H-alpha sun through glass doors!

[nytecam]

They say you shouldn't stargaze [or sungaze] through glass 'cos of distortion but it works ok with modern float glass. This morning, as I went down stairs to make our first cuppa, low sunlight was streaming deep into the lounge through two double glazed doors [4 sheets of glass!] via the sunlounge beyond as pic inset. I plopped the PST down and snapped this shot to show the proms around the solar limb - magic and no cold feet suffered outside in the garden

[David Smith]

There are some good proms today. Have been watching them evolve since about 8 o'clock this morning.

[DaveT]

Nice pic -- love the pink colour LOL. What kit are you guys using to view the proms? I have done a little solar observing, using my celestron and baddar solar film, but have never managed to catch any proms

Cheers

Dave

[nytecam]

Nice pic -- love the pink colour LOL. What kit are you guys using to view the proms? I have done a little solar observing, using my celestron and baddar solar film, but have never managed to catch any proms Cheers Dave

Hi - suggest you Google Coronado PST and Lunt etc for these specific narrowband filtered scopes for safely viewing the sun

[DaveT]

Thanks mate for the info. will go look just now, although i fear another big spend lol

[michael.h.f.wilkinson]

Thanks mate for the info. will go look just now, although i fear another big spend lol

Big, yes, but well worth it, in my opinion. I have used a thousand oaks filter for solar observing on my scope, but since I got a secondhand Lunt LS35THa solar scope (for 500 euros), I haven't used the C8 for solar again. The detail you see with even a little solar scope like this are just amazing.

[DaveT]

Agreed mate -- had a look at the prices for the Ha solar for my scope LOL -- nearly fell off my chair. Agree as well re the size - it doesnt need masses of magnification as its a fairly large object anyway, so one of the small ones would be ideal. May need to speak nice to santa (the missus) lol. Thanks for all the advice

Dave

[DrRobin]

Hi,

I have used my PST through a double glazed window at work when I can't spare enough time to go outside. I try to positon the PST reasonably close to the window, about 40-50cm away and wouldn't say that the window is as clean as I would like. Apart from the possibility of a ghost image coming from the glass, it works reasonably well. I would say that there is a little loss of surface detail and that the contrast is slightly reduced, but if that is all you have available (I work in a office upstairs) then it is better than nothing. If the glass is close enough it will be so far out of focus that it won't make any difference, and provided there are no unfortunate reflections to a large extent it just isn't seen.

I would only do this if there is no other choice and would rather brave the elements than put up with the loss of detail.

When testing a camera or barlow, I regularly image bright objects like the Moon or Jupiter through the double glazed window in our spare room. Again you get a little loss of detail and reflections (the street light outside the house casues a few), but it depends what I am testing and if it is blowing old boots out there and/or rain showers it does work.