Stefan Taube

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Affordable H-alpha solar telescopes from Lunt Solar Systems

June 29 2022, Stefan Taube

The most impressive way to observe the Sun is in H-alpha light. This is red light with a wavelength of 656 nanometres. With a normal solar filter, you will only be able to observe sunspots, whereas with H-alpha telescopes, prominences at the Sun’s edge become visible. Filaments, solar flares and much more can be seen on the solar surface. It is only in H-alpha light that are you able to appreciate the Sun’s dynamics.

The Sun in H-alpha light, photographed with the LS40T Ha solar telescope

Unfortunately, H-alpha filter systems often cost several thousand euro. However, the new LS40T Ha telescopes from Lunt Solar Systems make observing the Sun’s red chromosphere much more affordable: solar observation is accessible to everyone!

Lunt Solar Systems Sonnenteleskop ST 40/400 LS40T Ha B600

Lunt Solar Systems ST 40/400 LS40T Ha B600 solar telescope

LS40T Ha telescopes are available in three versions:

ST 40/400 LS40T Ha B500 now for €939
ST 40/400 LS40T Ha B600 now for €1,049
ST 40/400 LS40T Ha B1200 now for €1,359

The difference between the versions lies in the size of the blocking filter. This filter element is located in the rear erecting lens, which looks like a star diagonal.

All blocking filters are suitable for visually observing the Sun. However, a larger filter is more suitable for photography, as it allows the exposure of a larger camera sensor. The B600 blocking filter is a very good compromise if you want to observe visually as well as photograph with an planetary camera.

The telescopes are supplied with a helical focuser, a Vixen standard prism rail, and a threaded connection for camera tripods. The practical solar finder helps to align the telescope.

An optional carrying case is also available, which makes use of the foam inserts in the original packaging. When you get your telescope, don’t throw away these inserts, instead use them to line the case. In this way, you replace the cardboard outer packaging with a beautiful and stable aluminium case.

Another important recommendation is the very practical sun hat from Lunt Solar Systems – not just for solar observing.

Cool head for solar observers

Tags: solar observation, solar, Lunt, telescope
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Dobsonian telescopes with special Bresser enhancements

June 28 2022, Stefan Taube

Messier-series telescope with add-on sun filter

Bresser’s Messier-series Dobsonian telescopes stand out from the crowd due to their features, which cannot be found on other brands of comparable telescopes:

The telescope tube is held in place using tube clamps. This means the tube can be rotated along its axis to find the perfect eyepiece position. It can be optimally balanced by adjusting the tube within the tube clamps. You can also fully demount the tube and use it with an equatorial mount, for example.
The altitude bearings have a comparatively large radius. This facilitates finer adjustments along the vertical axis. Many Dobsonian telescopes in this price range do not have proper altitude bearings!
The altitude bearings with tube clamps glide along the rockerbox.
The so-called rockerbox, upon which the telescope is placed and which enables rotation in azimuth, is fitted with quick-release fasteners on the Messier Dobsonians, the kind you are familiar with from furniture. This enables the box to be quickly and simply assembled. In this way, the box can be disassembled again and again.
The Hexafoc focuser is superior to focusers on comparable telescopes by other manufacturers.

The large Hexafoc focuser does not cast a shadow on wide-angle eyepieces.

A compatible solar filter is supplied with the product. As the tube is closed, no sunlight can enter the telescope from the side. This makes it possible to safely view the Sun.

In addition to these features, you also receive a Messier Dobsonian with high-quality optics and a parabolic mirror which is fully adjustable. This makes it possible to start a lasting relationship with the night sky. The Messier Dobsonians are available in two sizes. You can find both models here in our shop.

The optics are fully adjustable.

Note: These telescopes are named after Charles Messier (1730-1817), whose “Catalogue of Nebular Objects” contains a number of celestial objects which you can observe using these telescopes. A modern guide to Charles Messier’s objects can be found in Cambridge University Press’ book The Messier Objects.

Tags: Bresser, Dobson, telescope, dobsonian
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New from Celestron: dew protection

June 20 2022, Stefan Taube

The brand Celestron is known for its high-quality Schmidt-Cassegrain telescopes. These compact telescopes have a special glass plate on the front end which is exposed to the air and, therefore, is relatively susceptible to dewing up.

Celestron now offers a newly-developed range of accessories to solve this problem:

Smart_DewHeater_and_Power_Controller_4X_10

Complete system consisting of a dew cap, heating ring and controls

Aluminium dew cap with practical clip to secure to the telescope tube

These sturdy caps have an internal velvet surround to protect against pesky scattered light as well as dew. As every cap comes with a compatible dust cap, they can also stay on the telescope tube once you have finished observing for the night. This is a big advantage for observatory telescopes.

The dew caps are available in all Celestron SC telescope sizes. You can find the entire range here in our shop.

Heating rings for installation on the Schmidt plate

This new solution to the issue of dew is especially innovative. With just a few flicks of the wrist, you can separate the holding ring from the plate and replace it with a new ring with integrated heating. Thanks to the integrated sensor, the temperature of the Schmidt plate is kept just below the dew point and, therefore, remains dry.

If you are purchasing a new Celestron telescope, we can complete the installation for you prior to despatch. You can find all models here in the shop.

Dew cap smart controls

A set of controls is required to supply power to the heating ring. This not only provides the required energy, but also keeps the heating element’s other sensors operating optimally. This saves energy and prevents the heating creating negative optical effects. You only heat as much as you need to!

Both the 2x dew cap smart controls and the 4x dew cap smart controls can also control heating elements produced by other manufacturers. Additionally, they function as a hub for additional accessories. This prevents there being a tangle of cables and allows your set-up to be powered and controlled by one device and one software.

Smart_DewHeater_and_Power_Controller_4X_12

You do not require an additional laptop or PC

All of Celestron’s dew prevention options can be found here in our shop.

Tags: Celestron, Telescope Accessories
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The new Herschel wedge from APM for solar observation

May 12 2022, Stefan Taube

A Herschel wedge, also known as a Herschel prism, is a special device for observing the Sun. It has many advantages over an objective filter, but can only be used with lens telescopes (refractors).

The manufacturer APM offers a new model with excellent features at a reasonable price: the APM Herschel wedge 2″ with Fast-Lock.

This Herschel wedge from APM is equipped with a ceramic light trap, an integrated ND3 filter and a replaceable polarising filter. All filters are of course multi-coated! Image brightness can be adjusted by rotating the polarising filter. This means that the Herschel wedge can be used for both visual and photographic purposes!

The APM Herschel wedge is equipped with a quick release (Fast-Lock) eyepiece adapter and an adapter for 1.25″ eyepieces and camera connectors.

Using a Herschel prism for solar observing is not only safer, but also qualitatively better than a foil filter. The resulting image is sharp and rich in contrast and can therefore be enlarged to a higher degree.

The Herschel wedge can only be used on refractors with an aperture of up to 150mm.

Tags: APM, telescope accessoires, Sun, solar observation, solar filters
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The new apos from Skywatcher: Evolux 62ED and Evolux 82ED

May 5 2022, Stefan Taube

The trend towards astrophotography with small but high-quality refractors is continuing. These lightweight apos do not need an expensive mount, are easy to transport and provide fantastic images of wide areas of the night sky.

With the new Evolux series, Skywatcher offers two new models in this segment:

Compact and proficient: the Skywatcher Apochromatic Refractor AP 62/400 Evolux 62ED

Evolux telescopes are perfect wide-field instruments and are therefore ideal for observing and photographing large areas of the night sky. The doublet lens consists of a combination of optical glass, including a low-dispersion ED glass element, which provides sharp images of stars with high contrast and no visible chromatic aberration.

All lens elements are coated with Skywatcher’s sophisticated metallic high-transmission coating (MHTC™), one of the highest quality multilayer coatings in its class, which allows up to 99.5% light transmission.

Evolux telescopes are supplied in a foam-lined aluminium case and are equipped with a 2.4″ dual-speed rack and pinion focuser, together with a tube clamp with a Vixen-style prism rail. The dew shield can be retracted for easy transportation.

The appropriate field flattener should be used for photography: Flattener 0.9x Evolux-62ED and Flattener 0.9x Evolux-82ED. These optical aids ensure sharp star images even at the edges of the field of view and reduce the focal length, so that the Evolux becomes a fast and corrected telescope for astrophotography.

Tags: Skywatcher, telescope
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Explore Scientific Series 82° eyepieces

March 22 2022, Stefan Taube

Eyepieces from the Explore Scientific: 82° Series offer a large 82° visual field with a good view and exceptional manufacturing quality. They are waterproof and filled with argon gas. This prevents dust infiltration and internal lens fogging, as well as guaranteeing a high level of reliability. An excellent long-term investment!

We offer all models in this series with the following focal lengths and barrel diameters:

A major advantage of these eyepieces is the exceptionally high image definition, which is clearly noticeable even when observing planets and the Moon.

Further advantages of the 82° Series:

Large pupillary distance for comfortable viewing, even for spectacles wearers!
High edge definition even on fast telescopes
Patented EMD tempering for maximum contrast
Carefully blackened lens edges to avoid reflections
Eyepieces from this series are parfocal
Stainless steel barrel with conical safety groove
Dust cap and carry bag included

All Series 82° eyepieces can be found here in our shop.

Tags: eyepieces, Explore Scientific
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New version: the Polarie U star tracker mount from Vixen

October 28 2021, Stefan Taube

A few years ago, the Japanese manufacturer Vixen launched the Polarie, the first tracking unit for cameras that can fit in every photographer’s bag. The tracking device, also called a star tracker, compensates for the celestial rotation. With it, a camera remains aligned with a section of the night sky for many minutes, and can gather light from faint stars, the Milky Way and cosmic nebulae.

Vixen now offers a new version of its successful star tracker mount, the Polarie U Star Tracker.

Polarie U star tracker mount with camera and optional ball head

Compared to the classic Polarie, the new Polarie U is significantly lighter whilst at the same time having a higher load-bearing capacity. The distance between the two bearings supporting the rotating shaft is approximately four times that of its predecessor. This has led to a higher load-bearing capacity despite a 20% weight reduction. It can carry 2.5kg for wide-field astrophotography using lenses with a short focal length. The optional mounting accessories comprising a prism rail and counterweight can be used to increase the load capacity to 6.5kg, so that the star tracker mount can also carry cameras with large lenses.

In addition, the Polarie U creates its own WLAN. You can connect your smartphone to the mount and control it using a free app. With a suitable cable release from the Polarie U accessory selection, you can also control the camera itself via the app, for example to set a series of exposures. This is not only convenient, but also very useful thanks to the hands-free operation.

The Polarie U can of course also be converted for use in the southern hemisphere. The lightweight mount is therefore ideal for your next expedition south of the equator.

Tags: Vixen, Mount, Astrophotography, accessories
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Baader SunDancer II for observation and solar photography

October 7 2021, Stefan Taube

The Baader SunDancer II sun filter transforms smaller refractors quickly and simply into telescopes for solar observation using H-alpha spectral lines. In this wavelength, you can see the Sun’s chromosphere with dark filaments, bright radiation bursts and spectacular solar prominences!

Baader Sonnenfilter SunDancer II H-alpha 2"/1,25"

Baader SunDancer II H-alpha 2″/1.25″ solar filter

Simply position the SunDancer II between the diagonal mirror and the eyepiece and connect it to a power source. The filter is then automatically brought to the optimal operating temperature so that no adjustments are required during longer observations.

The SunDancer II can be safely used on refracting telescopes with apertures up to 80 millimetres. An additional energy rejection filter is only required in front of the telescope for objective apertures upwards of 80 millimetres; alternatively, the telescope can be dimmed using an optional 80mm screen in front of the lens.

Telescopes with secondary mirrors, such as Newtonian, Maksutov or SCTs, always require an additional energy rejection filter, regardless of their size.

The complete solar disc can be seen in telescopes with apertures of up to 600mm.

The T2 thread beneath the eyepiece clamp facilitates easy adaptation for larger cameras:

SunDancer II with DSLR camera

A power supply unit is included. For mobile observation, a powerbank can also be used.

You can find further information on this particularly high-quality H-alpha filter for the eyepiece side here in our shop.

Tags: Baader, Filter, accessories
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The Skywatcher Heritage FlexTube telescope, now available as GTi

September 22 2021, Stefan Taube

The Heritage FlexTube telescope is a much-loved Dobsonian with a table-top tripod. Its very compact mount is easier to transport due to a collapsible upper part – it doesn’t get more compact!

The manufacturer Skywatcher now offers this handy Dobsonian with computerised controls: the Heritage FlexTube Virtuoso GTi telescope

Skywatcher Dobson Teleskop N 150_750 Heritage FlexTube Virtuoso GTi

Skywatcher Dobson N 150/750 Heritage FlexTube Virtuoso GTi telescope

The Virtuoso GTi’s mount hones in on selected objects and follows their path across the sky, so that they are always visible in the eyepiece.

The mount also has its own WiFi to which your smartphone can connect. Using the free SynScan app for iOS and Android, you can then set up and control your mount. Once the app is installed on your smartphone, you no longer need an internet connection to control the mount.

Manual controls are also not required and are therefore not included.

kywatcher Dobson Teleskop N 150_750 Heritage FlexTube Virtuoso GTi 2

The motorised version of the Dobsonian is also very compact and easy to transport.

As with the non-motorised version, the Virtuoso GTi telescope also uses tried and tested 150/750 Newtonian optics. This 6-incher with a convenient aperture ratio reveals faint nebulae in the night sky, such as the famous Orion Nebula, the Messier 13 globular cluster or the Andromeda Galaxy, 2.5 million light years away.

By the way, you can also mount the Heritage FlexTube Virtuoso GTi on a camera tripod or an astronomical tripod with a photo thread, such as the Skywatcher tripod with 3/8″ mounting bolt.

Tags: Skywatcher, Dobson, telescope
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New: Explore Scientific observatory tent

August 26 2021, Stefan Taube

At some point it will be possible to have star parties again! Great news for those who have tents! But why not have a tent in which you can pitch your telescope?

Explore Scientific observatory tent

The new Explore Scientific observatory tent is not only designed for star parties, but also ideal for when you want to observe with protection from wind and scattered light. It’s even worth putting it up in your own garden if a period of good weather makes observation possible multiple nights in a row.

During the day, the weather-proof observatory tent protects your telescope from sunlight or sudden changes in the weather.

Weather protection prevents unpleasant surprises

The real star of the show is its sturdy pre–tensioning: Release the holding strap and the whole tent unfolds from its packaging with almost no assistance. To find out more, watch this video on the product page.

Lots of space for your equipment: The observatory tent takes up a surface area of over five square metres. It is divided into two sections. This means one section can be used for the telescope and the other for your equipment.

The observatory tent is also easy to transport. So, you can still have enough space in your car for other important things for the star party.

You can find further information about this innovative product here in our shop.