Light Fantastic

 

Solar Photosphere 24_05_2026. Seestar S30 with a base filter film Baader White Light OD:5.00 and differing Meade colour filters

"A while ago, whilst capturing some solar video clips with our 66mm Altair Astro Lightwave ED refractor, Kurt doubled up a Baader Film filter he had made with a red filter from his old box of Meade colour filters. He was surprised at how this enhanced the contrast between the photosphere, convection cells and faculae.

From our many posts, I am sure some of you will know how pleased we are at the JPO with the Seestar S30 we purchased over a year ago. It is a great bit of kit particularly for an observatory located next to the sea and subject to fast moving changes in the weather.

I got to wondering, whether Jolene could replicate this 'filter trick' but using a home designed 'Gizmo' for magnetically attaching in front of the Seestar's 30mm diameter objective lens.

We have recently 'invested in a new 3d printer and refurbished the 'Clean Room' so Jolene was set to complete the design and build project.

Yesterday it all came together and Kurt captured some solar video clips using different coloured filters in front of the Baader OD:5.0 white light filter film. 

I was very pleased with the results and suspect different filters in different combinations may provide future surprises for Kurt and the S30.  We shall be posting the 3d Printing files on Thingiverse next week under my name JoelCairo76. Feel free to download and play with this but beware this may damage and/or invalidate your Seestar and its manufacturer's warrantee or guarantee from ZWO.

Jolene's next design and build projects for the Seestar S30 will be ; proper narrow x3  band astrophotography (not dual band) and spectroscopy based. Jolene has a number of new design and build ideas, which we wish to pursue." - Joel Cairo CEO of the Jodrell Plank Observatory.