Check out this recently captured image of AR1236.  This image was captured by Howard Eskildsen using a LS B600 CaK module on a Orion 80ED refractor.  The CaK filters do an exceptional job for viewing the plage areas around the sunspot as it can clearly be seen in this image.  Another feature that is a little bit rarer is the “Light Brigde”.  The light bridge can be seen between the main sunspot, as small and slender white line dividing the sunspot.

Excellent job Howard!

Calcium K (Ca-K) Telescopes and Filters are used to study the wavelength of 393.4nm. This emission line is one of 2 that are produced by Calcium just at the edge of the visible spectrum in a layer that is slightly lower and cooler than the layer viewed in Hydrogen-alpha. The emission line displays areas of Super Granulation Cells that are brightest and strongest in areas of high magnetic fields such as sunspot activity and active regions. Having the ability to study the Calcium K and the Hydrogen-alpha line provides important insights into the structure, strength, and depth of these active regions.

The Calcium K line is centered at 393.4nm. This wavelength is considered to be slightly outside the visible spectrum on the UV side. While most people can visually see the violet color of the wavelength, many cannot resolve the contrast due to yellowing of the cornea. People who have had cataract surgery are often able to see considerable detail. But, it is for these reasons that the Ca-K line is typically studied via the use of cameras which are able to provide stunning details.

Internal narrowband filters allow for a <2.4 Angstrom bandpass. Primarily an imaging system due to the difficulty of many to visually see everything that CaK has to offer.

Delivered with order:
• Star Diagonal with T2 connection, for 2″ Focuser
• blocking filter B600 with IR and UV protection

Optional Accessories: (see “accessories“)

• Sun Finder: “TeleVue Sol Searcher“.
• Eyepiece: “Lunt Zoom Eyepiece“.

You may also be interested in: (see “merchandise“)

• Lunt Solar Hat
• Lunt Solar Polo or Tank Top Shirt

But there’s more……

The CaK Module is available in many optional variations, here are a few examples to aid in description and part numbers for pricing.

LS6CaKMDd2
* Calcium Module with B600 Blocking Filter – In star diagonal with T2 connection for telescopes up to 100mm aperture and 600mm focal length
Retail Price: US$599.00

LS6CaKMDd2
* Calcium Module with B600 Blocking Filter – In extension tube with T2 connection for telescopes up to 100mm aperture and 600mm focal length
Retail Price: US$599.00

LS12CaKMDd2
* Calcium Module with B1200 Blocking Filter – In star diagonal with T2 connection for telescopes up to 100mm aperture and 1200mm focal length
Retail Price: US$849.00

LS12CaKMDs2
* Calcium Module with B1200 Blocking Filter – In extension tube with T2 connection for telescopes up to 100mm aperture and 1200mm focal length
Retail Price: US$849.00

LS18CaKMDd2
* Calcium Module with B1800 Blocking Filter – In star diagonal with T2 connection for telescopes up to 100mm aperture and 1800mm focal length
Retail Price: US$995.00

LS18CaKMDs2
* Calcium Module with B1800 Blocking Filter – In extension tube with T2 connection for telescopes up to 100mm aperture and 1800mm focal length
Retail Price: US$995.00

LS34CaKMD
* Calcium Module with B1800 & B3400 Blocking Filter – In extension tube with T2 connection for telescopes up to 100mm aperture and 600mm focal length
Retail Price: US$1,695.00

These part numbers can be looked up in the Price List or call for more information.

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No-one brings you closer to our nearest Star than Lunt Solar Systems… the next generation of Solar Instrumentation.

About Lunt Solar Systems LLC…

Lunt Solar Systems is a manufacturing and sales facility located in Tucson, Arizona. Lunt Solar design, fabricate, assemble, and test solar telescopes and solar filters. Whether you are looking for a dedicated solar telescope or a solar filter for attachment to you own astronomy telescope, we can help. Solar telescopes models start at $499 for an LS35T (telescope) or the only slightly more expensive LS50F (filter), all the way thru the 152T and the 160F. Solar observing is both fun and educational. Don’t miss out on Solar Maximum.

The sun continues to put on quite a show today with its array of active regions.  The image below shows AR1226 and 1227 with their collection of dancing filaments.   Currently there are six active regions visible on the sun, providing a lot of different things to view and image!  It will be exciting to see what unfolds over the next few days as some of these regions have been producing C-class flares.

For the last few weeks the sun has grown quiet again.  After spoiling many of us with awesome active regions, prominences, filaments, etc…  Well over the last couple days the sun has unleashed a angry display with AR1226 and AR1227 which has unleashed several C-class flares!  Solar observers around the world are urged to keep the scopes trained on the sun for the next several days.

Stephen Ramsden of the famous non-profit Charlie Bates Solar Astronomy Project snapped these two amazing images this morning using some of his personal Lunt gear.

This awesome image was captured with Stephen’s LS80THa single stack and a DMK41.  Detailed views of prominences, active regions and filaments can clearly be seen across the solar disk!  While things in H-alpha looked awesome the view in white light was also quite a sight!  The image below was captured using an Explore Scientific 127ED Triplet Apo. refractor using the Lunt 2″ Solar Wedge and DMK41 camera.  The crisp views of the granulation and awesome detailed images of the collection of sunspots makes this a truly awesome image!

For more information about Charlie Bates Solar Astronomy Project and the famous S.U.N.S.P.O.T. truck check out www.charliebates.org!

We truly enjoy seeing the images being shot with our products!  Please continue to keep sending in you images and we will put them on our blog.

About Lunt Solar Systems LLC…

Lunt Solar Systems is a manufacturing and sales facility located in Tucson, Arizona. Lunt Solar design, fabricate, assemble, and test solar telescopes and solar filters. Whether you are looking for a dedicated solar telescope or a solar filter for attachment to you own astronomy telescope, we can help. Solar telescopes models start at $499 for an LS35T (telescope) or the only slightly more expensive LS50F (filter), all the way thru the 152T and the 160F. Solar observing is both fun and educational. Don’t miss out on Solar Maximum.

We received  these images from a brand new LS60THa Pressure Tune owner in Germany!  These are his first images!  Thank you for sharing!

We love seeing the awesome images people are producing with their Lunt Solar Systems!  Please continue to send them in!

About Lunt Solar Systems LLC…

Lunt Solar Systems is a manufacturing and sales facility located in Tucson, Arizona. Lunt Solar design, fabricate, assemble, and test solar telescopes and solar filters. Whether you are looking for a dedicated solar telescope or a solar filter for attachment to you own astronomy telescope, we can help. Solar telescopes models start at $499 for an LS35T (telescope) or the only slightly more expensive LS50F (filter), all the way thru the 152T and the 160F. Solar observing is both fun and educational. Don’t miss out on Solar Maximum.

In today’s world of amateur astronomy many chose to capture images with DSLR and CCD cameras.  But for some astronomers they still chose another route, sketching.  Sketching is an amazing way to observe, carefully examining the object, making sure to capture the smallest of details.  It is truly an art and also a measure of patients, but this hasn’t stopped many of today’s amateurs.  Sketching is alive and well, a quick look around many of the solar forums of the large astronomy websites and sketches of the sun can be seen every day!

One such sketcher is Alan Strauss.  Alan has become a well respected solar sketch artist on the forums of Cloudy Nights, posting a sketch nearly every morning!  Much of Alan’s work is done through his LS60THa/PT and his TEC140ED with a Lunt Solar Wedge for white light.  His sketches truly capture an impressive amount of detail!  Detailed surface detail, strong active regions, dark filaments, and raging prominences can all be seen in his sketches, much like a CCD image!  Below is one of his sketches through his LS60THa/PT.

While Alan does much of his sketching from his home observatory, Lost Pleiad Observatory, he does bring out his gear to some of the larger Arizona star parties.  I had the pleasure of meeting Alan and his good friend and observing partner Jerry Farrar at the All Arizona Messier Marathon in March 2010.  Both of them spent nearly an hour and half sketching through the LS60T, TEC140, and LS152T making sure they caught every last detail!

(One of Alan’s White Light Sketches)

Though Alan spends a considerable amount of time under the sun, he also does a lot of deep sky work, sketching galaxies, nebula, and star clusters; all of which can be seen on his website (click the link above).

Sketching takes time and practice like anything else, Alan gives thanks to his observing partner Jerry Farrar for teaching him the ways of sketching and observing. Alan plans to continue his sketching, always refining his techniques and constantly learning.  He hopes to one day upgrade to the LS100THa which will provide even high resolution and help capture finer details!

Sketching is indeed an art, it requires patients and a steady eye.  So give it a try next time your out on a scope!  Even just a basic drawing of what you see, this can help with further observations, maybe through different scopes, different filters, and different observing sites.  Most importantly, go out and have a good time!

(Alan’s White Light set up; TEC140ED with Lunt 2″ Solar Wedge)

About Lunt Solar Systems LLC…

Lunt Solar Systems is a manufacturing and sales facility located in Tucson, Arizona. Lunt Solar design, fabricate, assemble, and test solar telescopes and solar filters. Whether you are looking for a dedicated solar telescope or a solar filter for attachment to you own astronomy telescope, we can help. Solar telescopes models start at $499 for an LS35T (telescope) or the only slightly more expensive LS50F (filter), all the way thru the 152T and the 160F. Solar observing is both fun and educational. Don’t miss out on Solar Maximum.