Late to the Solar Filter party

[Bathurst]

Hi guys quick advice please, I've left it late to get a Baader Solar Filter for my Scope, First Light Optics reckon 20-25 days for delivery...that obviously wont do for the Eclipse! so I'm now looking at the "Safety Film ND 5.0".

Just wondering if it's worth getting this Film or searching high & low for a specifically made filter that fits my Scope? Obvsiously thinking safety first with this so not wanting to rush and buy the Film and hope I do it right.
Thanks

[David Smith]

Fairly easy to make a filter from the film. It comes with instructions on how to do so and there are a number of tutorials on the interweb as well. I've made a few and I am the worlds worst at DIY anything!!

[bingevader]

Check out Astroboot too, they often have filters.

There's one there atm, but it's for 65mm to 82mm. 

[Bathurst]

Thanks guys, I've followed some online tutorials and decided the Film is good enough so ordered that

[Bathurst]

Also just for peace of mind and complete safety, I'll have the illter over the end of the Scope, I don't need anything else do I? As in I can use my standard Eyepieces & Camera ok? just to be sure!

[Dr_Ju_ju]

From the filter sheet you've bought, you should have enough to make a filter for your finder scope, but that may need a 90 degree prism so you aren't looking directly at the sun...

Julian

[Dave In Vermont]

Here's a link, and image below, of a very simple solar-finder that ends relying on a filtered finder-scope to locate the Sun:

http://www.dynapod.com/dyna-hp1.html

These can be bought. Or made quite easily.

Sunny Skies & Dark Nights,

Dave

[LukeSkywatcher]

Hi guys quick advice please, I've left it late to get a Baader Solar Filter for my Scope, First Light Optics reckon 20-25 days for delivery...that obviously wont do for the Eclipse! so I'm now looking at the "Safety Film ND 5.0".

Just wondering if it's worth getting this Film or searching high & low for a specifically made filter that fits my Scope? Obvsiously thinking safety first with this so not wanting to rush and buy the Film and hope I do it right.

Thanks

For white light observing of the eclipse (and the sun at any time) and be assured of 100% safety, this is all you need:

http://www.firstlightoptics.com/solar-filters/baader-astrosolar-safety-film-nd-50.html

Cheap as chips and apparently very easy to construct a holder for the filter...................but i have never managed to make a good/safe one. I am RUBBISH at DIY.

The solar film is uuber safe.

[Bathurst]

yeah that's what I've ordered, if that's it then nice, thanks chaps

[Bathurst]

Right, got the Film, made the Box and checked it fitted on the Scope and Voila...I can see the Sun safely
 

But now to my next question, I had a good look through the x8/x10/x25 eyepieces with Barlow and I saw the Sun just fine, but no Sunspots. Even with the x8 in the Barlow I just saw the general whiteness of the Sun and no matter how long I stared I just could'nt see any Spots. Is that normal with my Setup?

Currently charging the camera battery to take practice shots ready for the Eclipse

[LukeSkywatcher]

Sun spots dont appear on the surface all the time. When they are there you should see them with your gear.

[Steve Ward]

A bit quiet at the moment in "whitelight" , but have another look in the morning as there's a decent spot just arriving .... 

http://sdo.gsfc.nasa.gov/assets/img/latest/latest_4096_HMII.jpg

Regards , 

Steve.

http://www.astrobin.com/users/steveward53/

[LukeSkywatcher]

A bit quiet at the moment in "whitelight" , but have another look in the morning as there's a decent spot just arriving .... 

http://sdo.gsfc.nasa.gov/assets/img/latest/latest_4096_HMII.jpg

Regards , 

Steve.

http://www.astrobin.com/users/steveward53/

Looks like a very nice one coming round the left limb. 

[Bathurst]

excellent thanks chaps, did some more reading and found this website that's mega-handy!

http://sohowww.nascom.nasa.gov/sunspots/

[Highburymark]

Joining this thread late - but just wondering if baader film or a glass solar filter is a better bet for a SCT