Anyone have a Coronado PST Solar Telescope?

Question

I've been thinking of buying a Coronado PST solar telescope, but I'm really not sure what to expect as far as performance. Can any current owners run down the pros and cons for me? Thanks in advance.

Answer 1

These are popular little gizmo's but having had one was disappointed by its inability to focus except on very small parts of the Sun where you may find a prominence, These are rather specialized tools but if you are a keen solar observer, an essential piece of equipment. Coronado are not the only people who make solar telescopes, but they are the most expensive. Try to shop around for something cheaper like a Lunt.

Answer 2

So, several members of my club have PSTs.  So i've seen through 40 mm and 60 mm models.  And one guy added a second h-alpha filter, which lets him do more fine tuning.  There is no question that the 60's do better than the 40's.  But even in the 40, you can see granules and flares.

One of the guys has an 80 mm Williams Optics refractor with an H-alpha filter.  It's totally hot.  But he spent triple what you can get from Coronado.

And in my white light filter, at the moment when there are no sunspots, i see an empty round disk and i can't even tell if i'm in focus.

This bit about joining clubs.  My club will probably pick up a PST of it's own for outreach next year.  Well, i'm on the board, and we brought it up last year, and decided to wait.  I'll be able to use it whenever i want.  It's not hard to take.

Answer 3

for the price, they're a hoot. the filter tuning lets you zoom in on different features.

photography is problematic due to back focus issues. some ppl have done it. i gave up trying.

by its nature, you are sitting in the sun when you use one. this can get warm. :-)

like any other telesscope, you should look through one and see for yourself.