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Be sure to use the lowest power/widest field eyepiece available also just to make finding the Sun easier- you can then
switch to higher magnification. The Meade PST has a built in Sun finder while Coronado III models come with the Sol
Ranger™ finder, also available separately for those purchasing a Coronado filter set only.
GOTO and Tracking: Meade AutoStar or AudioStar equipped mounts and telescopes can be “mock aligned” in the
daytime by simply doing a standard Meade one star alignment. Although the stars themselves will obviously not visible in
broad daylight, this pseudo-alignment will allow motorized tracking of the Sun, while selecting Mercury from the database
after the mock alignment should take the scope to the near vicinity of the Sun itself. You can then center the Sun using the
keypad arrow keys.
The image isn’t focused: Make sure that the drawtube(s) have been extended. The first thing to look for is a sharp
disk which is easiest to determine by examining the edges of the Sun. Step Two is to use the T-Max™ tuner to minimize
or remove any ghost image. Step Three is to use the H-
α
tuning on the scope to enhance the visible detail on the disk,
prominences, and any specific features of interest. If, however, the disk is very sharp but without any discernable detail
whatsoever it is possible that the image in the eyepiece is actually a ghost image of the Sun and the Sun itself is in fact
completely outside the field of view of the eyepiece. Double check to be sure the Sun is actually in the very center of the Sol
Ranger and if needed move the telescope slightly in a search pattern to find the actual Sun. The difference between a ghost
and the actual Sun will be immediately obvious once seen the first time.
Detail: Many observers report that with time and experience their own perception of detail becomes more acute. H-
α
light
is very far into the red end of the spectrum and our eyes are not, initially, very sensitive to this. The more you view the more
you may find you perceive additional detail more easily. Blocking stray light with a hat or even complete head covering
(observing cloth) blocking all ambient light can actually make a great difference and we definitely recommend giving it a
try. As with any telescope observing conditions will vary greatly from day to day, changing the level of detail you can see.
Additionally of course the Sun itself is an ever changing object unlike the vast majority of celestial targets with changes in
the surface features and prominences taking place over the course of mere hours or even minutes. Be sure to observe often
and we hope you greatly enjoy the experience of taking in the wonder of the unique and highly dynamic center of our Solar
System.
