Solar telescope Advice

[Mr TamiyaCowboy]

i would love to own a good solar telescope, but alas they are way beyond my wallet.

i have been given a 20 x 50 Science Museum desktop spotting scope for christmas from my godsons, they know i have a love for stargazing and astronomy.

now i would love to use the said small scope for solar viewing but am unsure what i will require to do so. i would like to record the view gained from the scope via my converted MS 5000hd webcam.

i am housebound for the time being after suffering a heart attack and awaiting a heart op. so need something to keep my mind of the impending hospital stay. you can only see so much from a windowsill.

do you think i will be able to convert the baby scope into a solar viewing scope using my MS webcam as the viewing source. i know viewing the sun is a danger to human eyes, but am unsure where to start with the conversion.

i would like advice on how to view the sun safely using the little scope and not frying the Cmos chip on the webcam when doing so. and what i would require for solar viewing.

advice and/or flaming is welcome please and thank you

[StevieDvd]

For white light solar viewing all you need is some Baader solar film and some Blue Peter sticky back plastic etc to make a filter to go on the end of your scope.

Make sure you have the finderscope capped, basically no open view through telescope without caps or proper filter in place.

None of the cheaper 'white light' options will let you grab the prominenences though, that's where the cost starts rocketing.

Just look at some of the white light images on the forum, a lot can be done and when re-coloured as well you can get pleasing images.

[ronin]

You should be able to make a objective filter from Baader Solar Film. Guides on SGL somewhere. Basically solar film and cardboard.

The image will be white light only, so flares will not be as apparent as with a Ha filter system.

Should be OK for web cam imaging, although tracking may be necessary for getting sufficent iamges to stack for a good final composite.

[Peter Drew]

Hello TC.

Your 20x50 spotting scope should give you good views of sunspots. It is essential to cover the 50mm objective with a genuine solar film such as Baader Astrosolar film available in A4 size from First Light Optics and other astro outlets. There are plenty of helpfull threads on this forum to guide you how to do this safely. As to whether your webcam can be successfully used with this scope is another matter, SGL imagers will be able to advise you on this. Hope this helps.

[Mr TamiyaCowboy]

wow thank you everyone.

i am blown away seeing the white light pictures of the sun. i had always thought they was taken with expensive filtering and super large and/or expensive telescopes.

i just need to grab me some of the badder solar film and build a slip on filtering ring. maybe i could convert the SW heritage 76 to a solar scope to for a larger view at 300mm focal

Would it be best if i go afocal using the 20x mag eyepiece or try and get the webcam fitted at prime focus.

means the months wait for the heart op should pass quick and even though i am housebound i can get some time with the scope.

thank you once again, have been bouncing of the walls at night being unable to venture out into the cold.

and again thank you everyone you have made a poorly fellow astronomer into a happy solar astronomer now.