Wow, and no clouds. I only had an hour to play with it and do this quick review. Wow, wow, wow! I love this thing. My wife likes to take a turn at the Solarmax 40 when it's set up so we unpacked the PST together and I told her to set it up. Showed her how to set up my photo tripod and attach the PST. Then showed her how to aim it and I had a hard time getting her to let me look. She has laid claim to the darned thing and I may be standing in line from now on.
Prominences were very well defined. Surface detail was so-so, sorta expected that though. A lot of nice detail around the edges. The tuner ring is essential. I don't know how they figured they could make this thing without it. Reminds me a little of using my old Daystar or my friends Lumicon 1.5A, when you adjust it, prominences are first present on the bottom or top and then shift to the other side with a 'dead spot' half way between where none are present.
Doubled stacked my SM40 on the PST and, whoah Nellie, the surface features were fantastic. Lots of plages and several very long filaments. Whole view was dimmed somewhat but not bad.
The supplied 12.5mm Kellner works quite well. Good full disk view. I tried a Celestron 10mm Kellner which gave a nicer view but it didn't have the eyeguard. Then tried some of the Plossls from the Celestron $99 set. The 9mm did a very nice job. The sun filled the FOV with the 6mm, focus was a bit mushy.
Tried an old Meade 2X barlow with the 12.5mm Kellner. Could not get it in focus. Tried the 2X barlow from the Celestron kit which worked pretty good. Pretty much the same as using the straight 6mm Plossl. A bit mushy.
Didn't have time to shoot any images. Hopefully tomorrow.
Bottom line? Gee this thing is fun, if I can only get it away from the wife.
Don Wyman
Prominences were very well defined. Surface detail was so-so, sorta expected that though. A lot of nice detail around the edges. The tuner ring is essential. I don't know how they figured they could make this thing without it. Reminds me a little of using my old Daystar or my friends Lumicon 1.5A, when you adjust it, prominences are first present on the bottom or top and then shift to the other side with a 'dead spot' half way between where none are present.
Doubled stacked my SM40 on the PST and, whoah Nellie, the surface features were fantastic. Lots of plages and several very long filaments. Whole view was dimmed somewhat but not bad.
The supplied 12.5mm Kellner works quite well. Good full disk view. I tried a Celestron 10mm Kellner which gave a nicer view but it didn't have the eyeguard. Then tried some of the Plossls from the Celestron $99 set. The 9mm did a very nice job. The sun filled the FOV with the 6mm, focus was a bit mushy.
Tried an old Meade 2X barlow with the 12.5mm Kellner. Could not get it in focus. Tried the 2X barlow from the Celestron kit which worked pretty good. Pretty much the same as using the straight 6mm Plossl. A bit mushy.
Didn't have time to shoot any images. Hopefully tomorrow.
Bottom line? Gee this thing is fun, if I can only get it away from the wife.
Don Wyman
Don Wyman
Obsession #1166 18" f/4.5
with Argo Navis and ServoCat
WO Megrez 90 APO
Coronado PST
