H-alpha filter/scope

[rxtx]

Dunno where to put this to get the best response.

I was at Mt John Observatory in January and (during the day obviously) they had a small refracting spotting scope, it either had an H-alpha filter on it or it was a dedicated H-alpha scope, I don't know which.

It wasn't very big and I want one, preferably one that can take a camera mount adapter. Anyone know about such things?

[nellyleelephant]

Do you mean for solar observing?

[rxtx]

Yup. I suppose I'd need a scope that can take different eyepieces since I'll want whole-disk as well as being able to zoom in on an edge.

[nellyleelephant]

This is what you want, you'd need a tripod too of course.

http://www.green-witch.com/acatalog/Personal_Solar...

[nellyleelephant]

nellyleelephant said:

This is what you want, you'd need a tripod too of course.

http://www.green-witch.com/acatalog/Personal_Solar...

ALso, if you have a camera with a lens of 300mm or above, you could buy some baader solar film, make up a frame for it, attach to the front of the lens and you will have a relatively cheap system capable of imaging the sun in white light. You won't see a huge amount of detail, but sun spots can be imaged.

[rxtx]

Thanks I'll have a proper look at those when I get home. I was really impressed with the detail of the scope we looked through (not to mention the 24" reflector at night), and I want to do some H-a timelapse

[nellyleelephant]

rxtx said:

Thanks I'll have a proper look at those when I get home. I was really impressed with the detail of the scope we looked through (not to mention the 24" reflector at night), and I want to do some H-a timelapse

Timelapse would be good. You will need a reasonably good tracking mount to do it though. You would get away with using an astrotrac (something else to look at tonight) for using a camera alone, I'm not sure of the weight of the solarscope, you may have to use a more dedicated astro equatorial mount for that.

[rxtx]

It's a 34 day rotation so a good timelapse will be difficult without being in space, but I will certainly have a go at a short one.

I need an equatorial mount anyway, I can tell this is going to get expensive

[nellyleelephant]

rxtx said:

It's a 34 day rotation so a good timelapse will be difficult without being in space, but I will certainly have a go at a short one.

I need an equatorial mount anyway, I can tell this is going to get expensive

Timelapse could be used for much more than the rotation. Solar flares happen quick enough to be imaged.

[rxtx]

Hmm true, I hadn't even thought of doing just prominences.