Setting up a Lunt 40mm Hydrogen Alpha solar telescope
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- Опубліковано 21 сер 2024
- Small 40mm Lunt from box to mount
I encountered a few small snags setting up my new dedicated solar telescope, and wanted to share with you all how I got around them.
I've recently moved on from a Coronado PST to a 40mm Lunt (ouch, wallet), because the PST wasn't playing ball when it came to focusing, and I'm looking to get the whole solar disc in frame. The Lunt had a few small things to resolve on arrival, but has been absolutely brilliant since, and I've been very happy with the images I've been able to produce with it despite the fact that it's one of their smallest solar telescopes. I've even managed to resolve a tip-of-the-needle International Space Station during a morning solar pass! You can see my recent photos and video of the ISS pass on my Instagram:
/ cellistontheroof
I hope Lunt and Televue are paying attention . Better customer experiences is needed. Great vlog young lady.
Excellent first time user review. You call out Lundt for their poor documentation which others have also noted. They are either not listening to their customers or simply don’t care.
That sun image was amazing.
Thank you so much for this video. Lots of great information. I just purchased the last Lunt 40mm in stock that I could find at the time of this posting. I am in the corridor for the upcoming April 2024 eclipse with about 4m 22s of totality. I expedited shipping and will be practicing with it, as soon as it is delivered.
Great Video about issues with the Lunt scope. I have had my Lunt 60MT for a couple years now and enjoy the heck out of using it. Your the first to go over how to align the SolSearcher finder to the scope thanks for that. Now I can finally adjust the finder to my scope properly.
Hey that’s really great to hear, I’m glad it was helpful! 60mm sounds like a dream. Clear skies!
Amazing, cellist on the roof!👏
That was a very helpful and informative video, thanks for taking the time to make and post it!
Great mini review covering out of the box issues with the new Lunt. It would be so easy for Lunt to provide even a simple manual that guides new users on these things. Thanks for sharing the tips!
Your channel just became my #1. I just got the LMT60mm and same issues.... I called Lunt on the 1/4-20 bolts for the vixen-Mount which i had a few of. They could at least include the screws for that instead of me pecking around for them:)
Excellent video. I have a 50mm Lunt on order. Solar observation/imaging in north Scotland almost sounds like a bad joke, but we do actually get quite a lot of sun. The summer months are a pain due to not having any astronomical darkness so a bit of solar work will keep me occupied. Looking forward to your processing videos.
Thanks! It’s nice to keep busy during the day with not just sitting at the screen and processing old data 😄 solar work is fascinating!
Awesome video and a VERY helpful troubleshooting guide for new owners! Nice job and best wishes from Scotland! :)
Best wishes for your Solar imaging journey from another Solar imager...it's a wonderful experience
Thank you! You too!
Cool solar telescope - now I want one! From here in Toronto it's only a short drive to Niagara Falls, which is in the 100% totality path for April 2024. Hope you can make it here to North America for the eclipse
Thanks!! Yes I imagine these will be so popular in the coming year haha! Fingers crossed for getting there for the eclipse, and hope you get brilliant views of it too 😊
Just a tip for solar eclipse imaging, you'll probably want to use a white light filter up to totality. Then during totality you need to remove the filter so make sure it can be easily removed. You'll need to replace the filter before totality ends. If you try to photograph totality with a Ha filter you won't get much if anything. Having said that, if you have never seen totality it will take your breath away so make sure in all the excitement you take some time to observe it as that time goes by very quickly. If you are able to make it to the eclipse just enjoy it. Your new scope looks like good one and you are doing great solar imaging with it. Take Care Gary
Thanks! Yes I have a plan if I make it to the eclipse, and at totality it will all be done with a DSLR. I’ve seen a totality eclipse when I was young and still remember it!
Love the fact you caught the ISS Pass.....I have not managed to do this yet 😞
Congratulations on your new scope 😍
Thank you so much 😀
Gracias por compartir tu experiencia con este telescopio solar. Interesante review. Saludos
I have a 50mm Lunt ordered. For visual use only, I don't understand the appeal of imaging; NASA will always produce way better images, and they're available one Google away. Glad you got yours to work in the end.
I also recently got a lunt 40mm but with a b500. It's still possible to take photos of the sun with a b500.
Hi, can you confirm that the B500 take full image of the Sun with an astro camera. If so, will be better for my budget...
@@Pierre048 yeah its possible. I use a ZWO ASI178MC to get photo of the whole sun.
Nice scope. I bought a Ha50 some years ago and it has been great untill earlier this year when I was finding it harder and harder to get a decent image. It turned out to be the blue filter on inlet side of the diagonal clouding over. Replacements are in fact readilly available on line for between £14 and £20. This is apparently a common problem especially if the scope is not used for long periods of time. It was not mentioned in the manual that came with the scope but Lunt do have a video on line explaining how to change the filter which only takes a minute or two. Good luck with the eclipse next year, hope it works out for you.
Thanks! And thanks for the heads up, that’s really good to know. Lunt’s manual has about ten differently worded warnings about how the scope is never to be taken apart or used if it’s in any way damaged, which is quite funny, but great info and I’ll keep a close eye on my filter quality.
Awesome! Glad to find a new channel through UA-cams horrible algorithm. Enjoy the scope. Look forward to more content. Full support.
Thank you!
Very positive attitude! Bravo :)
Enjoy your new scope, daylight imaging is great fun especially the Sun is so active as we are nearing Solar maximum. Hopefully it works out and you make the eclipse next year. My Lunt 50 has similar or the same focuser and had the same issue when it arrived. Thankfully Lunt service is superb and very responsive but you are correct it would be better the screws did not loosen in the first place, Loctite is cheap.
Thank you, and yes I’m really enjoying it - for the rare sunny days we’ve had lately. Interesting that you’ve had the same issue with the focuser, I’d imagine it’s pretty common, and yes a little threadlock would go a long way on them! Lunt were indeed helpful though. Clear skies!
This Lunt 40mm is Just very amazing. I Have this. That was a right decision i have made. 🥰
I'm a cellist too with a couple of telescopes.
I bought the LS50THa, the 50mm with the B600 blocking filter and it comes with a screw off metal dust cap. You have more filters in the front btw where you tilt your etalon. My 50mm has a pressure tuner, but I bought it because the 50mm has 57% more light gathering power and can use a little more magnification for close ups.
Math for area of scope is easy it is pi, 3.1416 x radius of 20mm squared =1256 and pi x 25x25-= 1963 -1256= 707 mm2 or
Lunt 40mm is a great little scope. I have had a lot of fun imaging with mine but in hindsight I should have purchased the focuser upgrade. There is a small screw on the drawtube that loosens over time so needs to be tightened to prevent drawtube wobble.
That’s really good to know, thanks for the heads up!
What is the focuser upgrade? Exlapin to us. :) The Lunt Solar System Focuser ?!..
Great video! I've been having fun with my Lunt 40 for a few months now.
I must have gotten lucky with the sol searcher alignment. Mine was slightly off center but the sun was still fully within the white circle, it was just at the very edge.
Would be cool to see how you process your images because your full disk image looks great! I've been lazy with mine and trying to script it so that I can make animations easily.
Earned a sub!
Thank you!! Yes the SolSearcher was pretty off for me but easy enough to align once I figured out how. I’ll try and put something together for the imaging and processing - if I ever get a chance to see the Sun again, July has been completely awful down here!
@@CellistOnTheRoof Same here! Last time I was able to image it was on the solstice and only for like 2 hours. Hoping for a better August. Clear skies!
Excellent video and I learned a lot from this and your processing video. I have been using some white light filters lately and was interested in getting some better images (Ha probably). After 6-7months of use, I was wondering if you are happy with the scope and if you purchased or recommend any of accessories to make things easier or better.
Thank you! We’ve had the worst weather and very few sunny days, but from the use I’ve had of it, I’m really happy with the scope. Of course, if I had the cash, I’d probably go for 60mm b1200, but the 40mm pulls its weight. It’s pretty self sufficient so apart from a Powermate I already had, I haven’t had to get anything extra. However, I’m planning on making my own sun shield!
I'd like one of those or similar.At the moment I generally use my little 25mm Pocket Borg refractor and Baader Solar film but white light isn't as good as H Alpha.
Thank you for the video, very helpful and informative. For visual only, would you say there's a noticeable difference between Coronado PST and Lunt 40?
Thank you! I personally found the Lunt a little clearer and brighter visually, but the PST was wonderful as well!
I had the same issues with my Lunt 40mm - focuser screws needed tightening, solar finder not aligned - I also managed to lose 1 screw off the brass plate connecting the filter at the end to the tube.
Still struggling with focusing to be honest when using th 120mm mono camera - hard to focus in bright sunlight as I cannot see laptop screen. Interesting to hear you say that you pull the diagonal out for focus ! I had to do that but thought it was a problem with my eyepieces and camera. I have tried attaching a DSLR direct to the threads on the eyepiece holder but again found it impossible to focus - good view visually though - will keep on trying.
Its nuts that this cost more than my 6"SCT with mount - brand new !
I’m actually thinking about making a small shield for it, and whenever I’m doing solar imaging, I try and make a shade - it’s so hard for the eyes isn’t it. I’ve just published another video about the imaging process so maybe have a look to see if there’s anything helpful there? The 120mm should be okay to focus, I’ve tested the mini version and managed it. I haven’t used the DSLR in ages in favor of CMOS cameras so I can’t comment but do keep trying! Sliding the diagonal in and out for rough focus feels really counterintuitive but that’s the way!
Can you piggyback this Lunt onto an wedge mounted C8-avoiding the need for a dedicated mount?
Can’t see why not, but I’d cover that C8 with some reflective cover if it’s in the Sun for a while - my CPC used to get very hot when I used it for white light, and the plastic covers are all black!
How you get the full view of the Sun? I assume the focal lenght is 400mm so, is the diagonal sensor bigger than the ASI 224? 6 millimiter. 1300x1000 pixels resolution. Thank you. Great image.
Hi, I don’t use the 224mc with this - you’re right that it wouldn’t fit a whole disc in view, and color cameras aren’t optimal for hydrogen alpha imaging. I use a 174mm for solar. There’s another video in which I do imaging so you can see what it looks like on screen!
@@CellistOnTheRoof Ok, and a monocamera on the list for the Sun.
One with a sligtly bigger sensor.
How do you deal with heat problem if you have? Of course I'm not talking about overheating but pratically summer temperature of the sensor in winter time. Who knows the next summer.
After the first acquisition due the heat the camera starts to reject the frames (after few movies, on in total of less than a dozen of 60 90 seconds captures, are more the frames rejected than kept until, very soon is pratically impssible to continue). I have even a black blanket inside and mirrored outside with straps and velcro to cover everything pc included (only the etalon stay exposed, outside) good to see well the pc screen, focusing etc.
A curiosity: I bough a Coronado few days ago and I have zero experience. I made two images.
How do you do yours if you are not jelous of your secrets (and I'd understand that).
Clearly we need one image overexposed for the prominence, and one image correctly exposed for the core. Than we have to combine the two images. Right? How do you do that?
HDR with a layer mask?
Blend the two images in Ps or GIMP in some way?
Other methods.
A problem is the overexposed one is slightly bigger than the other so in my case I have a not so nice ring between the core and prominence
Hi! With the heat, I’ve never had issues because it takes about five minutes for everything. What you can do is make a shield for the camera, if you have a Coronado I think they already make one!
I take only one video and when it’s stacked, the prominences come out. They’re not visible when imaging but the camera is sensitive and once thousands of frames are stacked, they’re in there. I’ve never done a composite.
There’s a whole video about how I image from beginning to end, and there’s no secrets, everything is in there! Have a look and see if it helps at all. But mono camera is essential unfortunately - hydrogen alpha is mostly in red channel, so if you image in RGGB color, you collect only a fourth of signal and the rest is noise, if that makes sense!
Great info. Yer dead right there’s is very little info available for these. I’m still debating leaving the dark side and coming into the light of solar astronomy. If only they were cheap.. anyone know where to get used versions cheap.
Also how do this stack up against the adjustable H-Alpha filters that are forward mounted on some similar units. Thanks
Hi, depending on where you are, there’s always second hand telescope markets and groups! I’ve bought loads of equipment second hand. It may be a bit dry with the upcoming eclipse though!
I haven’t tried quarks (if that’s what you’re referring to) and such myself, but they are quite restrictive in what equipment you can mount them on. They’re also pretty expensive! But if you have a lot of focal length on your refractor, they can be an amazing way to get some great detail.
can you do a video on how to mount the camera
So are you going to make it to the states for the eclipse?
Even with an offer of a place to stay in Dallas, it’s way too expensive unfortunately! I’ll have to settle for the two partial ones in the UK in the next two years.
@@CellistOnTheRoofDamn, idk how much of a camper you are but there is a lot of camping sites that aren’t ridiculously expensive.
Are you German or have i to talk to you in English?
Question: do i need for a mono cam a uv/ir cut Filter?
Is there a chance to bring a T2 To that adapter?
Hi, sorry, I don’t speak German - hope English is okay. No need for a UV/IR cut with hydrogen alpha as the solar blocking filter already cuts everything out. Not sure about the T2, maybe I have a spare one lying somewhere to check!
@@CellistOnTheRoof thanks a lot. English is no proplem!
After all - do you would buy it again? Still Happy?
The eyepiece Slide (?) - is it stable... or is it stable enough to carry a cooled Cam as i want to use it... uncooled of course.
Thx a lot!
I’m still really happy with it, and if I had the same budget, I’d buy it again. However if I had more cash, I would go for a 60mm b1200 😊
The focuser shaft is metal, as well as the diagonal, so in theory it could take a cooled camera. I had a quick try with my 533mc pro and it was ok. I wouldn’t make it a regular thing though, and besides, small planetary cameras do so much better on solar anyway!
C´mon.. youre getting a new Scope, for a lot of money, the Focuser isnt working, the Finder is not aligned, there is no Manual, Screws arent fixed ... shame on you Lunt!!!
Chinese Crap is flooding the Market of this beautiful Hobby.
Lunt is German lmfao
After watching this I would never buy a Lunt. Seems you got a USED telescope.
The telescopes are actually very good tbh, reason why they’re popular 🧐
Amazing how much information Lunt doesn’t supply. Also, can’t believe the poor condition of your scope out of the box. Makes me want to avoid buying from them.
It’s a common thing in astronomy equipment it seems, instructions are sometimes a bit hard to come by! The condition of the scope could have been down to the dealer, although they assured me it wasn’t a return - who knows. I decided to keep it and I’m happy with it.