10 minutes with the sun

[ikorodu]

I was able to catch 10 minutes with the sun today using the celestron travel scope and baader filter.

Using the supplied EPs I was surprised by the clarity and size of the image. The 20mm showed a clearly defined disc with 6 spots visable. With the 10mm the sun filled around 50% of the view and I thought I could see the slightly lighter areas around the spots.

An all to brief look but was good to get some viewing in.

Things to think about for me now are a sun shade for the scope (so I can avoid sunstroke) and a solar finder.

Rob

[Matt Scunthorpe]

A solar finder would come in quite handy i imagine. My finderscope isnt protected so i have to leave it off, and unless its really bright and i can use the 'shadow technique' then i sometimes struggle. Ive not done any solar obs for a while. Im too much of a night owl

[michael.h.f.wilkinson]

Nice one. Baader film can show really nice crisp images.

[Ganymede12]

The solar finder isn't entirely necessary. Look:

Notice how the shadow of the OTA is completely round? That is how to find the sun without a finder scope.

[michael.h.f.wilkinson]

I have a TV Sol Searcher on my little Lunt, and it makes finding the sun an absolute breeze. Quite cheap too.