Possible daft question?

[Kit-Fox]

So I have a variable moon filter to use when the moon is ever so slightly too bright & its very handy at cutting out the excess light

I also have some homemade solar filters made from the excellent baader solar film sheets

I was wondering if when looking at the sun with my solar mask in place I could use the variable filter as well as sometimes i find the suns images even behind the solar film a bit bright from time to time

It wouldnt hurt the variable filter or put my eyes at risk would it ?

[Steep]

No, no harm in using it that way.

[JamesF]

Hmmm. I've never found the image of the Sun that bright when used with Baader solar film. It might be prudent to understand why you do. Which scope do you have the mask on and is it full aperture?

James

[jimmyjamjoejoe]

I've done it, doesnt change much but makes things more comfortable.

Its not so much that the image is TOO bright, obviously your eyes can deal with it, just that the contrast can be improved ever so slightly with a very weak filter.

[Kit-Fox]

James the filter is on my Vixen vmc110l it's about a 4 /12 inch aperature. The filter is as full aperature as i could make it.

Its perhaps not that it is too bbirght but i've found it very hard when visually looking at the sun to make out details. The white of the disc tends to obscure the darker sunspot areas for me.

Was looking at the sun last week when we had a nice day & forgot to remove my sunglasses when i took a peak down the EP, with them on i found it much easier to see details & thought that the moon filter might provide the same function without the faff of getting my head&eye in just the right place behind my sunglasses to see the image. I dont do well with light anyways, i'm always squinting in daylight & usually wearing my sunglasses long before & after everyone else

[JamesF]

Perhaps your eyes are just a bit more sensitive to bright light then. I use a full aperture filter on my 127 Mak and ST120 and find it quite comfortable. As long as it's not down to a fault with the filter, that's the important thing.

James