I happened to go on Thousand Oaks site and saw that they offer off-axis or center-axis HA filters at some reasonable prices. For my 8" SCT, and complete off-axis system for HA is $839. I was wondering if anyone here uses the HA filters from TO? It's listed as .9 ang, so curious how that would do vs. a .5 ang or the .7 that is most dedicated solar scopes.
Thanks,
John
Thousand Oaks H/A filters - Thoughts?
- marktownley
- Librarian
- Posts: 42545
- Joined: Tue Oct 18, 2011 5:27 pm
- Location: Brierley Hills, UK
- Has thanked: 20813 times
- Been thanked: 10485 times
- Contact:
Re: Thousand Oaks H/A filters - Thoughts?
Hmmmm, personally I wouldn't bother with the TO - others may say differently. What aperture was the advertsied filter?
http://brierleyhillsolar.blogspot.co.uk/
Solar images, a collection of all the most up to date live solar data on the web, imaging & processing tutorials - please take a look!
- solarchat
- Site Admin
- Posts: 4381
- Joined: Sat Feb 01, 2014 3:10 pm
- Location: Atlanta, GA USA
- Has thanked: 84 times
- Been thanked: 1384 times
- Contact:
Re: Thousand Oaks H/A filters - Thoughts?
I agree.
I tried and tried for months to get them to return a call to sell me a filter, ANY filter. No luck.
Even if you could get them to reply, .9A will maybe show some bright prominences but thats about it. No surface detail.
You can buy a Lunt 50mm filter for less money and make your Schmidt objective cover into an off axis filter.
I tried and tried for months to get them to return a call to sell me a filter, ANY filter. No luck.
Even if you could get them to reply, .9A will maybe show some bright prominences but thats about it. No surface detail.
You can buy a Lunt 50mm filter for less money and make your Schmidt objective cover into an off axis filter.
Stephen W. Ramsden
Atlanta, GA USA
Founder/Director Charlie Bates Solar Astronomy Project
http://www.solarastronomy.org
Atlanta, GA USA
Founder/Director Charlie Bates Solar Astronomy Project
http://www.solarastronomy.org
Re: Thousand Oaks H/A filters - Thoughts?
Agreed, bought the off-axis for my CPC and sent it back, it was horrible. The sweet spot was a joke, it looked like you were drawing a bright curtain across the disc. Maybe they will change their product someday.
Re: Thousand Oaks H/A filters - Thoughts?
.9A will maybe show some bright prominences but thats about it. No surface detail.
The standard H alpha PST is 1.0A bandpass and that shows surface detail pretty well. I haven't any direct experience of the TO filters but I was under the impression that the bandpass was nearer to 1.5A.
The standard H alpha PST is 1.0A bandpass and that shows surface detail pretty well. I haven't any direct experience of the TO filters but I was under the impression that the bandpass was nearer to 1.5A.
Re: Thousand Oaks H/A filters - Thoughts?
I tried a TO filter a long time ago (2002) and could only see proms (very few disk details if any).
http://www.astrosurf.com/re/vixen_thous ... 020409.jpg
http://www.astrosurf.com/re/h_alpha_tho ... mosaic.jpg
http://www.astrosurf.com/re/halpha_thou ... 020411.jpg
best regards
http://www.astrosurf.com/re/vixen_thous ... 020409.jpg
http://www.astrosurf.com/re/h_alpha_tho ... mosaic.jpg
http://www.astrosurf.com/re/halpha_thou ... 020411.jpg
best regards
- swisswalter
- Way More Fun to Share It!!
- Posts: 17948
- Joined: Thu Feb 06, 2014 4:28 am
- Location: Switzerland
- Been thanked: 1 time
- Contact:
Re: Thousand Oaks H/A filters - Thoughts?
Hi John
very interesting thread. I would go with standards
very interesting thread. I would go with standards
Only stardust in the wind, some fine and some less fine scopes, filters and adapters as well. Switzerland 47 N, 9 E, in the heart of EUROPE
from 7 am - 7 pm http://www.nanosys.ch
from 7.01 pm - 6.59 am http://www.wastronomiko.com some times vice versa
from 7 am - 7 pm http://www.nanosys.ch
from 7.01 pm - 6.59 am http://www.wastronomiko.com some times vice versa