Lunt LS80MT H-Alpha Solar Telescope - Enhanced Kit

80mm ED Doublet Objective Lens

At the heart of the LS80MT is a precision 80mm F/7 ED doublet objective. The FPL51 glass element significantly reduces chromatic aberration, ensuring that light is focused to a sharp, high-contrast point. This optical purity is critical in a solar telescope, as it provides a clean, artifact-free image to the etalon, resulting in a darker background sky and more vibrant surface detail.

For the observer, this means the ability to push magnification on days of good seeing to resolve the fine, thread-like structure within sunspot umbras and the delicate, feathery texture of hedgerow prominences. The 560mm focal length provides a versatile image scale, suitable for full-disc views with longer focal length eyepieces and detailed close-ups with shorter ones, without requiring a Barlow lens.

Internal Pressure-Tuned Etalon for Peak Contrast

Lunt's signature pressure-tuning system provides superior control over the etalon's bandpass. Unlike mechanical tilt-tuning which can introduce uneven illumination, pressure tuning adjusts the refractive index of the air between the etalon plates. This maintains a perfectly even, on-band image from edge to edge, which is crucial for uniform brightness in both visual observation and imaging.

This system allows you to precisely shift the filter's bandpass to track features moving at high velocity, such as solar flares or coronal mass ejections. By slightly increasing or decreasing the pressure, you can "Doppler shift" the view to highlight material moving towards or away from you, revealing dynamic details that would otherwise be invisible. The factory-verified bandpass of <0.45Å provides an ideal balance between surface detail and prominence brightness.

B1800 Blocking Filter for Imaging and Wide Fields

The Enhanced Kit includes the B1800 blocking filter, featuring a large 18mm aperture. This is a significant upgrade from the standard B1200, as it provides a much larger fully-illuminated field of view. For imagers using cameras with APS-C or larger sensors, this eliminates vignetting, ensuring the entire frame is evenly lit.

Visually, the larger aperture of the B1800 allows the use of wide-field, low-power 2-inch eyepieces without the field stop being cut off. This lets you frame the entire solar disc with a generous black-sky border, creating a more immersive, "spacewalk" viewing experience. It transforms the telescope into a capable instrument for full-disc solar mosaics and general wide-field observation.

Robust Dual-Speed Rack & Pinion Focuser

To handle the demands of modern imaging equipment, the LS80MT is equipped with a heavy-duty dual-speed rack and pinion focuser. This design offers a significant advantage over Crayford-style focusers by providing zero slippage, even when supporting a heavy camera, filter wheel, and Barlow lens. The coarse focus knob gets you into the general vicinity quickly, while the 10:1 fine-focus knob allows for the critical, minute adjustments needed to snap solar granulation or spicules into sharp relief.

Modular Design for Day and Night Observation

The "MT" in LS80MT stands for Modular Telescope. The hydrogen-alpha module, containing the etalon, can be easily removed. With the addition of optional accessories like a dovetail and focuser, the 80mm ED objective can be converted into a high-performance nighttime telescope for observing the moon, planets, and deep-sky objects. This versatility makes the LS80MT a complete observing system, saving you the expense and storage space of a separate nighttime refractor.

Safe and Easy Solar Alignment

The included red dot Sol-Searcher is a safe and intuitive way to align the telescope with the Sun. It uses a small pinhole to project an image of the solar disk onto a translucent screen. To aim the telescope, you simply move the tube until the projected dot is centered on the screen, eliminating any guesswork and ensuring you never have to look directly at the sun to find it.

Experiencing the Chromosphere

With the LS80MT and a medium-power eyepiece, the solar limb is no longer a simple, sharp edge. It resolves into a field of countless fiery spicules, tiny jets of plasma that give the chromosphere a "furry" appearance. Following a dark filament as it rotates to the edge of the disk, you can watch it transform into a magnificent prominence, a curtain of glowing hydrogen gas suspended in the blackness of space. The pressure tuner allows you to subtly adjust the view, making the prominence glow with maximum contrast against the background, revealing knots and streamers within its structure.

The primary trade-off for this versatility and aperture is portability. While manageable for one person, the LS80MT is a more substantial instrument than a 50mm or 60mm scope and requires a stable mount like an EQ5 or HEQ5-class equatorial mount for optimal performance, especially for imaging. It is the right choice for the observer who has a dedicated space or is willing to transport a larger setup for a significant increase in resolution and flexibility.