Solar Filter First light

[Dom1961]

Splashed out on an orion solar filter on Monday night from telescope house, arrived earlier today and tested it out after school. The foil was a bit flimsier than I thought but the frame securely clicks in just like the ota dust cap. Found it quite easy to find the sun using the shadow technique and my 30mm. Therefore I don't think I'll buy a sol searcher. View through my bsts were great even though there was a bit of cloud. Saw two small sunspots and slight granulation, tried to take a picture but camera couldn't focus properly

Two things, my bsts seemed to show a lot of kidney beaning when I used them, any ideas why? They don't normally show kidney beaning at night. Also there is a slight mark on the filter, will this cause a problem?

So far so good, looking like I'll be out a lot over the summer holidays!

[xtreemchaos]

nice first solar light mate.thanks for sharing.  charl.

[laudropb]

Nice first solar image

[Bizibilder]

A good image.  Is the mark the right size to be a thumb print?

[Dom1961]

Don't think so, it's bigger than a thumb print:(

[ronl]

Nice to hear you enjoyed your first light, it's an enjoyable pastime, have you twisted the 

top of the eye cup up, this helps to stop kidney beaning, that's what I do, as I find a 15mm

BST Starguider gives me a great full Sun image, if your BST is not a Starguider, then you

won't be able to do it, the marks on the filter look like they will wipe off, but check there are

no holes in the film before you use it again, I check mine before every session, best to be

safe than sorry, it's going to be sunny for the next few days, so I will be out again myself.

Keep enjoying and Clear Sky's.

[Dom1961]

Yeah it's a starguider and yeah the eye cups were up, probably just my dodgy eyes then xD Okay I'll check for holes later and what shall I use to wipe it off? Will alcohol wipes damage it or wet wipes?

[Rusty21]

I bought the AstroZap from FLO and it fits over the front of the scope (Skywatcher 127 SLT)  and tightens with thumb screws, it also shows the sun as white. What I'd like to know is, can I get the same sort of filter that shows the sun as orange. I really can't afford an expensive solar scope so would like to find the same sort of filter as theAstroZap.but as I said showing the sun orange. Anyone know where I can get one. I contacted FLO but they just pointed me towards a scope priced in the £thousands.

[Dom1961]

Do you just want it the same image but orange, or do you want to view in h-alpha ? The latter will need a dedicated solar scope I think, and the first I think k you could just purchase a cheap orange eyepiece filter

[Davey-T]

Do you mean the view through the eyepiece or the image you take. ?

Dave

[Rusty21]

Both for viewing and for imaging, I attach my Nikon to the T Ring, I've already taken a few like the OP has, I've been told you can see more detail with the orange filter.

Sorry I'm new to this so not sure what I'm doing.

[ronin]

If you want the one that turns out an orange shade then you will have to either buy one or buy the film - if it is sold and produce your own.

Not sure if the orange one shows anything more, but people may simply prefer an orange sun.

Orange does not mean Ha and so the granulation and prominences are not observable.

You might find a red filter does much the same as the orange producing film does, in conjunction with the white light filter, sure I have read the people find this helps.

One aspect is that for visual the film is ND5, imaging is usually ND3.

This refers to 10^-5 transmission or 10^-3 transmission.

The difference being the imaging one passes 100X the light, 10².

So not a good idea to mix them up.

Eyeballs and sun do not mix and at last count the sun had won every time.

[Rusty21]

Thanks for all the help, looks like I've got a lot of saving to do so I can buy a solar scope. The list gets longer!

[Pete Presland]

Looks like a good first light well done☺

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