Moving to a dedicated Solar Scope - Unboxing Lunt LS80MTB1800C

I had been doing basic solar imaging with the Edge 11 using a white light filter and a one shot colour camera, while this is fine for the very basics, I wanted to go to the next level and get more detailed captures of the Sun.
So, I treated myself to a dedicated solar scope, the Lunt LS80MTB1800 which is a 80mm ED FPL53 OTA with Single Stack Pressure Tuner and B1800 blocking filter.
As this is a modular scope, I also purchased the optional Crayford focuser module for converting it into an 80mm 560mm night scope and a ZWO EAF electronic focuser for this.
For the solar imaging, I purchased a ZWO ASI 174 mm mono planetary camera.
In this video, will take a quick look at the exiting Edge 11 setup and unbox and talk through the new Lunt scope.
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I upload my images to Telescopius, and you can find my profile at:
telescopius.co...
My other social locations are;
www.daves-astr...
/ daves.astrophotography
/ daveauld
/ dave_auld
The main equipment I use is;
Celestron CGX mount
Celestron CGX-L mount
Celestron Edge 11
Celestron RASA 11
Bresser 8" Newtonian
Bresser AR90s/500
ZWO ASI2600MC-P Colour cameras
ZWO 60/280 guidescope
ZWO ASI120mm guide camera
ZWO ASI174mini guide camera
Unihedron Sky Quality Meter (SQM)
NexDome Observatory
#Astrophotography #DavesAstrophotography #Cyprus

[@blainesnow1476]

Thanks Dave for the intro - this Friday I will pick up my own Lunt 80MT along with a AV mount... can't wait!

[@DavesAstrophotography]

Excellent! Happy Solar ☀️🔭

[@Astrobloke]

ooh now thats a nice scope. Look forward to seeing your results

[@DavesAstrophotography]

I posted 3 solar pics on my telescopius, one with a 2x barlow, the others native 560mm telescopius.com/profile/dave-auld

[@slapastronomy8646]

Congrats on picking up an excellent scope. The LS80MT is a lifetime scope.

[@DavesAstrophotography]

Thanks, it really is great, I am still debating on whether to add the 2nd pressure tuner to double stack it to pull out even more detail or perhaps the Calcium module.

[@slapastronomy8646]

@@DavesAstrophotography Eventually add both. 😁👍🔭☀️

[@DavesAstrophotography]

Eventually being the key word 🤣

[@slapastronomy8646]

@@DavesAstrophotography I'm saving up for either the 80 or the 100. Eventually. 😄👍

[@JoesAstrophoto]

Great review and congrats on the new scope Dave, she's a beauty!

[@DavesAstrophotography]

Cheers Joe, just need to get these clouds to jog on!

[@GalaxyArtMedia]

Nice review and clear sky Dave!

[@DavesAstrophotography]

Cheers! Hope to put it to more use soon. Really need another mount for it so I don't need to tear down my dso rig.

[@GalaxyArtMedia]

@@DavesAstrophotography i need wlao another gotomount. I have a secondary star adventurer but to use from inside the houae and stream is dificult to go utside and make adjustments. For the mome t still using my eqm 35 goto as main mount for 3 years now

[@avt_astro206]

that's Cool Scope For Solar!! 👍🏻

[@DavesAstrophotography]

Thanks, hopefully it will also make a great night scopes. At the moment, the Rasa is 620mm, so this new one plus a focal reducer will give me a 448mm.

[@GarnettLeary]

Hey Dave. Nice review. Just so you know, the PrimaLuce DX finder base fits the curvature of the rack and pinion focuser perfectly. I put two on mine using the existing screws. Mini guider on one side and the ZWO Air Plus opposite. Just giving you gear info. I love mine. I bought it as a doublet and will upgrade it to full solar soon. Excited to see someone else putting info up about it. It’s quite good for a doublet.

[@DavesAstrophotography]

Thanks, will hopefully get it up and trucking soon, I think I see some blue sky coming this morning, the sun is just starting to come up.

[@AstroSoundscape]

Nice one Dave particularly good having the modular functionality. Looks a cool piece of kit, I've only seen people using the Daystar versions will be good to see this.

[@DavesAstrophotography]

Thanks Ollie, I went with the modular so I can also get a night time shorter focal scope (if I had a further reducer). If I put a 0.8x on it that will be 448mm.

[@Beaver-be8vk]

That thing is sick!! I have the 50mm and love it. Probably the best built scope I’ve ever used. Upgraded to the feather touch focuser. Hope to get an 80mm some day.

[@DavesAstrophotography]

Yeh, they are amazing build quality, everything feels solid.

[@Lasserubinskov]

Good on you. I enjoy own Lunt :)

[@DavesAstrophotography]

Thanks, hopefully get some first light on it soon, looks like a day of broken clouds, the sun's not up yet this morning.....

[@GarnettLeary]

I’m going to put up a video about it soon. I’ll show my hardware setup if you’re interested.

[@DavesAstrophotography]

Of course!

[@miertjestoer9525]

Hi, what is the highest usefull magnification from this scope in real time? Thanks. (Visual , i believe that scopes can vary in brightness from time to time dependent what lunt do with the filters….but also for the 80??)

[@DavesAstrophotography]

I haven't used it for visual, it is a 560mm focal length scope and Lunt do sell eyepieces down to 8mm for the scopes. They also have a variable eyepiece from 7.2mm to 21.5mm According to their website specifications, the theoretical maximum magnification is 140x.

[@miertjestoer9525]

@@DavesAstrophotography thanks. Maybe I shouldn't care about magnification too much , Because maybe all magnifications are good for viewing in their one way.....?thinking about 60 for visual!

[@DavesAstrophotography]

@@miertjestoer9525 Take a look on KZbin, I have seen some great results from even the smallest 40. With my 80. connected to a ASI174mm, I get full disc in frame. I have also used it with 2.5x and 4x Barlows.

[@miertjestoer9525]

@@DavesAstrophotography thanks! I will take a look on the 40.

[@carminelupertazzi9851]

Is the blocking filter 2 or 1.25”?

[@DavesAstrophotography]

The tube that goes into the Focuser is 2". The camera side accepts 1.25", although it does have external male 2" threads, which allows me to screw on my 2" luminos and 2" powermate Barlows.

[@fernandorivera2395]

How heavy is this scope??

[@DavesAstrophotography]

In my configuration (which i just weighed), with the gear added, which is; LS80MT OTA, single stack pressure tuner, focuser, ZWO EAF, B1800 blocking filter diagonal, Celestron 2.5x Luminos Barlow, ASI74mm camera it is approx. 6.2 kg / 13.8 lb.

[@dreamfunction4491]

Don't insert music like that, you just ruined your own video, fool. Otherwise it was interesting.

[@DavesAstrophotography]

Thanks for the feedback.....