First Light: Coronado PST, 2004/8/23

Quite to my surprise on Friday evening I received the Coronado
Personal Solar Telescope that I had ordered from B & H last Monday.
Unfortunately, Saturday morning was cloudy and rainy and there wasn't
enough room in my friend Tony Donnangelo's vehicle for me to take my
newest optical toy along on our impromptu trip to Cherry Springs State
Park late that afternoon.

However, one of the first things I did upon returning on Monday
afternoon from two nights of dark sky observing at CSSP was to set up
my PST and have a look at the daystar. The PST is a 40mm f/10
dedicated H-alpha scope utilizing a 22mm diameter etalon H-alpha
filter with a bandpass of less than 1.0 Angstrom. At just under $500
it is one of least expensive ways of getting involved with observing
Sun's chromosphere and its ever-changing array of prominences,
filaments, plage, spicules, and other phenomena.

By 4:30 p.m. EDT (20:30 UT) I was viewing the Sun at the wavelength of
656.3 nanometers. A number of solar prominences of varying shapes and
sizes were present as well as some dark filaments and sunspots (AR
10652, AR 10663, and AR 10664). At the limb prominences were displayed
very well and the detail on the sun's disk was more than satisfactory.
During my examination of the chromosphere I used a Vixen zoom eyepiece
(at focal lengths of 24, 16, 12, and 8mm), a 12.5mm Edscorp
orthoscopic, a 12mm Coronado Cemax eyepiece which is optimized for
H-alpha work, a 9mm PMO ortho, an 8mm Tele Vue Radian, and a 7mm Tele
Vue Nagler Type 6 - all of which provided pleasing views, in
particular the 7mm Nagler T6 and the 12mm Cemax mated with a 2x
Celestron Ultima Barlow lens.

If you're at all interested in the fascinating field of H-alpha
observing my advice is to place your order for a PST without delay.

There's a review of the PST at
http://www.cloudynights.com/solar/pst.htm

Dave Mitsky

Dave Mitsky wrote:

Quite to my surprise on Friday evening I received the Coronado
Personal Solar Telescope that I had ordered from B & H last Monday.
Unfortunately, Saturday morning was cloudy and rainy and there wasn't
enough room in my friend Tony Donnangelo's vehicle for me to take my
newest optical toy along on our impromptu trip to Cherry Springs State
Park late that afternoon.

My, he must have a very small vehicle if a PST (15" long, 3 lbs) won't fit!


However, one of the first things I did upon returning on Monday
afternoon from two nights of dark sky observing at CSSP was to set up
my PST and have a look at the daystar. The PST is a 40mm f/10
dedicated H-alpha scope utilizing a 22mm diameter etalon H-alpha
filter with a bandpass of less than 1.0 Angstrom. At just under $500
it is one of least expensive ways of getting involved with observing
Sun's chromosphere and its ever-changing array of prominences,
filaments, plage, spicules, and other phenomena.

By 4:30 p.m. EDT (20:30 UT) I was viewing the Sun at the wavelength of
656.3 nanometers. A number of solar prominences of varying shapes and
sizes were present as well as some dark filaments and sunspots (AR
10652, AR 10663, and AR 10664). At the limb prominences were displayed
very well and the detail on the sun's disk was more than satisfactory.
During my examination of the chromosphere I used a Vixen zoom eyepiece
(at focal lengths of 24, 16, 12, and 8mm), a 12.5mm Edscorp
orthoscopic, a 12mm Coronado Cemax eyepiece which is optimized for
H-alpha work, a 9mm PMO ortho, an 8mm Tele Vue Radian, and a 7mm Tele
Vue Nagler Type 6 - all of which provided pleasing views, in
particular the 7mm Nagler T6 and the 12mm Cemax mated with a 2x
Celestron Ultima Barlow lens.

If you're at all interested in the fascinating field of H-alpha
observing my advice is to place your order for a PST without delay.

There's a review of the PST at
http://www.cloudynights.com/solar/pst.htm


I'm glad you like it, Dave -- most fun I've had in astronomy for a long
while.

BTW -- the above "review" is really a first peek from Feb, before
production units were available. The PST used then may be the earlier
prototype which did not have the tuning ring. According to those who
have used both, the new one with tuner is significantly more capable.

Phil

Dave Mitsky posted:

If you're at all interested in the fascinating field of H-alpha
observing my advice is to place your order for a PST without delay.

There's a review of the PST at
http://www.cloudynights.com/solar/pst.htm

Well, it isn't really a review (and its of an earlier unit which may be a
little bit different than the ones currently being produced). I am currently
writing the review of the PST and will have the review posted on the CN
Reports section very soon. Clear skies to you.
--
David W. Knisely
Prairie Astronomy Club: http://www.prairieastronomyclub.org
Hyde Memorial Observatory: http://www.hydeobservatory.info/

**********************************************
* Attend the 11th Annual NEBRASKA STAR PARTY *
* July 18-23, 2004, Merritt Reservoir *
* http://www.NebraskaStarParty.org *
**********************************************

Phil Wheeler wrote in message . ..
Dave Mitsky wrote:

Quite to my surprise on Friday evening I received the Coronado
Personal Solar Telescope that I had ordered from B & H last Monday.
Unfortunately, Saturday morning was cloudy and rainy and there wasn't
enough room in my friend Tony Donnangelo's vehicle for me to take my
newest optical toy along on our impromptu trip to Cherry Springs State
Park late that afternoon.

My, he must have a very small vehicle if a PST (15" long, 3 lbs) won't fit!

Phil,

Yes, the PST is rather small but its box is somewhat large. Tony's
Ford Explorer was packed so tightly with gear that there was simply no
place to stow them.

Dave Mitsky

Well, it isn't really a review (and its of an earlier unit which may be a
little bit different than the ones currently being produced). I am currently

writing the review of the PST and will have the review posted on the CN
Reports section very soon.

David, will your review include results of doublestacking with an SM40, or will
you be focusing mainly on the scope as is?

Mark
The Catman
^..^

www.geocities.com/mark_rosengarten
Owner/Coordinator of the Neko Ultraportable Solar Observatory
Fun WITH The Sun for Everyone!

Mark Rosengarten posted:

David, will your review include results of doublestacking with an SM40, or will
you be focusing mainly on the scope as is?

It will be mainly just the scope itself, as putting on an SM40 adds a great
deal to the cost (the SM40 warrents a review of its own). I do mention that
"stacking" capability and the fact that it does improve the contrast of disk
detail however. Clear skies to you.
--
David W. Knisely
Prairie Astronomy Club: http://www.prairieastronomyclub.org
Hyde Memorial Observatory: http://www.hydeobservatory.info/

**********************************************
* Attend the 11th Annual NEBRASKA STAR PARTY *
* July 18-23, 2004, Merritt Reservoir *
* http://www.NebraskaStarParty.org *
**********************************************