Solar Filter

[Star-Gazer]

Thnking of getting a solar filter for viewing and imaging.

Anybody suggest the best one to get for my sm127 and why please?

[Merlin66]

The cheapest and safest way is to make up a Baader Solar film cell to fit securely onto the front of the scope.

This filter will give great views of the Sun in white light and is 100% safe if mounted properly.

Highly recommended.

[Star-Gazer]

Ok bought a solar filter but having a devil of a job to find the sun in the eyepiece!!

Any tips on this for mr. astro-solar-pathetic?

[Merlin66]

Either add a small piece of the solar filter to the finder and use that...or a card behind the finder ( covered!) and get the shadow in line.

[brianb]

having a devil of a job to find the sun in the eyepiece!

Been there, done that ...

Whatever you do, do NOT repeat NOT use a conventional finder unless it is fitted with its own solar film filter.

A technique that works pretty well is to minimise the area of the shadown cast by the tube. Adding a simple pointer to the side of the top of the tube and a small paper screen at the bottom end for it to cast a shadow on is another method .. essentially this is what the dedicated solar finders from Coronado & Televue do.

[milkyjoe]

One thing to note as stated by the good folks on SL previously is to be VERY careful looking at the sun, make sure you check the solar film EACH TIME you use it and check for pin-holes! A good tip, as mentioned to me was to use some card/paper, and any holes will show up as little dots; if you do not do this you run serious risk of damaging your eye(s) !! :-s

[iwatkins]

And something that isn't always mentioned: Make sure the filter is secured to the end of the telescope properly. Not difficult for a homemade filter to be blown off by a quick gust of wind.

Cheers

Ian

[Viv]

I've removed the view finder, put in a 2" 28mm eye peice, within a minute found the sun ok (obviously first fitted the solar filter).

[Star-Gazer]

Ok my filter is thousand oaks glass.

I will not look through the finder (but knew this before I started).

I don't understand the other(good) advice.

I am using a 40mm EP and still can't find it easily.

I am wirring all over the place and it is really frustrating.

[brianb]

I don't understand the other(good) advice.

I am using a 40mm EP and still can't find it easily.

Get a piece of card & hold it behind the tube so the sun casts a shadow onto it. Hold the card square to the optical axis of the scope. If the scope is not pointed directly at the sun, the shadow will be bigger than the tube diameter - as you move the scope around, the shadow size will go to its smallest value when the scope is pointed directly at the sun, the sun should then be in the field of a low power eyepiece.

With experience you can do the same thing by the shadow cast onto the ground & do away with the screen.

[Star-Gazer]

That makes sense BrianB and thanks. If the sun returns today I will try that ingenious way.

[johninderby]

Various solar finders including home made. Some of the links are out of date but the designs would be easy enough to copy.

http://www.dd1us.de/Downloads/a%20collection%20of%20solar%20finder%20designs%200v4.pdf

John