Eps on the sun

[Tweedledee]

Just had to get a look at the sun in this scorching weather with the ST120 and a nice Kendrick full aperture filter I got from Philjay a while back.

 

My Baader Q-Turret is lovely for comparing and switching between 1.25" eps. I first wanted to compare the 20mm Clavé Plössl with the 20mm Televue Plössl. Apparently the Clavé Plössl was Al Naglers bench mark for designing his own Plössls. Switching from one to the other I really could not find much to choose between them on the sun. When properly focused, which was fairly critical at F5 with a single speed focuser, the sunspot group (2 spots one slightly larger than the other) showed umbra and penumbra nicely with some fine detail (shape irregularities) just discernible on the outer edges of the spots, and the view seemed identical in both eyepieces. The field edge stayed sharp and the field stop nicely crisp in both. I found eye placement slightly easier with the Televue because it has a rubber eyeguard to help position the eye, whereas the Clavé's have a flat metal top, but the Clavé's should be no problem to get used to. So a very slight one-up for the TV, and I'm looking forward to some night time viewing with the Clavé's in the turret.

I tried an old 7mm Nagler type 1 and didn't enjoy the view at all. Had to push my eye tightly into the rubber eye guard to try and stop the kidney beaning. Focus seemed very critical, but the magnified seeing probably didn't help. Disappointed with the old Nagler 

With my set of four 1.25" Clavé's in the turret, (12, 16, 20 and 25), it was so quick and convenient to zoom in steps through to higher powers. I'm sure they are made par-focal which is nice, although each one needed just the tiniest tweak on the focuser, possible due to inaccuracies in the rotating turret. All the Clavé's gave a fine and pleasing view, and of course the 12mm gave the active region the most detail. I'm just loving using the Baader Q-Turret with a set of par-focal eps   

On trying some cheap old Celestron and Meade 3000 Plössls, the view was not so pleasing and seemed more difficult to focus. The field edges were all slightly blurred, glittery and had noticeable roughness of the field stop edge. I soon put them back in the case and was nearly tempted to chuck them in the bin

I took out the turret and 1.25" diagonal to fit the 2" Baader 90 degree Amici erect image prism and the 2" 40mm Clavé. Although the big Clavé only gave 15x and a ridiculous exit pupil, the tiny sunspot group was crystal clear but with little detail visible. But the view was so easy on the eye and easy to focus. The solid metal eyecup seems to be at the perfect distance to accommodate the massive eye relief. I imagine that the 40mm Clavé could give a nice easy low power binocular-like (15x120's) wide field views of the milky way.

Lastly I tried the big ES 9mm 120 degree on the sun. This eyepiece really brought out the most detail on the sunspot group with its higher power.

Viewing the sun will probably be improved using a monks hood like I have on order from R-Sky in Russia.

It was great to be outside with a telescope and sweating instead of shivering.

 

 

 

 

 

Edited May 8, 2016 by Tweedledee

[+Ibbo]

nice write up

 

I prefer simple ep's with the Ha

 

or better still an imaging device

[Smithysteve]

Great report Pete ?, very interesting.

Sounds like you had a good time checking out and comparing your ep's. 

The turret is coming in handy too, but be careful your 9mm doesn't topple your scope over 

 

[Tweedledee]

21 minutes ago, Smithysteve said:

Great report Pete ?, very interesting.

Sounds like you had a good time checking out and comparing your ep's. 

The turret is coming in handy too, but be careful your 9mm doesn't topple your scope over 

 

Thanks Steve.

 

The 9mm 120 in the 2" prism is far heavier than the fully loaded turret in the 1.25" diagonal, but it is still a very stable setup.

[BAZ]

Thanks for the write up Pete. I was surprised that the old Nagler didn't  work so well.

I reckon you are close to scope abuse, three finders, four eyepieces, what next eh!

 

I hope you get chance to have a look today.

[Tweedledee]

On ‎09‎/‎05‎/‎2016 at 06:53, BAZ said:

Thanks for the write up Pete. I was surprised that the old Nagler didn't  work so well.

I reckon you are close to scope abuse, three finders, four eyepieces, what next eh!

 

I hope you get chance to have a look today.

 

Cheers Martyn. Thoroughly enjoyed the transit thanks, as per everyone on here 

 

Not done with that Nagler yet.

 

Going to give it a good thrashing in the dark.

 

It ought to be pretty damn good even though it is an old type 1. Lots of good reviews about it on the internet.

[Guest]

On ‎08‎/‎05‎/‎2016 at 18:19, Ibbo said:

nice write up

 

I prefer simple ep's with the Ha

 

or better still an imaging device

For visual use I like the Coronado CEMAX 12mm. The focus travel (or lack of it) means that I still use afocal projection with my PST.

[philjay]

Nice write up Pete, glad the filter is of use.

 

I use a simple 8-24mm Vixen LV zoom usually when viewing the sun either in WL or Ha. However I am with Steve on preferring an imaging device. I prefer to slot my IMGOH camera in the focuser and view that way, regardless of if I feel like taking images, I have far more control over contrast, gamma etc and faint details often missed visually can often stand out far better with the camera.

[Guest]

On ‎10‎/‎05‎/‎2016 at 21:53, Tweedledee said:

 

Cheers Martyn. Thoroughly enjoyed the transit thanks, as per everyone on here 

 

 

 

Some of darn sarf were clouded out for the transit.