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DIY solar filter

Moonshane

By Moonshane
in DIY Astronomer

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kenmyers

kenmyers

Posted
Posted
Baader film is coated on both sides anyway so the likelyhood of defects on each side 'lining up' is very remote.

I read this and this is why I thought about double layering it, just for extreme safety and strength...

Does anyone know if you can still see the sun through two layers?

I love my eyes and I really want to be safe.

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todd8137

todd8137

Posted
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You only really need a UV_IR filter on the webcam. Adding a green filter will further improve the contrast. That's about it.

thanks i would love a go with the 12" reflector as a said ,but the sheets are not big enough ,so one sheet in a round filter housing but it would still be square if that makes sense

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Merlin66

Merlin66

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You can buy larger sheets -Baader stock them, but expensive!

IMHO I'd recommend a 100mm off-axis (or whatever diameter you can get to fit between the secondary and the mirror edge). That will give you plenty of aperture to start with.

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Moonshane

Moonshane

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100mm of aperture has a potential of just over 1 arc second resolution, much better than you are likely to achieve with solar viewing. :icon_scratch:

very interesting comment Peter, I hadn't realised this. I presume that this is one of the reasons things look better at lower powers with the sun? the best view I had was certainly with my 32mm plossl (28x) although I put this down to my scope (150mm f6 newt)not being cool.

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MjrTom

MjrTom

Posted
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cheers matey

works well too (when the sun graces us with its presence that is!).

Well yeah that is a problem...

Although recently it has been nice in the day only to cloud over at dusk.

Either way I get to feed my Astronomy addiction, roll on summer when the sun is high enough to clear the surrounding houses on my street! :)

If you are interested I posted up a thread only today showing my DIY attempts :)

http://stargazerslounge.com/diy-astronomer/171679-another-diy-solar-filter-thread.html

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DaveT

DaveT

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Just a word of warning guys -- heed the instructions that come with the filter paper with the greatest respect, especially the section regarding not touching the filter paper with your bare hands where possible -- the grease from your hands can damage it (just like a halogen bulb), also when cutting the filter read the instructions and read again, as cutting it incorrectly can cause a small tear at the edge that you dont notice, until one day the breeze catches it and you end up with a nice big tear. Other than that -- its fun viewing the sun and the sunspots with the filter, i have been doing it for over a year now, and when my scope arrives i will most certainly be making one for it.

For my DSLR filter i took a couple of inexpensive UV filters and disassembled them, then cut a circle of filter paper the same size as the glass from the UV filters, put one piece of glass in the holder, then the filter paper, then on the inside edge of the other piece of uv filter glass i put a "O" shaped piece of card about 3mm on the outside edge (to make sure there was no chance of light leaking in the outside edge) the put this piece of glass on top of the lens and filter paper, then screwed in the holder disc to sandwich it all together. This means my filter paper is always protected with glass either end from scratches and fingers.

So i have the 58mm plastic screw in surround, a piece of glass, the solar filter paper, the "O" disc, a piece of glass and finally the inner screw piece to hold it all together -- if this all makes any sense LOL

Will try to get some time to add pictures if anyone wants

Thanks

Dave

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MjrTom

MjrTom

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Would the glass not risk cracking in direct sunlight though ??

It would only crack the glass if it was focused light.

Since the filter is placed before the lens the light is diffuse.

Same way that eyepiece solar filters crack but front mounted Baader film is cool to the touch :)

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welshrob87

welshrob87

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Interested in making something similar. Would it help to sandwich the solar filter between 2 sheets of something like acetate? This would save the filter from being scratched or touched but would it deteriorate the image or damage the filter in any way?

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nightfisher

nightfisher

Posted
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Here is a question regarding the home made solar filter, as im thinking of getting a sheet of the baader film and making a screen for my little vixen 80m...........would i be able to take A-focal images with this set up, also i guess you have to make a separate one for the finder, or leave it covered while solar viewing

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Anweniel

Anweniel

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I would have no issue with the film but as for making my own solar filter don't think i would ever want to go down that route at least not for visual, and if ever someone else fancied a peek I dont think I could ever forgive myself if something disastrous happened.

Having said that it looks well built Moonshane good job :)

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