I’ve always enjoyed viewing our star. Watching sunspots grow and morph over time has always fascinated me. Up until the arrival of my new Coronado Solar Max 40 telescope, this has meant that solar flares and coronal mass ejections were off limits. CME’s are some of the most spectacular views in astronomy, so adding them to my list of observing targets is a big plus.

My first thoughts when unboxing the Solar Max was…its cute. I mean that in a positive way :)  It is a 40mm f/10 aperture. That’s a 400mm focal length… or about a 16″ telescope. Many folks have larger aperture binoculars (i do).  The scope is a beauty though. Craftsmanship is definitely a priority for Coronado. This is as stout as a tiny telescope can get.

As the weather gods would have it after any optics purchase, skies have been cloudy with copious quantities of snow falling for the last several days (over 2 feet in less than a week). The new year is expected to bring clear skies…. or so they say. Look for future updates on my progress with this beauty.

1. Andrew, December 31, 2007:

   WOW !!!!.That is awesome…congrats!!!!.