possible Solar Filter Purchase??, ( stop laughing!! ) ;)

[Tums]

Hi All,  I'm contemplating buying a Solar Filter from our Illustrious sponsors,   

 and I'm thinking maybe this would be O.K. for my 130P  I believe i would need the 155-165 mm (130mm Newt'):  £41.00  version.

AstroZap Baader Solar Filter

http://www.firstlightoptics.com/solar-filters/astrozap-baader-solar-filter.html

Any Thoughts??

And Yes I know I'm chancing my luck on never seeing the Sun again if I purchase it.     lol

(Unless you know of  something  that will allow me to see through clouds and rain)

Regards

Tums 

[Steve Ward]

That's the one ... 

[JB80]

It would be a great purchase, and you can't really go wrong with it.

You could also consider making one yourself out of the same film and save a few quid.

http://www.firstlightoptics.com/solar-filters/baader-astrosolar-safety-film-nd-50.html

It's quite easy to make up a filter cell out of cardboard like I did.

[rwilkey]

Hi Tums, you are on the right track, that's what I bought for my C100ED, and yes, you will see the sun soon enough I am sure!

[Myopicus]

Just curious - do you have to cover the whole aperture for solar observing, or can you use the smaller 2" aperture cap in the OTA lid (with a filter, obviously)?

[brantuk]

Don't forget to cover the finder scope as well. It's too easy to accidentally use it to try and find the sun which is actually more involved than you first realise. The smaller offset aperture can be used so long as you ensure no light enters the main tube at all - use masking tape to seal the join all round.

[ronin]

Safer to do the whole aperture, the bit you put over the tube will grip all round (hopefully), or if bought there should be 3 retaining screws as part of the assembly to hold it in place.

The small aperture would I thing be difficult to get a firm hold to it and you do not want it falling off while looking down the eyepiece.

[Steve Ward]

You can just use the small cap certainly , for your 200P I would suggest making a large full aperture mask with an offset cutout made to fit the gap between the spider vanes giving you something like a 100mm filter.

There's no great benefit in making a 200mm filter unless you are blessed with near perfect seeing for most of the year , but the 50mm aperture is going to be a bit of a waste.