Gianluca Valentini

	Here is a short list of the instruments I use: I operate from my home observatory where I have installed a 4.2 meter Baader dome totally automated. It can be operated remotely, but I like to be in it so I practically never use this option. This 4.2 mt. dome produced by Baader is a quasi-professional dome: a real pleasure to watch at work. You can see some pictures on this page.
		Inside the observatory I have an AP1200 GTO, the superb Astro-Physics equatorial mount. When I purchased it my dealer told me that it was a "definitive mount", once you have it, there is no equipment upgrade that will require a mount upgrade. So far I can say he was 100% correct: It is sturdy, beatifully crafted and is as precise and hassle-free as it is good looking. A true mechanical masterpiece!

	As regards optics, I own exclusively refractors. My main telescope is a TEC 180APO FL, a 180mm F7 fluorite apochromatic refractor (oil spaced triplet) made by the U.S. based company TEC (Telescope Engineering Company). Another masterpiece to go with the AP mount. It is a recent addition to my tool box and I am extremely happy with it. It is a truly beautifully made telescope, both mechanically and optically. It is well worth the (high) price paid for it. I'm learning how to use this thoroughbred also for DSO (Deep Sky Objects) imaging (with a dedicated field flattener), but I'm still quite bad at it. On top of the 180mm I have a 106mm Takahashi FSQ, an F5 fluorite Petval quadruplet that I use as astrograph for my rare DSO imaging or as a guide scope when imaging DSO with the TEC.

	Now a short list of my imaging equipment. My solar images are done exclusively with my trusted Lumenera Infinity 2-1M video camera. It is equipped with a Sony 1392x1040 pixel monochromatic sensor and it is a very low noise, high framerate device that has proven very, very good for solar imaging. I also have a Lumenera Sky-Nyx 2-0C, which is a smaller RGB video camera, equipped with a 640x480 pixels sensor that I use mostly for planets and, in combination with images obtained with the Infinity, to put together LRGB planetary images. Both these cameras are manufactured by the company Lumenera, based in Canada and operate via a USB 2.0 connection. The software used to control them is either the expensive, feature packed, professional Streampix or the much more versatile and inexpensive Lucam Recorder. The latter is the solution I've been favouring lately for a number of reasons, although Streampix still remains the fastest program in image capturing I have tested so far. Alas, so many of its features are not of any use to our specific kind of imaging. Anyway, for the purpose of our hobby, Lucam Recorder has many pluses: I guess that, being created by a fellow amateur astronomer, Heiko Wilkens, it has all that our imaging requires and some frills too!

		I also have some dedicated astronomy CCD cameras, 2 manufactured by the famous (and deservedly so) U.S. based SBIG (Santa Barbara Instruments Group) : an STL 11000M and an ST-2000 XCM. The first one is equipped with a monochrome 11 megapixel cooled CCD sensor and an internal filter wheel that allows capturing color images via the use of the many available filters on the amateur market(some of them extremely specialized narrow-band for imaging in the light of very exotic wavelengths such as H-alpha or OIII). The latter is also a cooled CCD camera equipped with a 2 megapixel RGB sensor that I use to obtain much faster one-shot color images. Both these cameras can be used also for my main occupation, i.e. the sun. I also have a brand new FLI 8300, a monochrome camera very good for deep sky objects. It is equipped with an additional 7 position filter wheel, the FLI CFW 2-7, which can accomodate seven 2" filters.

Solar Filters

Here is my favorite area! Below are the filters I use for my solar imaging, But first a word of advice and a WARNING: DO NOT ATTEMPT TO LOOK AT THE SUN WITH ANY OPTICAL INSTRUMENT (BINOCULARS, TELESCOPES, CAMERA LENSES AND SIMILAR INSTRUMENTS) WITHOUT THE USE OF A PROPER SOLAR FILTER. FAILURE TO DO SO, WILL CERTAINLY RESULT IN DAMAGING IRREPARABLY YOUR EYES.

For my WHITE LIGHT images I use a Baader Herschel Prism equipped with an internal Baader Continuum filter. This filter goes on my 180mm refractor and the results are very satisfying for me, when the weather conditions allow it.

For H-ALPHA imaging, I have a Solar Spectrum Research Grade filter with a 46mm clear aperture and a 0.3 angstrom bandpass (very specialized). It is completed by a 180mm Baader C-ERF (Cool Energy Rejection Filter). It operates at different temperatures (regulated by a dedicated thermostat) that allow the shifting of the bandpass center up to 1 angstrom in order to move into the red or blue area of the h-alpha wavelength to observe and capture images of Doppler-shifted solar events/phenomena. This system is mounted, when conditions allow it, on the 180mm refractor and can be used for very high resolution imaging (up to 5,000mm and 180mm aperture) or it can be reduced in aperture via magnetic masks applied on the C-ERF to 110mm and 140mm and used at 2,500mm focal length to capture full disk images at medium resolution using the STL11000M camera (impossible with the 90mm Coronado for the reduced, 30mm, aperture of the blocking filter).

For CALCIUM K imaging, my filter is a "homemade" by the great Andreas Murner. One of the masters of solar imaging (you'll find his name and website in my LINKS area) he offered to share with me his secret CaK filter and not only: he manufactured one expressely for my setup. Thanks Andy!

Gianluca Valentini - info@amun-ra.org - Rimini - Italy