Solar Glasses with Binoculars?

[hellothere123]

Just got some solar glasses...for upcoming solar eclipse...wondering...what harm would it be to be wearing the glasses and look at the sun with binoculars?

It says not to on the instructions...but really could it damage my eyes?

Thanksd!

[sologuitarist61]

Blooming right it can!! My eyesight suffered a great deal because when I was younger I like taking sunsets through an SLR. Just think - with the magnification of the binos you could burn out your retinas in seconds should the unthinkable happen and the lenses fall from the binos. NEVER LOOK AT THE SUN IT WILL BLIND YOU.

[hunterknox]

There's a reason it says not to on the instructions. Chief among which is the likely fact that there will likely be enough heat coming out of your binoculars to melt the film once you point them at the sun.

Be smart, stay safe and invest in some Baader solar film for the front of your binoculars.

[garethmob]

You can get solar configured binos. Coronado made bino mites. I nealy bought a pair but missed out otherwise get some baader solar film and a set of bins (prob best just for this purpose) and firmly fix the solar film very tightly so it will never come off and use them. Just be careful when using them!

As above. Never use normal optical devices with out proper solar protection!!

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[Peter Drew]

There's no "maybe" about it, the binoculars will instantly burn through the "glasses" and on to your eyes. A big NO NO!

[dav1d]

Newton did it. But he was half blind for months afterwards. So, if you think you're going to change the world by doing so - give it a shot. Otherwise: NO!

[Nillchill]

I think a poke in the eyes with a sharp stick would have a similar effect.

DO NOT DO IT !!!!!!!!!.

[onesmallstep]

Been said before but worth repeating:

NEVER LOOK AT THE SUN THROUGH A TELESCOPE OR BINOCULARS!!!

The only exception is when you know that the kit you are using is 100% safe and designed for solar viewing otherwise NO WAY! This include solar viewing glasses which will not stand up to the effects of focussed sunlight on them.

Here endeth the lesson.

[hellothere123]

will take the advice...

still for some strange reason, you'd think it wouldnt be that big of a deal...

wont try it...nuff said!

[brantuk]

I can see your thinking on this and can well understand how easy it is for a novice to draw such a false conclusion.

They could so easily think that because they are wearing solar glases they must be safe to use with binocs - without realising that the binocs are magnifying the suns rays enormously before reaching the filter of the solar specs - which would be disasterous.

The filtering needs to be done before entering the binocs. Wow that's frightening to think that a kid could easily do that based on false logic.

Baader solar film on the front of the binoculars will make them safe to use as mentioned above.

And of course - Never look at the sun in any telescope or binocular without seeking advice first, which is what you did coming here, so credit to you

(Just remember the trick we all did as kids with a magnifying glass to set paper alight - that's what we are talking about here).

[ollypenrice]

Hold a magnifying glass just above a bit of paper, get the sun in it and focus by moving the magnifying glass up and down. In focus you can set the paper alight. Now think of your eye. There were magnifying glasses known as 'burning glasses' for this reason.

This is an important point that you raise, though, because may people might make the same mistake, making these glasses potentially catastrophic. What is more, I read of one case of defective solar glasses causinga child to lose her sight permanently.

Maybe SGL could put up a warning at eclipse times.

Olly