Solar Observatory
The
MAS Solar Observatory is the newest of the observatories on the grounds,
completed in August of 2016.
The observatory itself is a SkyShed POD which was purchased by the club solely on donations from our members.
The observatory houses two solar telescopes mounted side by side. The primary instrument is a Lunt 80mm H-Alpha pressure tuned telescope with the Doppler True Tuning System. The second telescope is the so-called White Light telescope which uses a Herschel Wedge for filtering. It is a 5 inch f/5 refractor.
The imaging
for these two scopes can be remotely controlled from the
lower level of the Z Dome in the
control room.
The Sun at the same time demonstrating the dramatic differences in these scopes. Left: using the 5" f/5 White-Light telescope with a standard solar filter. Right: 80mm Lunt H-Alpha pressure tuned telescope.
