First Light - Solar Spectrum 0.3A

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Re: First Light - Solar Spectrum 0.3A

Post by marktownley »

These are absolutely stunning! This sums up so well why the SS is so much better than a Quark! Very impressed indeed!


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Re: First Light - Solar Spectrum 0.3A

Post by cmas »

Well, I'd be angry if that setup would be on the Quark level :D That is some really serious imaging train, looks like an RPG in a good way :) The images are superb and I am super envious of that setup!

Let's hope clear skies as I bet these images will continue to amaze me :)


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Re: First Light - Solar Spectrum 0.3A

Post by MapleRidge »

Hi Alexandra...

Congrats on the new Ha filter and it is producing very sharp images for you :bow

I know you have been waiting a long time to get the resolution and band-pass to this level on the TEC, and I'm sure the C11 will work well too. I agree the long assembly of filters/tubes/camera off the rear of the scope makes for some sag..hope you can engineer a way to minimize it.

Brian


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Re: First Light - Solar Spectrum 0.3A

Post by cmas »

Montana wrote: Sun Jul 18, 2021 6:41 pm Yes, the tubes are very long and even though they are all screwed together or click locked there is still some sag. This is evident in that my centre-line is at 23.5 degrees and not 27 degrees as it should be.
Just a thought: Are those extensions all T2? Swapping those to larger ones like m68 (and adapt the SS and telecentric/barlow to that) should increase rigidity. And if T2 is needed, I'd ask someone to make custom T2-extensions which have the required length (and maybe made with a slightly thicker Al tube and/or with higher quality aluminium or weld additional Al support structures to the tubes making the extensions more rigid) as when you have so many separate threaded connections, slight errors multiply over such a long distance and you have unwanted sag.


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Re: First Light - Solar Spectrum 0.3A

Post by eroel »

Alexandra:
Superb instrument and superb images.
I dream with a 0.3Aº Ha filter, my old ATM is just an 0.45Aº.
Best wishes.
Eric.


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Re: First Light - Solar Spectrum 0.3A

Post by RodAstro »

Hi Alexandra
The Great Fraunhofer refractor used two adjustable brass weights at one end of long bars with the bars centre on a gimbal mount to stop the wooden tube sagging under the weight of the objective, something similar in reverse would work.
I'm afraid you do need two of them to work properly on a EQ mount over a large area of movement.
The only other way is brute force like Stu has done on his RC.

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Re: First Light - Solar Spectrum 0.3A

Post by Rusted »

The difficulty with improving the stiffness of such a long assembly is the need for access to the vital bits in between the focuser and the camera.
A large disk [or a square plate] at the focuser end could support CF tubes.
Parallel tubes and baffles would be easier to use.

This would certainly support the load but who wants to volunteer to drill fixing holes in the TEC 140? :o
A thin, support plate could be sandwiched between the focuser and main tube?

I really wouldn't start from here. I'd start from scratch and build a new, full length, but much wider skeleton tube OTA.
With baffles at useful intervals to match the threaded adapter needs of the vital components.
Then bung the TEC objective cell on the front and you're golden. :D


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Re: First Light - Solar Spectrum 0.3A

Post by Lagonda »

Nice setup. I have a few questions. Did you have any reason to put TZ lens without M68 compendium to connect SS and TEC? When you look at the proms visually, how do you see it? Are they visible enough (maybe some comparison to 0.5A filter?) and is the image overall dim or bright? I am interested in buying 0.3A filter but it is very difficult to look through it because it is not a thing that everybody have.
What was the problem with focus? I think TEC has enough focus to reach for TZ and SS setup directly to its focuser.
I wish you many many sunny days and excellent seeing conditions. :)
Alan


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Re: First Light - Solar Spectrum 0.3A

Post by Montana »

Hi Alan,

Did you have any reason to put TZ lens without M68 compendium to connect SS and TEC?
Absolutely no idea, I had to look up what this was :)

When you look at the proms visually, how do you see it?
I've not looked visually yet so I have no idea :)

Are they visible enough (maybe some comparison to 0.5A filter?) and is the image overall dim or bright?
I've never used a 0.5A one, but this 0.3A is amazing, the image is very bright, I needed 51ms exposure for this prominence shown here but it was a very faint prom. I could see brighter proms on the edge without even taking the camera off the settings needed for the surface (less than 10ms). I would probably say it was brighter than my Solarscope.

What was the problem with focus? I think TEC has enough focus to reach for TZ and SS setup directly to its focuser.
I couldn't achieve focus as I ran out of extension with the focuser, so I added a 50mm extension tube and then I was able to focus fine :)

I hope these answer your questions, apart from the ones I'm afraid I don't know ;)

Kind regards
Alexandra


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Re: First Light - Solar Spectrum 0.3A

Post by Bob Yoesle »

Wonderful images Alexandria!

Just some caveats after long conversations with Mark at Solar Spectrum. A smaller diameter filter is better for achieving good contrast uniformity - keep it real for the image scale and EFL you're going to use.
I dream with a 0.3Aº Ha filter, my old ATM is just an 0.45Aº.
The old 0.45 ATM is likely very good. I regret that I ever sold my 1976 Del Woods 0.7 ATM. The quality of the mica back then was generally better as well.

Per Mark, and as well described in Christian's posts, you won't realistically reach a FWHM for a so-specified filter unless you're at a really long focal ratio, and at f25 there's little difference 0.5 and 0.3 A FWHM. This is especially true with single stacked filters where FWHM is less important than the transmission tails - and this is better with higher finesse (first caveat above - aka filter uniformity). And as discussed, it also takes near absolute perfect alignment of the optical axis. For these systems and long EFR's you'd have to use a sturdy optical rail type system as rusted describes to achieve the needed accuracy.


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Re: First Light - Solar Spectrum 0.3A

Post by VasilevIvan »

Congratulations, Alexandra with a perfect device! :hamster:
Very interesting report and absolutely stunning images! :bow
Have you tried to capture full disk with SS filter?

BR, Ivan.


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Re: First Light - Solar Spectrum 0.3A

Post by Lagonda »

Montana wrote: Thu Jul 22, 2021 5:02 pm Hi Alan,

Did you have any reason to put TZ lens without M68 compendium to connect SS and TEC?
Absolutely no idea, I had to look up what this was :)

M68 is a thread like M42, M48, T2 etc. Baader has combination for TZ systems if you want to put on your scope (with M68 on the rear side)-M68 compendium (inside you screw TZ lens in) and you put the rest as you wish. That M68 Compendium is some sort of tube where you screw TZ lens in and it looks more sturdy than just fitting TZ lens alone. But it doesn't have to be the case. Look at Baader website for that.

When you look at the proms visually, how do you see it?
I've not looked visually yet so I have no idea :)

Ok. You will. You have time. :) I know that capturing Sun is very tempting. :)

Are they visible enough (maybe some comparison to 0.5A filter?) and is the image overall dim or bright?
I've never used a 0.5A one, but this 0.3A is amazing, the image is very bright, I needed 51ms exposure for this prominence shown here but it was a very faint prom. I could see brighter proms on the edge without even taking the camera off the settings needed for the surface (less than 10ms). I would probably say it was brighter than my Solarscope.

I found out that on 0.5A I can see proms better and some surface details than with a camera. Although I can record some frames with only one exposure and I can get surface and proms in post processing. That is why I asked about visual observing. Because I saw some impressive images with 0.3A.

I hope these answer your questions, apart from the ones I'm afraid I don't know ;)
Yes you did. Thank you.

Clear skies
Alan


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Re: First Light - Solar Spectrum 0.3A

Post by Jordan Konisky »

Alexandra,

Took my breadth away. Congratulations.

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Re: First Light - Solar Spectrum 0.3A

Post by MapleRidge »

Alan...

Regarding the visual brightness, I find my 0.45A Quantum is a difficult view unless you can keep your head covered and all the stray light out. I did view through a 0.3A filter at NEAF many years ago and found it equally challenging, but not bad if you can keep your head covered. It will vary on your eyes and eyepiece quality too.

A friend has a 0.5A Quantum and it has to be one of the brightest views I've seem, but it was newly returned from Daystar for having its blockers/trimmers serviced.

Brian


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Re: First Light - Solar Spectrum 0.3A

Post by MAURITS »

Alexander, I see that the Tec 140 APO has an f/7 , so with the TZ4 telecentric you have than f/28.
I tought you need absolutely f/30 for Ha imaging with the Solar Spectrum 0.3Å to have the better results.
Do I have it wrong?


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Re: First Light - Solar Spectrum 0.3A

Post by Valery »

eroel wrote: Tue Jul 20, 2021 4:16 pm Alexandra:
Superb instrument and superb images.
I dream with a 0.3Aº Ha filter, my old ATM is just an 0.45Aº.
Best wishes.
Eric.

Eric,

PM sent.


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Re: First Light - Solar Spectrum 0.3A

Post by Montana »

Maurits,
The TEC140 maybe 140mm but the ERF I have is Baader D-ERF 135mm which only has effectively 125mm being in the filter cell. So (980/125)*4 = f31.36

:)
Alexandra


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Re: First Light - Solar Spectrum 0.3A

Post by MAURITS »

Montana wrote: Thu Aug 05, 2021 8:52 am Maurits,
The TEC140 maybe 140mm but the ERF I have is Baader D-ERF 135mm which only has effectively 125mm being in the filter cell. So (980/125)*4 = f31.36

:)
Alexandra
Ah I didn't seen that, indeed f/31.36
Thanks for the clarification 😊


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