Lunt LS60MT H-Alpha Solar Telescope - Standard Kit

The 60mm ED Doublet Objective Lens

All H-alpha performance begins at the objective lens. The LS60MT uses an air-spaced ED doublet with FPL-51 glass to produce a clean, high-contrast solar disk, free of the chromatic aberration that can soften details. This color-pure optical foundation is critical, as it ensures the internal etalon receives a pristine image to work with, directly translating to sharper views of filaments, spicules, and granulation at the eyepiece.

Internal Pressure-Tuned H-Alpha Etalon

At the heart of the LS60MT is Lunt's internal Fabry-Pérot etalon. By placing the etalon inside the telescope body, it remains protected and operates without a central obstruction, maximizing image brightness and contrast. This system is engineered to a narrow <0.45Å bandpass, a specification that provides a significant increase in surface detail and feature contrast compared to wider-bandpass systems.

This narrow bandpass is the key to resolving the fine, thread-like structure within solar prominences and the complex, mottled texture of the chromosphere. Lunt verifies the performance of every etalon on a 1.5-meter scanning monochromator, ensuring the specification is a measured reality, not an estimate. This level of quality control guarantees your view of the Sun is defined by physics, not marketing.

Doppler True Pressure Tuning for Precision Control

The LS60MT features Lunt's Doppler True Pressure Tuning system, which offers superior control over your view. Unlike mechanical tilt-tuning that can introduce uneven illumination, pressure tuning adjusts the air density inside the etalon cavity. This shifts the filter's bandpass smoothly and evenly across the entire field of view, allowing you to target specific solar features based on their velocity relative to you.

With a simple twist of the pressure knob, you can shift the view from the bright chromosphere to the darker, faster-moving filaments, making them "pop" with contrast. This system gives you the ability to see the three-dimensional nature of the Sun's atmosphere, a critical capability for serious solar observation and imaging. It is a stable, repeatable tuning method that does not impart any mechanical stress on the core optical element.

The B600 Blocking Filter

The final stage in the safety and performance chain is the B600 blocking filter, housed within the included star diagonal. This filter stack is essential for rejecting all out-of-band wavelengths, delivering a safe, dark background that makes faint prominences and surface detail stand out. The 6mm aperture of the B600 is optimized for visual observation, providing a fully illuminated field for viewing the entire solar disk at low power without vignetting.

While the B600 is an excellent match for visual use, observers planning to use cameras with larger sensors for full-disk imaging may want to consider the optional B1200 blocking filter to ensure even illumination to the corners of the sensor. For eyepiece observation, however, the B600 provides a perfect balance of performance and efficiency.

Reliable Focusing with a Rack & Pinion Focuser

The LS60MT is equipped with a 2-inch rack and pinion focuser. This unit provides smooth, reliable focus adjustment for visual accessories and lightweight imaging cameras. Its simple and robust design ensures that you can achieve a sharp image without excessive image shift, holding focus securely once set.

The "MT" Modular Telescope Design

The "MT" (Modular Telescope) designation signifies this instrument's core advantage: versatility. By unscrewing the red H-alpha etalon section, you can convert the LS60MT into a premium 60mm f/7 ED refractor for nighttime use. This transforms your dedicated solar instrument into a portable grab-and-go scope for sharp, high-contrast views of the Moon, planets, and brighter deep-sky objects, effectively giving you two telescopes in one.

With the H-alpha module removed, simply attach the star diagonal and your favorite eyepieces to begin exploring the night sky. Point it at Jupiter and you will resolve its primary cloud bands and Galilean moons. On a clear winter night, the Orion Nebula will show its distinct trapezoidal core. This dual-purpose capability makes the LS60MT an exceptional value and a practical choice for observers who want to invest in a single, high-quality optical system.