The double stacked Personal Solar Telescope (PST) from Coronado Solar is one of the most accessible options available for H-Alpha solar viewing and imaging. This model of PST has been designed from the ground up with the goal of creating a telescope fully optimized to be the ideal instrument for H-alpha bandwidth solar astronomy, and it shows on every level of performance. The double stack model, as suggested by its name, uses a double stacked 0.5 angstrom bandpass h-alpha solar filter as an integrated component of its optics. The PST shows prominence and solar surface details with a stunning level of clarity and sharpness, and features a built in solar viewfinder as well as a 40mm external tunable Etalon, a 20mm Kellner eyepiece, an integrated focuser, and bandpass fine adjustment controls. Product Reviews
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United StatesThis was very easy to attached to my PST and using the tuning wheel and ring in conjunction with the PST tuning ring was smooth. The folks at OPT were prompt and helpful as well. Doing business with them was a pleasure.
Used this Coronado scope during the 2017 total eclipse, and several times since through 2019. It delivered as promised. The image size is of course small but this can be vastly improved by the use of a "Tele-vue" 2.5X barlow and a ZWO ASi-120monochrome camera with a laptop PC. This lash-up gives a pretty near full disk on the laptop screen. The second Etalon takes some practice but does improve the over all experience. I also found that the Coronado is compatible with the iOptron "Sky Tracker Pro" camera mount, this allows you to use the iOptron mount to polar align the night before, telescope and all, then leave it set-up overnight and still be tracking on target at dawn. All you do is line up with the Sun, select solar tracking on the iOptron mount, get focused, and start capturing images on the laptop. I used "SharpCap (FREE) for imaging. It worked extremely well then, and numerous times since, wish we could leave an attachment of photos, but I don't see that option here. Never the less, for the $$ its a dandy little scope that delivers.
I hope to catch some prominence, knowing that is working for a larger suitable band, >0.7 but, using my very sensitive mono camera GRasshopper 3 from PointGrei, I never cached till now any piece of prominence even there was a lot in reality. Also, the disk appearance is flat enough. You just take in account that I have much experience in capturing and processing for solar astrophotography (I win a prix at Greenwich in 2016 at the International Contest in Astrophotography IAPOTY). I am really disappointed... :(
The telescope is great and very easy to mount. The visuals are stunning.
Overall I think the telescope is easy to use. You need a sturdy tripod to be able to be able to tune this well such that you can really see the details on the sun. One issue I had was the plastic screw that holds the eyepiece in bent after the first use of the telescope. I would have expected that to be made out of metal. A little disappointed about that.
have been in SF on the trip and collected my PST. Could not wait until arrived back home to view the Sun. Amazing solar scope for $500 and only the scope you can use daily for same celestial body and never get bored.