Recent Images - solar imaging stuff

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Modified Coro 60 DS for 2" Fittings Date: Telescope: Solarmax telescope 60DS with straight BF Camera: Nikon D40 This is a simple 1.25 to 2 inch adaptor plugged into the 1.25 Coro holder. Primarily to accept the straight 2" BF

Another shot of the same set-up Date: July 2011 Telescope: Camera: flea3 The strange sighting device is a piece of 1 3/8dia 1/8 wall ally tube, with bung in the front with a 1/8 hole in. The "looking at end is a disc of matt draughting film, with a black cross on it, trapped onto the end of the tube with a cap, It works exactly like the Coronado sight but was made about 25 years earlier. Its long length makes it very accurate

Setup July 2011 Date: Telescope: Solarmax telescope 90DS AP 130 EDT Camera: flea3 The Pic shows my two solar imaging scopes. The black 90mm etalon is a 1991 uniit from the Isle of Man. and is fitted on the a much later Coronado DS scope, which has an internal secondary etalon. The fixed internal blocking filter was removed complete with focusing ring, and replaced with a feathertouch focuser. The blocking filter and eyepiece holder will fit into a 2x powermate or the focuser, but for connvenience I mostly use a 2 inch fit blocking filter from a different source.

Fitting a Feathertouch Focuser Date: 4th June 2011 Telescope: Solarmax telescope 90DS : The 4 c/sk screws were removed, the focuser/BF unit was pulled out. The adaptor has a sleeve section that is tapped to accept the 4 screws. The helical focus thread is double start so twice the pitch too tricky to utilise. The F/touch accepts a 2x powermate and BF Unit, which accepts the eyepiece or ccd. Click image to enlarge.

Imaging set-up as from September 2010 Date: 18th Sept 2010 Telescope: AP 130 f8 plus Coronado 90mm and Daystar ATM .65A and firiends Camera: Flea3 1/4inch There must be 150lbs of stuff on this AP1200 QMD including the c/ balance weights. The 5inch AP non bloomed airspaced triplet APO is a gem of a scope. and is used for solar and planetary work. The 90 DS Coro is superb for full disc viewing , wider field imaging and hi res. With the feather touch focuser it also handles the Daystar for triple stacking.

The Imaging Desk Date: 18th September 2010 Telescope: AP 130 f8 plus Coronado 90mm and Daystar ATM .65A Camera: Flea3 1/4inch On-screen is the cameras live feed ready for capturing AR11108 The device in the front of the laptop is a Firewire 1394b Express card adapter with power lead,for the flea3 CCD, all available from point grey research at time of writing. Shown too is a Solar Spectrum temperature controller for the restored and rather old Daystar filter.

Offset Adaptor Date: 9th Jan 2009 Telescope: Camera: This offset 2 inch to 1.25 adaptor enables me to rotate the centre of the camera chip about a 1/2 diameter circle, so as to avoid blemishes on the centreline of the filter. The filter works well visualy, using a 25mm eyepiece, but the 6mm chip on the CCD Camera, becomes 50% obscured by a 3mm blemish in the centreline of the filter. I have now effectively extended the useful imaging life of the filter.

2" Intes Wedge Unit Date: 13th November 2008 Telescope: 6inch f15 achromat + 2x Powermate Camera: Lumenera 075M This is a set-up for White light imaging with a wedge. The 2x Powermate makes it very easy to access the focal plane. The draw tube has to be pulled out some distance. The scope's focal plane is at the end of the brass tube, the powermate "re-projects" it to the camera chip.

180inch EFL Ha imaging set-up Date: September 2008 Telescope: Homemade 6 inch f15 achromatic refractor, with 2,5x powermate, Daystar ATM.6A Ha filter Camera: Lumenera 075M The scope is shown mounted on the beautiful AP1200 QMD GEM. The 2" brass rack mount was made by the Late Ron Irving. It is housed in a 12 foot dia. homemade 30 year old GRP Dome.

Daystar Imaging train Date: 2008 Telescope: . Camera: . This picture shows one of my set-ups, with the Daystar ATM .6A Ha filter. The 4x powermate is used on the 80mm f7.5 TMB to give the desired f30 at the filter.

Solar or Planetary imaging arrangement Date: 2008 Telescope: C-14 and 80mm TMB Camera: Lumenera Skynix 2.0 or 075M. A C14 shares the mount with the 80mm TMB.I can image the sun or planets with this set-up.

Current solar imaging set-up Date: August 2008 Telescope: Vixed 150mm F9 ED Camera: Lumenera 075 The Vixen is twinned with an 80mm TMB and is mounted on an AP1200 QMD. The picture shows my homemade Herschel Wedge fitted in the Vixen, A Daystar ATM.6A is fitted into the 80mm, for slightly wider field than the Vixen

Laptop View Date: 2007 Telescope: Camera: This is a typical laptop view of the Ha "clouds" at 180" focal length. The capture software shown, is Norpix "Streampix". The slider controls top right, show the exposure control mid-way, and the gain slider as low as possible to the left of its travel.

The Daystar ATM.6A Ha Filter Unit Date: 2007 Telescope: 6 inch f15@f30 Camera: Lumenra 075M This is the Daystar ATM .6A Ha filter mounted the the versatile 2" brass rackmount by the late Ron Irving. The 2x powermate is holding the filter and Lumenera CCD camera