What's your solar story? Anything goes · Steven Fanutti · ... · 3 · 173 · 4

Hi everyone,

I am old enough to remember a time when white-light solar filters were pretty much the only filter option for most amateur astronomers. I was working for a telescope retailer at the time when the Coronado P.S.T. first came out. Over the last 20 years, we have seen H-alpha and CaK telescopes become mainstream.

In 2016, I decided to get into serious solar astronomy in time for the Mercury transit. I made solar filters for my camera lenses and bought a Coronado P.S.T. for myself. Sometime later, I bought myself a Thousand Oaks Solarlite filter for my 102 mm Sky-Watcher and I enjoy it very much.

I no longer have the Coronado P.S.T., but I am content with white-light observing and photography. I recently bought a glass solar filter for my Sky-Watcher telescope from Spectrum Telescope as I wanted a spare filter.

Photographically, my "dream setup" is my Sigma 150-500 mm lens with a 1.4x telextender and a Silver Black Polymer Thousand Oaks filter. I stack images in Siril and process images in GIMP. I also use my smaller lenses for quick image stacks when I am short on time.

These are my most recent high resolution images taken with my Sigma lens. I am currently doing my own personal solar monitoring project, photographing the Sun as much as I am able as time permits over one or two solar rotations.


The Sun - JD 2460806.1361


The Sun - JD 2460806.1361


My main motivation for getting into solar astronomy is the reality of light pollution. Solar astronomy gives the amateur astronomer the ability to experience undiminished astronomy unlike deep sky observing near urban areas.

What's your solar story? How did you get into it? What filters do you use? I would be interested in hearing from you.

Steven

I don't know exactly when i started solar imaging, but i remember i tried to use a white light solar film first but i wasn't keep about it and didn't like the result and i was more into DSO and planetary so i just ignored it, until maybe in 2022 i saw Antlia released their wedge with CaK 3nm filter, was good prices as i can't afford $800-10000 to have something dedicated for solar even solar wedge from Baader that time above $300, and when i tested that Antlia CaK i felt in love with Solar imaging, and i think it was a sign, because next year which is 2023 i was able to buy the Daystar Quark "Combo" Chromosphere for very slightly less price than standard one, by then i know that solar imaging is what i should do it no matter what sooner or later.

Now in addition to the Quark and Antlia wedge CaK i have now Baader 2" and Lunt 1.25" Herschel Wedges, and Lunt CaK B1200, Baader solar film for large scope, so now i have sufficient solar filter or bands i can use for long time, i didn't do much yet because i only buy equipment to collect until the best time i have mood and opportunity to do, i will not stop buying things just because i don't use it on time, i might die today or tomorrow and never use it, but i never stop buying stuff when i find nice prices and offers on time, and later i worry about results, the seeing conditions in my area is amazing that for years i can have results no matter what, now i am waiting maybe only 2 last pieces or tools or gear to add then i can do solar as it should be, for several years i had bad budget so that i couldn't buy equipment on time and bad situations also prevented me to do imaging on mood, and for solar i feel i am so late to do, but it is always better to be late then never, and i don't compare my journey in solar or astronomy in general to anyone, i will try to enjoy it then whatever comes later it will be great.