15 replies to this topic

[jcf2001]

I just received my SolalMax 60 scope this past Tuesday. Jan 20, 2009.
I took it out yesterday and just saw a red disk. The air temp was in the hi 20s.
I tool it out today and saw a small prominence projecting from the limb. The air temp was in the low 40s.

I was expecting to see granulation on the disk even with the Sun as quiet as it is. I tried adjusting the filter with the brass wheel but it did not bring out any more detail.

What exactly should expect I see?

How sensitive is it to the air temperature?

[Philip Pugh]

There's 2 big problems at the moment: firstly the Sun is exceptional quiet and secondly the Sun doesn't get high in the sky, so is subject to a lot of atmospheric disturbance. The end result is that the Sun doesn't seem too exciting and you think you've spent a lot of money on something that doesn't deliver.

The other thing is that if you take photographs, you'll often detect features that you missed visually. To give you some idea of what the Sun's been like, check out this:

http://philippugh.fo..._SunHAlpha.html

The good news is that you'll get a lot more out of your instrument as solar activity picks up and the Sun gets higher. The Solarmax 60 is a very good 'scope.

One thing that might help is if you view the Sun as near to mid-day as possible.

[jcf2001]

I saw nice loop prominence today.  It was easier to see when I opened up the etalon. That is I adjusted the etalon until the gap in the Tmax was at it's max.

My understanding is that if I open the etalon, which creates an angle between the etalon and the objective, you are adjusting to the blue side of the ban pass which should bring out features on the disk of the sun and not on the limb.

Is my understanding correct?

When you say "detune the etalon" which way are you adjusting the etalon?

I still have not been able to see any granulation.

[jendras]

I have the same kind of problem. I purchased a new Solarmax 60 /BF10 and had my first view today. I already own a Solarmax 40/BF10. With the SM60 I just can see a red disc with no details. The SM40 shows me at the same time some prominences and structures on the surface. Only when I screw the TMax on the SM60 to the maximum I can see SOME of the prominences, but with less detail than the SM40 and still nothing on the surface. This is not what I had expected.

[jcf2001]

I have the same kind of problem. I purchased a new Solarmax 60 /BF10 and had my first view today. I already own a Solarmax 40/BF10. With the SM60 I just can see a red disc with no details. The SM40 shows me at the same time some prominences and structures on the surface. Only when I screw the TMax on the SM60 to the maximum I can see SOME of the prominences, but with less detail than the SM40 and still nothing on the surface. This is not what I had expected.

That is interesting.
I wish I had something to compare it with like you.

How old is your Solarmax 40?

Maybe I will call Meade this week and see what they say about it.

If you find out anything on what may be going on here please post it.

[jendras]

My Solarmax 40 is now 6 years old and it was always working properly, just the demand for more aperture was the reason to buy the SM60. If you get any news from Meade, please let me (us) know.

[jcf2001]

My Solarmax 40 is now 6 years old and it was always working properly, just the demand for more aperture was the reason to buy the SM60. If you get any news from Meade, please let me (us) know.

I called Meade and talked to a customer support person. He didn't tell me much as expected. he said he would check with someone and get back to me tomorrow.

Since you are experiencing the same problem could you call them too?
I would like to see if they tell us the same thing.

[jendras]

I called Meade yesterday and it took some time until the service person was willing to talk to me. He listened to my problem and asked me then - that is not a joke - if I focused the telescope correctly. I said yes, and then he answered: OK, send it back. No further try to solve the problem. Not the best customer service...

[jcf2001]

I was asked a similar question. I haven't heard back from Meade yet.

Are you going to send it back?

[jendras]

I will try some other tuning methods which I got from cloudynights.com, but I have little hope that it works. Finally, I think I have to send it back, which means a lot of wasted time and money...

[jcf2001]

Could you point me to those tips?
I searched the cloudynights web site but all I could fins was imaging techniques.

BTW: Coronado finally called back and left a mess stating that I should send it in.  Pffffhhhhhh.......

I'm not sure what to do. I just wish I had something to compare it with.

Please keep me updated on how you progress.

[jendras]

There is a forum called "Solar" in the category "Observing". Maybe we should continue this thread there anyway, because this forum seems to be dead.

[jcf2001]

That works for me.
See you there.

[Philip Pugh]

I've tried out a 60mm 'scope and it way outscored the 40mm and my PST on the same day. I've just been out with a PST a couple of hours ago and had to fiddle with the etalon quite a lot to get the proms.

Although I did a book on the Coronado 'scopes, I'd never heard of this problem before.

[jcf2001]

On a forum at cloudynights there is another with the same issue.
I am sending my back for service tomorrow.

[Philip Pugh]

Sorry, Folks. I haven't been on lately but the "day job" has been very busy and there's a couple of books to write.

I've heard that Meade is very slow to respond to repair requests for ex-Coronado kit.

There's not much visible on the Sun. I just saw one prominence and one filament today.