Key Takeaways:
- The Coronado SolarMax II 60 Telescope utilizes a Hydrogen-alpha (Hα) filter, enabling observation of solar features invisible to visible-light filters.
- Unlike visible-light solar filters which show sunspots, the Hα filter allows observation of prominences, flares, and the chromosphere.
- The Hα filter transmits light only at a wavelength of 656.28 nanometers, providing a detailed view of solar activity.
- Increased solar observation is anticipated due to the approaching solar maximum, highlighting the relevance of specialized solar telescopes like the SolarMax II 60.
With solar maximum — the peak of activity in the Sun’s 11-year cycle — rapidly approaching, observers are spending more time viewing our daytime star. Any telescope with a properly filtered optical system will allow you to see the Sun in the relatively broad spectral range of visible light. However, for an exquisite view of our star, a dedicated narrowband filter lets you explore details such as active solar regions and prominences.
The primary narrowband filter amateur astronomers use for solar observing is the Hydrogen-alpha (Hα). It only transmits light with a wavelength of 656.28 nanometers — the Hα line. For this review, I tested an excellent solar telescope you should consider if you would like to observe in Hα: the SolarMax II 60 Telescope by Coronado, a subsidiary of Meade Instruments.
