Catching Solar Flares with Julio: A Coronado PST Test Drive

A Sunny Surprise: Blown Away by the Coronado PST!

This past week, we had the pleasure of a visit from our friends Julio and Mila, along with their kids, Joan and Asier. Julio recently acquired a Coronado PST H-alpha solar telescope, and despite the rather grim weather, we managed to squeeze in a test session between thunderstorms.

I’d previously had the chance to observe and photograph the sun in H-alpha during my visit to the Borobia Observatory in Spain several years ago, and I remembered it fondly. The observatory’s H-alpha scope was a high-end instrument (a DayStar, though I don’t recall the exact model), so I honestly expected a far less impressive view this time with the PST.

But I was completely blown away! Not only was it incredibly easy to spot prominences along the solar limb, but some prominences were even visible on the disk (towards the center), and the surface activity was clearly discernible. In a few years, during the solar maximum, I have no doubt the PST will deliver truly spectacular images!

I had also expected to be testing a plastic-feeling product, as many photos of the PST online give that impression. Another pleasant surprise: the telescope is made of metal, and its weight definitely commands respect. The PST modification should allow for even higher-quality, detail-rich results.