New Lunt 60mm unobstructed Ha filter & 50mm Ha telescope

[社長]

看來不少人要破財了....

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Coming soon… Lunt Solar Systems is pleased to announce that the unobstructed 60mm front mount filter system will be available before the end of the year.

The LS60FHa will be available as a stand alone filter set with the Lunt Solar series of Blocking Filters. It will also be available as an upgrade to the current LS50FHa for Double-stacking the very popular LS60THa series of solar telescopes. The OD of this filter matches the same OD as the LS60THa’s. Yes! we have been able to place 60mm of aperture into the same housing as the LS50FHa.

We are currently looking at providing the LS60FHa in a red anodized housing with black trim. (as seen in attached picture).

As a stand alone filter for Double-Stacking use the LS60FHa will have a retail price of US$1,699.00. (subject to change). Being an un-obstructed system, the LS60FHa does require a level optical accuracy significantly higher than the obstructed 75mm filter.

LS60FHa
60mm Ha Etalon Filter
$1,699.00

LS60FHa/ B600
60mm Ha Etalon Filter with B600
$1,998.00

LS60FHa/ B1200
60mm Ha Etalon Filter with B1200
$2,198.00

LS60FHa/ B1800
60mm Ha Etalon Filter with B1800
$2,548.00

LS60FHa/ B3400
60mm Ha Etalon Filter with B3400
$3,098.00

In other news…..

Lunt Solar is currently working on the design an manufacture of a new LS50THa. This telescope system will utilize a novel approach for the tuning of the internal etalon. Lunt Solar’s ability to produce precisely tuned etalon filters allows us to use novel methods of precision tuning that do not require any manipulation of the etalon itself**. Thus reducing the risks of trying to tune a precision optical system via direct mechanical means.

The LS50THa is intended to be priced significantly under the US$1k mark. This system is designed to provide excellent views of the Sun’s growing activity, and while it may not have all the physical features of it’s bigger brother, it will provide the novice observer (non imager) an unparalleled first look at our nearest Star (the Sun). The addition of the very popular LS50FHa will, off course, bump the LS50 THa’s performance significantly.

**Lunt does not physically contact the etalon for tuning. We avoid any mechanical/physical contact to the etalon filter to avoid issues such as pinching and differential stress which could lead to banding, astigmatism, and soft resolution caused by un-uniformity of the mechanical systems and resultant optical spacing. (more information on this will be in a new post on our blog shortly).

Please let me know if you have any questions.

Thank you,
Rikki Hocking
Lunt Solar Systems

[StevenTam]

LS50THa under the US$1k
Can't wait for it!

[社長]

LS50THa under the US$1k
Can't wait for it!

if you like, you can place a nominal deposit and I help you secure one set for earliest delivery....

[StevenTam]

LS50THa under the US$1k
Can't wait for it!

if you like, you can place a nominal deposit and I help you secure one set for earliest delivery....

Thanks so much.
But, I am still confused about the performance for observing both Prominence and the surface details between a LS60THa(Visual Package), double stack LS60THa without pressure tune and the new LS50THa.
As I tried the pressure tuner on a LS100THa (Thanks David) which makes the Chromosphere and Sunspot absolutely clear and 3D-like. It seems perform the similar function to a double stack. So, It's really hard to make decision.

[社長]

LS50THa under the US$1k
Can't wait for it!

if you like, you can place a nominal deposit and I help you secure one set for earliest delivery....

Thanks so much.
But, I am still confused about the performance for observing both Prominence and the surface details between a LS60THa(Visual Package), double stack LS60THa without pressure tune and the new LS50THa.
As I tried the pressure tuner on a LS100THa (Thanks David) which makes the Chromosphere and Sunspot absolutely clear and 3D-like. It seems perform the similar function to a double stack. So, It's really hard to make decision.

I do have LS50F in stock for double stack on LS60T, I would say for the same money, you should go single stack of bigger aperture. That's why I keep an unobstructed LS75F, which is very good compromise between portability and performance.

No one in the world can tell what is the performance of LS50T.

For David's LS100T, there is big different when work as single stack or put on a front filter as double stack system.

[StevenTam]

I do have LS50F in stock for double stack on LS60T, I would say for the same money, you should go single stack of bigger aperture.

No one in the world can tell what is the performance of LS50T.

I always heard people point this out. I'm in full agreement with you on that point.
On the other hand, I wonder whether a pressure tuner or double stack will make the observed image better under same aperture as both of them aim to adjust the wavelength for enhancing the surface details. However, the tuner part is much cheaper than a separated filter.

At any rate, I tend to go for the new LS50T and my guess is that it will become a real competitor for the LS60T visual package because this is a solar telescope specifically design for beginner and non-imager (ie.me) with the best C/P value.

[社長]

On the other hand, I wonder whether a pressure tuner or double stack will make the observed image better under same aperture as both of them aim to adjust the wavelength for enhancing the surface details. However, the tuner part is much cheaper than a separated filter.

At any rate, I tend to go for the new LS50T and my guess is that it will become a real competitor for the LS60T visual package because this is a solar telescope specifically design for beginner and non-imager (ie.me) with the best C/P value.

In certain sense, I would say aperture rules when we choose Ha solar equipment, at least up to 152mm from our recently renewed knowledge (David, right?)

regarding the LS50T, let me put it this way, if we found LS50F and LS60T are close competitor to each other, I don't think a LS50T can match the performance of LS60T, logically enough? For visual-only, why not go straight for LS60THa/B600 which is only US$1048? You don't need a B1200 either.

C/P value is important, none of us have unlimited resource, however if the P difference is not that much, I suggest you plan for longer term, choose one that can serve you better.

[David]

On the other hand, I wonder whether a pressure tuner or double stack will make the observed image better under same aperture as both of them aim to adjust the wavelength for enhancing the surface details. However, the tuner part is much cheaper than a separated filter.

Just to clarify, broadly speaking the pressure tuner is unrelated to enhancing the surface details because it does not narrow the bandwidth. If you want narrower bandwidth, you must double stack.

In the solar party, it seems that most people liked LS60T more than LS50F. So aperture really rules. For the budget that you have, go for the biggest single pass system that you can afford.

If you really want a double stack system for better visual performance of the surface details, what would I suggest? Assuming that you don't have money to buy a 100mm double stack system (i.e. the one you saw and liked), you may consider buying LS60TDS50. But this is much more expensive than LS50T, LS60T and even LS80T single stack scopes! Unless you really really like the LS60TDS50 performance (which you saw in the party), with the same budget you can go for LS80T!

You may wait for the next solar party to see the performance of some of these new products before deciding.

[社長]

多一點意見，現時選擇LS50F的同好，較多原因是不想家裡多存一台望遠鏡(LS60T)，只想在現有的望遠鏡如60、75折射鏡上加片濾以增加日珥觀測功能，較少出於性能上的考慮。

[David]

Another issue to consider is that we may want to wait for the user reports of DSII. This can be inserted into user's refractor to turn your refractor into an h-alpha solar weapon. For example, if you have a 4 inch refractor, you just need to get DSII to get yourself a 4 inch h-alpha scope, which is almost like the LS100T that my school has, but at a MUCH lower cost!

[社長]

Wooooow, then David got a LS450T at very low cost!

most important of all, it's a Ultra Portable version.

[universe24]

Could I know more about the DSII?

[社長]

No, but time will tell.....

[StevenTam]

Thank you for your (社長&David) response. I really appreciate the advice you have given me. It will help me to make the right decision.

As far as I'm concerned, the LS80T is sell about US$29xx for the basic package which is much more expansive than LS60T's. I also prefer a solar telescope to a bocking filter because it's more convenient to me, one case and one tripod and then go. I should put my focus on a LS60T, so the choice maybe basic package of 60 or visual package listed $1493 on Lunt.

[社長]

Steven, you are welcome.

if you agree LS60T is best for you, then you may choose either of the follow, no Feather Touch focuser needed as that's more for imaging, B600 is already enough for visual use.

LS60THa/B600/C
Price $1,048.00

LS60THa/B1200/C
Price $1,248.00

please note due to the very high shipping cost of solar telescopes, the standard price in Hong Kong is US retail x 8.0.