As luck would have it, my single-stacked Lunt 60mm h-alpha scope (b600) is on it's way and should be here on monday. I thought that last night I would check all listed dealers one last time in hopes that I could find a lunt 60. Same old story except for the OPT website. I noticed that they had changed the status flag of a bunch of lunt scopes to "in stock". Excited, I knew I had to wait until noon today before they opened and I could place my order. I also called Astronomics, being the loyal customer, in hopes that they had been resupplied as well. They said that they talked to Rikki at Lunt yesterday and was quoted the same 5 week lead time that I got yesterday. Too bad, I like to give Astronomics my business, but I had to go with OPT.
I called OPT to confirm that they did indeed have the scope package in stock. The rep put me on hold to check and came back several minutes later to advised that I was getting the last one! I am so lucky not to have to wait over a month to get mine. I should have it next week, monday specifically. I went ahead and ordered the Sol Searcher solar finder by TeleVue as well. I will pick up a vixen dovetail in the next day or so from astronomics. I plan on using my NexStar 8 mount. The payload capacity of the mount is 12 pounds, so it won't even blink an eye at the Lunt.
I still think Lunt, as a company, needs to take measures to meet the demand. This has always been a problem that they have had. I am a person of limited financial means, and waiting on the cash to purchase generally does not make me want to wait an additional 5 weeks for delivery. Astronomics rep advised that Coronado has really ramped up production in anticipation of the partial eclipse, the venus transit, and the solar maximum event in general. He predicted Coronado to easily outsell the Lunt's because of their ability to crank out scopes. I just count myself lucky to locate the scope I wanted from Lunt in stock at a dealer. Otherwise it was going to be Coronado with the sub-par focuser.
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