Coronado SolarMax II 60 Solar Telescope
If you have ever wondered about what the Sun looks like close up, or if you have already experimented with solar astronomy using filters, but want to take it to the next level, then look no further than the superb Coronado SolarMax II 60 mm Solar Telescope with RichView Tuning and 10 mm Blocking Filter.
Product Description
Take one look at the incredible Coronado SolarMax II and you will be struck by its superb construction with polished brass and shiny black trim. The good looks are backed up by the finely crafted components such as the tuning controls, locking knobs, and adjustment screws. This package is put together not only to look good, but to provide you with a robust and well crafted unit that will not let you down. Although it is a delicate instrument, it has been built robustly enough to allow you to transport the device to your preferred viewing location without worrying about breaking it or upsetting the optical instruments.
What do you get with the Coronado SolarMax II?
The Coronado package includes the robust SolarMax 60 mm solar telescope in its hardened carrying case for total protection and you also get technical support from the manufacturer for the typical life of the instrument. Now that doesn’t mean that there is likely to be anything wrong with the device, but rather Coronado as so confident that nothing will go wrong that they are willing to extend their guarantee for the life of the product.
Make no mistake; the Coronado SolarMax 60 mm telescope is a serious astronomy tool which has been designed especially for serious amateur astronomers looking to take a step up from beginner status. Those who want to study the finer details of the surface of the Sun will be astounded at the additional detail provided with this incredible device. Wonderful images of solar prominences and solar flares will be instantly visible, as well as incredible details of the delicate filaments and emissions from the surface of the Sun.
When you buy the Coronado SolarMax II, you are actually getting two components of a solar telescope instrument. The burnished brass telescope tube is comprised of an intricate interferometer which has been tuned for the best solar performance. On top of the telescope is a 10 mm Hydrogen Alpha blocking filter which sits across telescope diagonal. The superbly crafted optical instruments deliver an optimal balance of surface details of the Sun as well as the accurate focusing and concentration of 656 nm bandwidth of visible imagery.
Coronado SolarMax II Blocking Filter:
The Hydrogen Alpha Coronado blocking filter is one of the cost driving factors of the SolarMax 60 mm telescope. The blocking filter is essentially the safety device of the solar telescope, and is vital to not only providing safety for the operator and the instrumentation inside the telescope, but the higher the quality of the filter, the better the image that can be focused to the eyepiece. The blocking filter comes in several sizes between 5 mm and 15 mm, but the larger size range allows for better image quality.
Coronado RichView Tuning:
As well as providing the safety features of the blocking filter, the Coronado SolarMax also provides a Richview imaging system that can be accurately tuned to the precise wavelength of the Hydrogen alpha blocking filter. Without the Richview tuning mechanism, all of the solar images would be merely red blobs, and the key to clear and accurate images is the ability to finely tune the delicate etalon interferometer in the main body of the telescope. Once the telescope has been properly tuned, the image contrast will provide the best clarity for your viewing pleasure.
Coronado SolarMax II Summary
We need to remember that any comments we make in relation to the SolarMax should be taken in the context that this is a specialist Solar telescope, and thus is not directly comparable to a traditional telescope for use in the night sky. Likewise, a traditional telescope could be used with a solar filter in order to use for solar astronomy, but again, I have not attempted to make those direct comparisons. The best way would be for you to try some dedicated solar telescopes before you step out to buy one, so maybe check out your nearest astronomy club for more advice. I generally do not recommend that you go out and buy a solar telescope as your very first instrument, but if you are interested in increasing your capability in solar astronomy, then there is a Coronado telescope that will have something to keep you interested.
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