And now the H-Alpha Killer, a Lunt-Mod

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And now the H-Alpha Killer, a Lunt-Mod

Post by Solar-Cologne »

Hello,

i was lucky, because i became one of the best Lunt60 BF1200 without Pressure Tuning.
The private selected Scope from Markus Ludes / APM-Telescopes / Gemany.

I use it with a Harry Siebert Binocular with 1,8x Glasspath Compensator and Siebert 19mm 70° Eyepieces.

Then i can see the complete Disk, Filaments and Prominences in a wonderful Contrast for a Single Stack Scope.
Many H-Alpha Enthusiasts, they look through this Scope, are thrilled about this outstanding homogeneously sight.

I want to make a Mod with this Scope.....how does it work ?
It's very easy..... :D
Because the Lunts, not the LS35, have the H-Alpha Components inside the Tube.
I focussed the original Lunt watching at the sun and fixed the Focusser !!!

Then i remove the Frontlens.
I tested something with my 6" f8 FH-Refractors an Original and shorted Tubes.
To be became in the Focus for the Lunt60 Telecentrics you need a not shorted Tube !

I remove the Focusser from the Refractors back Side. The Hole at the end of this 6"f8 is a little bit larger than the Tube Diameter from the Lunt60 Tube.
I think about a Test-Setup.
Fastend two Tuberings in the End of the Refractortube with a long Aluminium Rail.
I fasten the Lunt at the a End of the Rail and then i watch to the Sun.

Now i move the Lunttube through to find the correct Focuspoint...importend, dont use the Lunt Focusser, because you want to find the correct Position for the Lunt-Telezentrik !!!
Wouw.....Seeing was not so good.....240x at the Disk and 300x at the Prominences......wonderful, i use additionally the 135mm C-ERF.
On the ITV-Gedern 2012, Germanys biggest Telescopemeeting, Markus Ludes and Mathias Wirth see my Lunt-Mod and they said, that will not do....
I said, stop talking...have a look through.... :D
Wouw, they are very surprised about this new Mod.

Because i have the next Mod in my Brain, i not often use my Scopes, often i have to build a Scope for Friends
I often talk with Oliver and Wolfgang to build new outstanding H-Alpha Scopes and Mods.

sunny Greetings :D
Achim
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Re: And now the H-Alpha Killer, a Lunt-Mod

Post by marktownley »

More impressive mods! I like! :)


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Re: And now the H-Alpha Killer, a Lunt-Mod

Post by Valery »

marktownley wrote:More impressive mods! I like! :)

It can work, but it suffers from only partial use of the etalon size = much smaller sweet spot than it can be if to make this mod correctly.


Valery


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Re: And now the H-Alpha Killer, a Lunt-Mod

Post by Derek Klepp »

Vey interesting and thanks for the info Valery.


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Re: And now the H-Alpha Killer, a Lunt-Mod

Post by Bob Yoesle »

Hi Achim,

Agree completely with Valery. You should determine how far inside the focus the collimator lens was placed in the Original Lunt 60 (probably posted on this forum somewhere ;-) -- this is the collimator lens focal length -- and place the collimator lens that same distance from the focal plane of the new objective, and keep it fixed there. This ensures the largest diameter beam of "collimated" light passes through the etalon.

Then use the standard focuser to focus with.


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Re: And now the H-Alpha Killer, a Lunt-Mod

Post by Solar-Cologne »

Hi Valery & Bob,

"Agree completely with Valery. You should determine how far inside the focus the collimator lens was placed in the Original Lunt 60 (probably posted on this forum somewhere ;-) -- this is the collimator lens focal length -- and place the collimator lens that same distance from the focal plane of the new objective, and keep it fixed there. This ensures the largest diameter beam of "collimated" light passes through the etalon"

Please, read my words, that's what I 've done....

Sorry, my bad english....my description is not so good ?

sunny Greetings :D
Achim


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Re: And now the H-Alpha Killer, a Lunt-Mod

Post by MapleRidge »

Great mod Achim! Nice to hear that you get both full disk and high power views with the scope.

Brian


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Re: And now the H-Alpha Killer, a Lunt-Mod

Post by Solar-Cologne »

Hello Brian,

Thanks for interesting.

I forgot to measured the aperture i use with this lunt-mod.
At next time i will do it.

sunny Greetings :D
Achim


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Re: And now the H-Alpha Killer, a Lunt-Mod

Post by Valery »

Solar-Cologne wrote:Hello,

i was lucky, because i became one of the best Lunt60 BF1200 without Pressure Tuning.

Achim
I asked Markus and he told me that this scope was best among three scopes he has had at the stock at that time.
This does not mean this one is one of the best in a world.


Valery


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Re: And now the H-Alpha Killer, a Lunt-Mod

Post by Solar-Cologne »

Hi Valery,

ok , I correct myself.

Its the best factory made scope i ever look through.
Other h-alpha enthusiasts said the same.

i've looked through all the telescopes, ranging from the LS35 and PST to the LS230.

sunny Greetings :D
Achim


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Re: And now the H-Alpha Killer, a Lunt-Mod

Post by solarmax2016 »

Achim

How did you figure out the actual focus? The push-pull in and out with the Lunt Etalon hub and its focuser is a trial -its heavy and very awkward to hold in the light path. In your slider mechanism did you slot the aluminum bar to move the Etalon - how did you keep it aligned? I tried it very unsuccessfully,
had a machinist make me a seven inch tube threaded with an adapter to fit the main OTA and the Lunt etalon body. I measured 7" for the length using my Meade 102ED - I was wrong- it was less than 6" - cost me $200. If Lunt would disclose the diameter of the Collimating lens they use it would be easy (f/8.3 x diameter of collimator) to find the focal length and its exact position forward of the donor OTA focus. Lunt is discreet about anything in its production. I tried to order another OTA (the white tube) and they wanted me to ship the instrument back! The same tube fits all 60 mm PT H-alpha instruments. That cost me $200 in wasted machining costs. I'm not very happy. No cooperation at all. Someone out there knows the Lunt 60 mm Etalon
negative focus. By the way, in case anyone else makes an attempt to thread components onto the Lunt Etalon body - its a 1.0 mm Micro metric thread
- hard to cut and on a tube longer than 3"- you'll need a 3-1/2" cavity in your lathe mandrel to pass it through (a 500 to 1000 dollar one- :( off job!). A long tube like Lunts original (7") cannot be threaded by a conventional lathe - I checked - it will wobble and disthread.


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