Solar Observation – February 8, 2026: First Light with the iOptron HAZ 31

Today offered a beautiful window of clear skies—perfect timing for my first real test of the iOptron HAZ 31 mount, which I received just last week. After years of using my old mount, this was a refreshing and hugely satisfying upgrade.

First Impressions of the iOptron HAZ 31

Right away, the difference was remarkable.

The Sun stayed centered in the field of view without any need for constant readjustment, something that had always been a challenge with my previous setup. The mount feels much sturdier, and even when observing at higher magnifications, the image in the eyepiece showed far less trembling. That stability alone makes a world of difference for solar work.

White Light & H‑alpha in One Session

For this session, I mounted the Coronado SolarMax 40 together with the TS‑Optics PhotoLine 80 on the HAZ 31.

This dual‑setup allowed me to switch effortlessly between:

• White light observing through the PhotoLine 80
• H‑alpha observing through the SolarMax 40

A very enjoyable combination!

White light showed a beautiful collection of sunspots, with the standout being active region 4366, an impressive and complex structure full of detail.

In H‑alpha, several prominences were clearly visible along the limb—dynamic and beautifully structured. It’s always such a treat to see both the photosphere and chromosphere in a single session.

Trying Out Eyepieces

I also spent some time experimenting with different eyepieces in the PhotoLine 80:

• Tele Vue 13mm Ethos
• Tele Vue 8mm Ethos
• Tele Vue 6mm Ethos
• Tele Vue 6mm Ethos + Tele Vue 2× Barlow

The last combination provided an exceptionally detailed view of sunspot 4366—sharp, contrast‑rich, and very enjoyable on the new mount.

Solar Photography with the Canon EOS 80D

I finished the session with some imaging using my Canon EOS 80D attached to the TS‑Optics PhotoLine 80.

I even tried imaging with the Tele Vue 2× Barlow in place. With that setup, the Sun perfectly fills the field of view, giving a full‑disk image with great framing.

Here’s one of the results from today:

The Sun, using my Canon EOS 80D, TS-Optics PhotoLine 80 and Tele Vue 2x Barlow

---

A wonderful first light for the HAZ 31, and a very productive solar session overall.

Can’t wait to see what the next sunny day will bring!