Besides, Terry, don't they all say it's not the size that matters, but what you do with it.......


Call me Geoff.

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Doesn't mean I know what I'm doing, though!
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Re: LUNT 300mm Ha SolarScope - Question ??

Post by EGRAY_OBSERVATORY »

Thanks Gentleman for those excellent answers.

So we have a "£130,152.30p - Paper-Weight" and a "part of the Fourth Road Bridge in Scotland." That's a start...

Isn't this beast, a bit like having a Rolls Royce car - just for shopping at my local ??

We Wish.. (or not)...

Terry
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Re: LUNT 300mm Ha SolarScope - Question ??

Post by Alto »

Hey - low mileage, whilst a second hand Lunt 300 will have 'done' 92 million miles?


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Re: LUNT 300mm Ha SolarScope - Question ??

Post by EGRAY_OBSERVATORY »

An excellent response Geoff - thanks I'll take that into consideration too - before buying...

Terry


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Re: LUNT 300mm Ha SolarScope - Question ??

Post by rsfoto »

Alto wrote: Sat Feb 20, 2021 12:51 pm Hey - low mileage, whilst a second hand Lunt 300 will have 'done' 92 million miles?
... but a Rolls Royce can be used in any kind of weather ...

I only hope they do not use Lucas parts " The Prince of Darkness " as in my Old Land Rover :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol:

:mrgreen:


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Re: LUNT 300mm Ha SolarScope - Question ??

Post by DeepSolar64 »

Terry,
You would probably seldomly use the scope at full aperture due to seeing limitations unless you have an A1 site nearby but you can always stop it down. You have a lot of aperture to work with here. And if you did get one of those rare days that you could use all 12" of it there would be no one here that could touch you in resolution!

But WoW what a conversation piece you would have. Probably the largest commercially available Ha solar telescope available. That's damn cool!

I would drink a toast to Terry and his big ass scope! :cool:

James


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Re: LUNT 300mm Ha SolarScope - Question ??

Post by christian viladrich »

A 355 mm SC with a full aperture ERF and a 0.3 A etalon woud be much less expensive ;-)

At 280 mm, a 11"Hat has a much better cost/benefit ratio, and you can move it around easily.


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Re: LUNT 300mm Ha SolarScope - Question ??

Post by EGRAY_OBSERVATORY »

Ha Ha. Rainer that sounds about correct too, as Lucas has been around for yonks, even with all the competition.

To stop-down this Behemoth - would seem to be sad, unless LUNT have already produced a decent f-stopper (no doubt at extra $/£'s..
And James the scope is about as big (if not bigger) than me...

Well Christian, what can I add to your comment, but I must admit I do prefer Lunt to the other makes... Simplicity is my aim and usually achieved..
I would imagine (unlike the Rolls Royce) that this scope is really to be mounted on a suitable Solar tracking-mount in an observatory, rather than being moved around from place to place...

Cheers
Terry


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Re: LUNT 300mm Ha SolarScope - Question ??

Post by DeepSolar64 »

Terry,
The C11 based HaT would probably be an excellent alternative, I agree with Christian on that, but the Lunt 300 would no doubt be excellent. It certainly is a fixed observatory scope. Not very portable. But you do have an observatory so that should not be an issue for you. You will need a good mount too.

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Re: LUNT 300mm Ha SolarScope - Question ??

Post by DeepSolar64 »

Terry,
You can double stack it too!

https://www.highpointscientific.com/lun ... 0tha-b3400

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Re: LUNT 300mm Ha SolarScope - Question ??

Post by EGRAY_OBSERVATORY »

Thanks James and for the link too. I see that a 5-year warranty is shown there, which for the price should be in any case.

My observatory was built primarily for Solar observations and imaging (although can and is used for other purposes up there) and the SkyWatcher ALT-EQ6 GT mount should be able to easily handle the weight, but not with the WL & Cal-K scopes (as the tri-scope assembly-now).

Also the length of the Behemoth would almost certainly be an issue with both the telescope-stand and the roof-structure... (bearing in mind the additional length of camera etc.

I note though the the U.S. prices seem much lower than in the U.K.

Cheers
Terry


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Re: LUNT 300mm Ha SolarScope - Question ??

Post by DeepSolar64 »

Terry,
Here is a somewhat cheaper alternative. The Lunt LS230tha. It costs about what a car does here. Cheaper large alternatives would be the Celestron based AiryLab HaT 9.25" and 8" aperture sizes.

https://luntsolarsystems.com/shop/solar ... ng-filter/

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Re: LUNT 300mm Ha SolarScope - Question ??

Post by george9 »

I think it is neat that they created it. I was so looking forward to looking through it at last year's NEAF or this year's NEAF, but COVID intervened.

I already own a 280mm H-alpha scope, on which I use a 0.3A filter double stacked with another etalon. But this would give a really nice refractor view. Unlike the 280 and its limited field of view, the 300 and its 5-inch etalon I think covers the whole disk.

My mount would hold it fine, but I could never store it or pay for it.

George


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Re: LUNT 300mm Ha SolarScope - Question ??

Post by DeepSolar64 »

George,
If your 280 a refractor or SCT? If so that is a massive refractor!

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Re: LUNT 300mm Ha SolarScope - Question ??

Post by george9 »

Sorry, I meant I have a 280mm SCT, but I would love to look through a Lunt 300mm H-alpha refractor.

George


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Re: LUNT 300mm Ha SolarScope - Question ??

Post by EGRAY_OBSERVATORY »

Thank you Gentleman.
Yes James, I did look at the 230mm scope as well. I usually don't go for a lower-priced item if there is something better, but certainly the 230 is nice.
Likewise, if I had a use for any R.R. car, then I might have done the honours there, but my likkle vintage Ford is more than sufficient for my purposes - as is rarely used and has allowed me to spend my dosh on things like flying and more expensive astro-gear etc...

Thanks George for your comments and certainly would have been nice to have had a review from you from NEAF.

As said earlier by George/Alto, "don't they all say it's not the size that matters, but what you do with it......."

The saga goes on.

Cheers
Terry


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Re: LUNT 300mm Ha SolarScope - Question ??

Post by Montana »

I'm presuming you are looking at this as a conversation topic only Terry, you don't really intend to buy it do you :shock: you had me worried :)

Alexandra


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Re: LUNT 300mm Ha SolarScope - Question ??

Post by EGRAY_OBSERVATORY »

Hi Alexandra,
If I wanted to have the most expensive scope of this type, there would be far-too many issues that would need to be sorted too.
viz:-
A new purpose-built observatory c/w motorized rotating-roof and a suitable aperture.
A deep and very stable base to mount a suitable pillar.
A far better mount than my S/W AZ-EQ6GT, for very accurate tracking due to the 300's length.
A new computerised set-up and all the cabling etc., required.
A move well-away from the U.K. to a location where the weather is much-less of an enemy to Solar-Watchers and Star-Gazers alike / all year round.
A need to have this Behemoth - rather than a need to show-off - that this is bigger than others, which may or may not produce better images.
A lot of time to take advantage of any possibilities that this scope can achieve above and beyond that which other scopes and their users on SolarChat
have proven that "the size simply does not matter"... (50mm and above to say 130mm have proven that they can take exemplary-images, so it is
most unlikely that an aperture of 300mm will allow me to improve on those others having proven here)...
I'd sooner have the Rolls Royce - if I really wanted to show-off albeit I'm not sure other on-lookers will be jealous, rather amused and in any case, I have flown many aircraft - many times the value of the Lunt 300mm Ha "BEHEMOTH" and never needed to buy one of those either...!!!

In other words Alexandra, if I really wanted to to improve on the Lunt 60mm Ha & Cal-K scopes I have already, then I could consider to do whatever is necessary to my Meade 127mm ApoChromatic-Triplet for the same purpose...

My aim was simply to see what others here think about this monster and it's ridiculous U.K. price...

I trust that puts your mind at rest ??
Best Wishes
Terry


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Re: LUNT 300mm Ha SolarScope - Question ??

Post by DeepSolar64 »

You had me wondering Terry. That scope would only be useful in a good climate with clear skies and good seeing. Pedro Re' comes to mind here but even he doesn't have one of these behemoths! The UK and solar observing don't seem to mix well. You Brits have too much cloudiness! But somehow you guys persevere.

What scope would you REALLY consider, Terry?

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Re: LUNT 300mm Ha SolarScope - Question ??

Post by EGRAY_OBSERVATORY »

Thanks James.
A LUNT 60mm Ha and CAL-k, with FeatherTouch focusers + B1200 BF's. and a DS for the Ha, all without pressure-tuning devices.
In other words, exactly as I have now already and over the last 10-years. (The more one adds to almost anything, the more there is to go wrong -
as Murphy says :- "If it can go wrong, it will go wrong." That applies to almost everything around us today...

With the reliability I've experienced and knowing that LUNT's service and back-up are superior to many others, why would I want to venture to Quirk or another manufacturer, where apparently it seems impossible to even get to speak to someone or return Emails - at present at least ??

That is my thoughts and from my experiences..

Terry


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Re: LUNT 300mm Ha SolarScope - Question ??

Post by DeepSolar64 »

Terry,
The main reason I chose Coronado over Lunt was cost. My Coronado SMII90 DS cost me 3500 dollars. A double stacked Lunt LS80MT would have pushed me up to 5500. I know sometimes you get what you pay for but sometimes a higher amount of money is hard to come by. Time will tell whether I made a decent decision.

And yes, Lunt is well known for their good customer service. Meade, not so much.

James


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Re: LUNT 300mm Ha SolarScope - Question ??

Post by EGRAY_OBSERVATORY »

Indeed James, you are perfectly correct and I respect the fact that what one can afford is usually the ultimate answer. Credit can be useful for some - as long as they know they can repay over time, but in my case, part of my father's estate assisted me in doing what I wanted, extra to other astro-viewing and imaging than Solar.

My AStro-club had the SolarMax 60mm as well as a PST-HA & CAL-k scopes acquired through a grant from our "National Lottery Fund" and in the beginning it was down to me to sort-out the casing etc., so that these can safely be used for public outreach and schools..

I decided that I would sooner or later acquire my own Solar-gear and as one of our previous club-members had his own astro-supply business, I put it to him to get me the best-gear on the market at the time - which was Lunt...

He and another very-well known presenter/imager, even delivered them personally to me and also viewed the observatory - which had barely been completed as a building, but not kitted out...

The decisions of that supplier - has been proven to be perfect, as my gear has been trialled along-side of other makes and found to be superior.

Further work relating to mounting three-scopes on the original Vixen-mount was not suitable due to the weight, so the acquisition of the SkyWatcher ALT/EQ6 GT was decided upon and also has proved to be well worthwhile...

I do though, need to polish-up on the imaging-side, where with the two new ASI 178MM's only were able to see a few lights up to November'20 and after a revamp of all of the computer-system, screens and wiring mods...

I'm on the verge of starting to observe and image from the observatory (this week) as well as working on the ETX-125 etc., for necessary measurements for the new mini-observatory, so very busy and with lots of other things to do as well.

Just shows that retirement is not always an easy-life, rather too-busy to need to work away from home - in any case...

Cheers
Terry


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Re: LUNT 300mm Ha SolarScope - Question ??

Post by DeepSolar64 »

Good luck Terry on clear skies. I am waiting on your images. Retired life? I haven't got there yet. I still have a few years.

James


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Re: LUNT 300mm Ha SolarScope - Question ??

Post by EGRAY_OBSERVATORY »

Just to re-open an older topic of price-differences, Now Lunt are doing a 40mm SolarScope at less than a £1,000 and comparing the 300mm version at around £130,000, I wonder whether the x130 could ever achieve a x130 better image ??

Also if anything gets in between the objective and the BF, wow immediately-grilled !!

Any further thoughts are welcome - whilst our Sun is sleeping...?

Terry


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Re: LUNT 300mm Ha SolarScope - Question ??

Post by marktownley »

Buy 130 of the 40mm scopes and cherry pick those with the best etalons and send the rest back :lol:


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Re: LUNT 300mm Ha SolarScope - Question ??

Post by RodAstro »

One plus, at least you wouldn't loose collimation when you clean the objective :lol:

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Re: LUNT 300mm Ha SolarScope - Question ??

Post by EGRAY_OBSERVATORY »

Well Mark, I did actually think on those lines albeit I thought of making Lunt an offer to buy 130 at a reduced price/discount (their ears suddenly pricked-up) and then make sufficient profit to buy the APM 152MM F/7.9 DOUBLET ED-APO @ £3.5K by selling the 40's for a a small profit each.

On the other-hand, £3.5K could easily be spent - without the need for buying. storage-space, advertising, selling, post and packing of the 130 units, so I'd opt for the half-sized version at £3.5K... :movie :bow2

Yes Rod, quite right too :o

It's got me finking now, so how could I get to keep a 152 on another mount in another observatory ready for immediate use and still keep the Tri-Scope Assembly up and running as is in the Main observatory, plus the (ready to be erected) Mini-observatory with the Orion ED80T on a Vixen mount .. :?:

Answer:- I don't need the 152mm Apo, cus I've already got the Meade 127mm Apo-Triplet in mint condition and hardly used, so back to square one... :)

Terry


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Re: LUNT 300mm Ha SolarScope - Question ??

Post by Ivan »

Terry, a little off topic, but Solarmax 90 with doublestack is worth in Russia, in terms of pounds 9700.

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Re: LUNT 300mm Ha SolarScope - Question ??

Post by DeepSolar64 »

Ivan wrote: Fri Jul 30, 2021 2:03 pm Terry, a little off topic, but Solarmax 90 with doublestack is worth in Russia, in terms of pounds 9700.


Ivan
If my pound to dollar translator is right that's 13.480.43 US Dollars. I guess they think that tube is gold plated!!

Meade has them for 5899.00. Lately they are often hard to find at dealers. The SolarMax III series is gradually replacing the SolarMax II series.

https://www.meade.com/telescopes/solar- ... ilter.html

The SMIII90 is a thousand bucks higher.

https://www.meade.com/solar/solar-scope ... ilter.html

If I bought one now at these prices I would probably go with a Lunt LS80MT. The double stacked Lunt LS80MT would cost me just under 6000 dollars.

I got my Coronado SolarMax II 90 on a closeout at Woodland Hills Telescope more than 2400 dollars off of the current Meade list price! That was a no brainer!


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Re: LUNT 300mm Ha SolarScope - Question ??

Post by EGRAY_OBSERVATORY »

Thank you Ivan and James for those comments.

I must agree with James though, as, except for the "gold plated" part, where I would have thought "solid gold" would be more appropriate at that price.

Also the current Meade/Orion/SolarMax situation has to be uncertain at the moment as to supply/availability and service.

Agreeing though that the LS80 certainly does seem an appropriate acquisition for the lower-half of the costing for available SolarScopes from Lunt, whereas as for other manufacturers, I will not personally like to comment on as problems have shown themselves here via posts...

Cheers
Terry


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Re: LUNT 300mm Ha SolarScope - Question ??

Post by DeepSolar64 »

I would love to see someone with a Lunt 300 here. The largest refractor I know of on SolarChat is Alessandro's 228mm.

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Re: LUNT 300mm Ha SolarScope - Question ??

Post by Ivan »

DeepSolar64 wrote: Fri Jul 30, 2021 3:49 pm
Ivan wrote: Fri Jul 30, 2021 2:03 pm Terry, a little off topic, but Solarmax 90 with doublestack is worth in Russia, in terms of pounds 9700.


Ivan
If my pound to dollar translator is right that's 13.480.43 US Dollars. I guess they think that tube is gold plated!! ...


James
They do not think, they are sure that their telescope is golden :) Solarax 3 with double stack and a 30mm filter unit costs even more 1,158,990 rubles, which is 11,342 pounds or 15,867 dollars.

https://meade.ru/catalog/teleskopy/soln ... rom-30-mm/

Ivan


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Re: LUNT 300mm Ha SolarScope - Question ??

Post by Simon2940 »

I've seen the scope, no idea how well it performs.

Im still trying to get some time on a 230mm scope, ive also been pondering the 228mm cell from iStar.

Until then, the Esprit 150 is the biggest i have. :S


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Re: LUNT 300mm Ha SolarScope - Question ??

Post by DeepSolar64 »

The Celestron 102 and Coronado SolarMax II 90 are my biggest scopes for solar.


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Re: LUNT 300mm Ha SolarScope - Question ??

Post by EGRAY_OBSERVATORY »

Thanks again James, Ivan, Simon and James again.

Ivan, I have just briefly read through the Meade-ru website details, where clearly there are differences between the original Meade details published by Meade in the U.S. and U.K. etc., so without going into any price-differences/rates of exchange and any import/export duties, which will constantly change anyway from when the literature was originally published - it does seem that total costs within Russia may be much more than elsewhere for the identical product.

Ultimately though, until we know what is to become of the SolarMax production-side of the original Meade (now Orion) infrastructure, it remains to be seen what availability and prices and service to customers - will be...

I personally would in any case stay with Lunt, who have provided me with excellent results and service, as I know others have received too.

And Simon, I would have thought that the 230mm scope would be well-sufficient for any Solar purposes and I have just received and "1st Lighted" Esprit 80mm for WL, which will be sufficient for my purposes, unless I want to use the long and heavy 127mm Apo-Triplet.

Best wishes
Terry


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Re: LUNT 300mm Ha SolarScope - Question ??

Post by DeepSolar64 »

Hey Terry, when are you gonna get that Lunt 300!?? :band


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Re: LUNT 300mm Ha SolarScope - Question ??

Post by Rusted »

The amateur astronomer's path is regularly littered with "white elephants."
Greed for aperture often ignores all the other requirements over and above the initial purchase price.

It is a highly specialised instrument.
By default the instrument will use very long focal lengths.
This places heavy demands on seeing conditions, tracking and support.
For ideal thermal reasons it must be mounted fully exposed and still allow hi-res imaging in wind.

If you don't have better than average seeing conditions then why bother?
If you don't have clear horizons, over the full southern arc, E-W, free from buildings then why bother?
Birds of prey soar on the thermals over forests. So avoid forests.
Farmers harvest fields leading to miles of bare earth.
Farmers and neighbours often plant trees.
Avoid wildfire areas, those given to frequent cloud or violent storms.

So, in summary:

A raised, open platform, on a private island, or peninsular.
On the northern shores of a large, high altitude lake.
No mountains or dark rocks to your south.

Sound about right? ;)


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Re: LUNT 300mm Ha SolarScope - Question ??

Post by EGRAY_OBSERVATORY »

Absolutely correct Chris, so primarily the seeing-conditions and average weather-conditions, will prove the 300's worth, which for S.E.England is likely to be around 100-times less than the current manufacturer's price.

In fact its' value is really in the talking about it, as an example that "Big is definitely NOT always better"...

Thanks Chris and everybody who has taken their time in reading and replying about this "Behemoth"

And James, I would sooner buy a light aircraft - even with all the overheads and operating costs...

Terry


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Re: LUNT 300mm Ha SolarScope - Question ??

Post by marktownley »

Rusted wrote: Sat Jul 31, 2021 6:34 am The amateur astronomer's path is regularly littered with "white elephants."
Greed for aperture often ignores all the other requirements over and above the initial purchase price.

It is a highly specialised instrument.
By default the instrument will use very long focal lengths.
This places heavy demands on seeing conditions, tracking and support.
For ideal thermal reasons it must be mounted fully exposed and still allow hi-res imaging in wind.

If you don't have better than average seeing conditions then why bother?
If you don't have clear horizons, over the full southern arc, E-W, free from buildings then why bother?
Birds of prey soar on the thermals over forests. So avoid forests.
Farmers harvest fields leading to miles of bare earth.
Farmers and neighbours often plant trees.
Avoid wildfire areas, those given to frequent cloud or violent storms.

So, in summary:

A raised, open platform, on a private island, or peninsular.
On the northern shores of a large, high altitude lake.
No mountains or dark rocks to your south.

Sound about right? ;)
I think you have summed this up very well Chris!


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Re: LUNT 300mm Ha SolarScope - Question ??

Post by DeepSolar64 »

Well Said, Chris! That's why the Big Bear Solar Observatory is on a peninsula surrounded on three sides by water!

JP


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Re: LUNT 300mm Ha SolarScope - Question ??

Post by eroel »

Terry:
Many years ago I saw that scope in display at the NEAF/NEAIC convention, I do not remember if the last day the Lunt representatives mounted it outside to see the Sun.
Best regards.
Eric.


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Re: LUNT 300mm Ha SolarScope - Question ??

Post by RodAstro »

Here's my scope mounted correctly and its only a six inch :lol:
My neighbours seem to have a problem with it every time I suggest what I am going to build :D

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India natial 30foot solar zeiss.jpg
India natial 30foot solar zeiss.jpg (142.64 KiB) Viewed 659 times


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Re: LUNT 300mm Ha SolarScope - Question ??

Post by EGRAY_OBSERVATORY »

Thanks Mark, James, Eric and Rod.

Eric, certainly would have been good to know what view though the behemoth would have been then..

Hi Rod, that's some observatory/look-out station in (India). :!:
Many Moons away from Derbyshire and certainly good for ship-spotting, but the trees as well as the hut on top have spoilt the effort for all-round astronomical observation - surely ?? :roll: :lol: :arrow: :movie

Best Wishes though
Terry


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Re: LUNT 300mm Ha SolarScope - Question ??

Post by RodAstro »

Hi Terry
Yep not good all round views but it is just a solar observatory. The India National Observatory have two of these Zeiss Coude telescopes setup solely for solar work, this being the best one setup on the edge of a steep mountain on the 30 foot tower to get the best seeing.

I would like to move my Zeiss for better seeing but in the UK nowhere is safe anymore, I moved to a small village to get good skies fifteen years ago and built the observatory for my Zeiss, since then I have been sounded by houses and LED street lights :(

Cheers Rod


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Re: LUNT 300mm Ha SolarScope - Question ??

Post by yltansg »

Hi everyone.

I have an ARIES D-ERF from Valery for a C14:

Image

Didn't have supporting seeing when I used it a few times. I hope to put it to the test in late Aug/Sep this year when the seeing gets better.

Alfred


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Re: LUNT 300mm Ha SolarScope - Question ??

Post by marktownley »

Wow! You have a C14 for solar now too Alfred?!?! :o


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