Getting out under the star

[spaceboy]

Forgive my boredom spilling out on to the lounge but I was just thinking that this time of the year we often moan about not being able to get out under the stars and then I realised when it's clear I get out under star...s all the time.

[Stridor]

On my last two visits to my local Astronomy club which runs on the last Friday of each month it has been a glorious sunny evening, and one of the guys has been there already set up with his Lunt solar scope; what a fantastic object the Sun is when viewed with  right kit...............certainly great to be able to view a `star` in so much detail  

[spaceboy]

I think because I am so used to waking up to daylight and going about my daily life under that big ball of light in the sky that I sometimes take for granted that in fact that the sun is a star. I spend so many sleepless nights trying to glimpse distant stars that appear nothing more than a pin point of light yet I have a huge one there in the sky just waiting to be explored further. Not just visually but the whole experience of heat from the sun, light spectrum through rainbows, burning grass with a magnifying glass and generally enjoying the greenery we don't have during the winter months due to the lack of star light.  

[Paul73]

Must give it a go. Although pointing a telescope at the sun seems inherently wrong - that is a lot of trust to put into a bit of solar film/filter.

Is it really like in the photos? (Thinking Hubble DSO photos vs reality)?

Paul

[spaceboy]

Baader film is safe as long as you use it responsibly and check before each use. You get to see sun spots and depending on aperture and scope also get to see some granulation but Lunt or Baader solar wedges offer the best views in white light. Saying that though if the sun is quiet all your going to get is a big white ball.

[Paul73]

Baader film is safe as long as you use it responsibly and check before each use. You get to see sun spots and depending on aperture and scope also get to see some granulation but Lunt or Baader solar wedges offer the best views in white light. Saying that though if the sun is quiet all your going to get is a big white ball.

Ahhh. Likely disappointment unless you spend spend spend.....

Sadly my eyepiece case contracted a nasty case of green yesterday so all other astro purchases are banned for the foreseeable.

Except possibly some nice 10x50 Binos because they are for daylight use only (honest).

Paul

[Stu]

Must give it a go. Although pointing a telescope at the sun seems inherently wrong - that is a lot of trust to put into a bit of solar film/filter.

Is it really like in the photos? (Thinking Hubble DSO photos vs reality)?

Paul

I actually think solar observing is one area where the view through the eyepiece stands up pretty well versus images, unless we are talking about the high mag views through large aperture PST mods etc

A Lunt wedge is not so expensive and the views are cracking.

Stu

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[Moonshane]

A pre made solar filter will cost maybe 40 and provide visuals as goods most full disk white light images.

The sun is awesome

[kev]

I concurr with that. Where else can u see detail on a star?!

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