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.

LOOK AGAIN !!!!! The next generation of Solar telescopes continues to Evolve…

Here is a bit of info… The image is shown with the optional DSII added.

1) The DSII will soon be available on ALL Lunt dedicated scopes including the LS152T!!

2) This same module will also be available as a rear end addition to the Celestron C11 and C14. This package will include the Lunt True ERF to safely aperture the scope to the appropriate size, removing both UV and IR energy from the optical path.  A straight thru BF will be integrated into the module for enhanced viewing.

The LS80T/PT (pressure tuned) is a complete and dedicated Solar Telescope with an Image Scale of 408.  Image scale is calculated by the effective image size at the focal plain and the clear aperture of the scope.  A precision aligned ED refractor with a fully un-obstructed 80mm optical aperture. This package provides a significant step up into the Intermediary category of Daytime Solar Observing, Maintaining the most advanced technology of Doppler True Tuning for fine adjustment of the center wavelength, allowing research of the Sun’s disk and surface details at increased image scale.  Prominences, flares, super granulation, filaments, and active regions will be observed.

The LS80T package is fully upgradeable with several options including the NEW evolutionary Dual Internal Stack Etalon System (DSII). The DSII eliminates the need for an external doublestack etalon reducing cost and eliminating obstructions. The system is 100% un-obstructed. The bandpass is reduced to <0.5 Angstroms. See the Sun’s weather in stunning high definition.

Customer Solar Images:

• Olivier Hardy
• Ted Dobosz
• Brian Colville
• Jurij Stare
• Geert Vandenbulcke
• Your Image Gallery here?

For more images visit the Lunt Solar Image Gallery

LS80T/PT Specifications: (single stacked)

• Optical Aperture: 80mm (Unobstructed)
• Etalon: Internal <0.7 Angstrom
• Tuning: Internal Pressure Tune (Doppler True Tuning)
• Image Scale: 408
• Focal Length: 560mm
• F Ratio: 7
• Focuser: Crayford with 10:1 fine adjustment
• Mounting: Integrated clamshell style with 1/4-20 tapped base
• Storage: Aluminum finished hard case with fitted foam
• Weight: 14 lbs
• Starting at: US$3,246.00

Required Blocking Filter: (see “blocking filters”)

• B1200 for standard visual use (included)
• B1800 for larger field of view and imaging applications (upgrade)

Included Accessories: (see “accessories”)

• Sun Finder: Televue Sol Searcher
• Mounting: Lunt 6″ Dovetail
• Eyepiece: Lunt Zoom Eyepiece
• Case: Aluminum Finished Hard Case with Custom Foam

Optional Accessories: (see “accessories”)

• Focuser: Startlight Feathertouch

The LS80T can be internally double stacked (see LS80T/DSII) at time of purchase or anytime thereafter.  Doublestacking provides a truly enhanced high definition view the Sun’s surface details.  The LS80T/PT does not need to be returned to the factory for doublestacking.

Part Number: LS80Ha/PT/DSII

Retail: US$1,495.00

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

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

But there’s more……

The LS80T/PT is available in many optional variations, here are a few examples to aid in description and part numbers for pricing.

LS80THa/PT/B1200/C

* Standard system with B1200 visual use blocking filter and standard Crayford Focuser

Retail Price: US$3,246.00

LS80THa/PT/B1200/C

* Standard system with B1200 visual use blocking filter and upgraded Feathertouch Focuser

Retail Price: US$3,665.00

LS80THa/PT/B1800/C

* Standard system with B1800 imaging upgraded blocking filter and standard Crayford Focuser

Retail Price: US$3,596.00

LS80THa/PT/B1800/FT

* Standard system with B1800 imaging upgraded blocking filter and upgraded Feathertouch Focuser

Retail Price: US$4,016.00

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

True Doppler Tuning allows for a shift into and away from the user.  Adding a 3D like component to the viewing experience. While it has minimal effect on proms due to their being at the edge of the disk, it does have an effect on filaments and active regions on the surface.  While looking at a filament at the center of the Sun the user has the ability to Doppler shift from the base of the filament to the tip, following the filament thru it’s structure toward you and away from you. Allowing for enhanced visual and imaging capability for the observer as well as a research tool for the avid hobbyist.  The pressure tuning system provides an order of magnitude more precision to the tuning of the desired features.

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 $598 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.

A few days ago we revieved this awesome little video!  This set of images was captured by solar imager Michael Buxton with his Takahashi 102 refractor and LS75F-Ha Double Stacked filters.

Click the link below to view the video of a solar prominence looping above the sun’s surface!

HandiAVI 17fps-Desktop

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.

Last month imager Brain Johnson tested out his brand new B3400 blocking filter on his LS100THa and boy did he use that blocker to its full potential!  The B3400 is currently the largest blocking filter in the Lunt family, this massive blocker is designed inside a 2″ straight through barrel allowing the largest of CCD cameras to be used!  For the shot below Brian used the famous SBIG STL-11000 CCD camera that sports an awesome full frame CCD sensor.  The field of view (FOV) is huge, its large chip allows Brian to image the entire solar disk in one shot!

Brian’s image shows an extremely detailed solar disk with two large active regions, a sun spot, and countless filaments!

Thanks for sending in your image Brian!

Image Specs:

LS100T-Ha B3400

SBIG STL-11000 class 0 chip

0.011 exposure

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.

Sunspot 1092 has been the main target for most solar observers over the last several days.  While this large sunspot hasn’t produced much activity is has still been quite a view!

July 31, 2010 Eduard Garcia-Ribera of Spain captured some incredible images of 1092.

To capture these images Eduard used his LS100T for H-Alpha, B600 Ca-K Module, and Lunt Solar Wedge on his ED100 refractor.

Keep an eye on the sun, some more active regions as well as sunspot 1093 are slowly coming into view!

We enjoy seeing the images you are taking, please send them in and they could end up on a blog post!

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.