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Is solar observing interesting?

Dom1961

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Chris

Chris

Posted
Posted

Hi Dom, my Lunt came with one of these already fixed on it, I'll have to have a look how its fixed but I'm sure there is a less drastic way than drilling holes in your OTA? It might fit on a finder bracket or you could use Velcro perhaps.

It has a pin hole at the front which projects a small white disc onto the film behind it when you are lined up correctly with the Sun. They work very well, the Sun is surprisingly hard to find without some kind of solar finder, but you can manage with a low power eyepiece to increase the field of view if on a budget.

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Stu

Stu

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Posted

Ahh right, so I just drill into the Ota and put bolts through it? Seems simple enough. I don't get how it works, does it project onto the black disk or?..

Probably no need to drill the OTA, double sided tape would do or bolt it to a plate which fits in your finder scope mount. Basically it works like a pinhole camera and projects the disk of the sun on the small screen when you are pointed at it. Quite possible to knock one up yourself.

You could also just cover your finder scope with solar film too, that would be cheaper.

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Marky1973

Marky1973

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Dom, I made a filter for the 200p Dob I used to own - you can see the "tutorial" HERE - I found it gave some nice views of the sun and sunspots - I didn't have it long enough to really study the sun, but  it is a good way to start. I think I have read that people have seen some good detail, but you won't get near the views from a dedicated scope. Gonna buy some more film soon myself and make a similar filter for my frac, Even if it is "limited", it gives you something to do when there are no clear skies forecast. It wasn't full aperture (160mm I think) so there was enough film left over to do the finder as well.

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LukeSkywatcher

LukeSkywatcher

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Besides being able to see detail in and around sunspots, i like to follow them over a couple of days and see where they go and how they change. Its always exciting to see new spots coming round the edge. A big one came round probably yesterday. Cant wait to see it. Raining today.

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kinley17

kinley17

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Hi Dom , I have only in the past couple of weeks , bought some Baader solar filter film and made my own filter with cardboard ( got the idea from video on internet) . With a wide angle 2 inch eyepiece It gave me a great whole view of the sun showing sunspots and a little granulation around the edge at x50 with my 1200 f9.5 refractor( see pic) as mentioned above by Night fisher , it can add a intermeshing alternative and excuse to get your scope out early , especially when you know their is a good chance of a clear night ahead. Cheers. Mark.attachicon.gifimage.jpg

What mount do you have there? :)

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LukeSkywatcher

LukeSkywatcher

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I dont know why the Sun is so difficult to find. Its the same apparent size as the full Moon. Its many times brighter (im guessing, as Moon light is only 10% of reflected Sun light). You'd think it would be easy to find. There are methods, but i am talking about flying by the seat of your pants and nudging a scope on an Alt-Az mount either up,down,left or right without any extra help.

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Chris

Chris

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Paul, could part of the difficulty be not being able to look at the Sun to enable a good initial alignment before we start sweeping the sky? With the Moon you can have a good look at it's position and point the scope in it's direction reasonably accurately before using an RDF or finder.   

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LukeSkywatcher

LukeSkywatcher

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I dont know why the Sun is so difficult to find. Its the same apparent size as the full Moon. Its many times brighter (im guessing, as Moon light is only 10% of reflected Sun light). You'd think it would be easy to find. There are methods, but i am talking about flying by the seat of your pants and nudging a scope on an Alt-Az mount either up,down,left or right without any extra help.

Assuming all safety filters are already in place.

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LukeSkywatcher

LukeSkywatcher

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Paul, could part of the difficulty be not being able to look at the Sun to enable a good initial alignment before we start sweeping the sky? With the Moon you can have a good look at it's position and point the scope in it's direction reasonably accurately before using an RDF or finder.   

Make sure all RDF's or finder scopes have the proper safety filters on.

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Starlight 1

Starlight 1

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I dont know why the Sun is so difficult to find. Its the same apparent size as the full Moon. Its many times brighter (im guessing, as Moon light is only 10% of reflected Sun light). You'd think it would be easy to find. There are methods, but i am talking about flying by the seat of your pants and nudging a scope on an Alt-Az mount either up,down,left or right without any extra help.

I find with only something like 0.01 of light comeing in from the filler  its all just black  untill it hit the Sun light.

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Chris

Chris

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The wedge is much better for granulation.

Olly

Thanks Olly, it must be at least 12 years since I've used solar film so I was racking my brain trying to remember. 

Probably good that Dom knows what to expect to avoid disapointment. 

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Macavity

Macavity

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Unfortunately, I discovered video astronomy a short while after I sold my PST. :o

I only took ONE H-alpha image with the large pixel'd Watec, but I sense, had I

the benefits of later experience, solar imaging would have become quite fun... 

Recently I bought myself a small APO though (Altair Astro ED 66-R) and now

have an ASI120MC camera. *Colour* is maybe not ideal, of course, but I hope

to get some benefits from smaller (and more of them!) pixels. Since I haven't

yet had a go, I want to try CaK imaging. To me, seems to provide an "interest

rating" somewhere between H-Alpha and white light? Rather cheaper too...

As with most things Astronomical, I find it much more fun if I have a notion of

the "science" behind stuff. Who could resist the notion of an "Ellerman Bomb"

and (apparently) also called Severny's moustaches!  :D But seriously, folks...

If anyone has suggestions re. Solar Astro books beyond the basic names? :)

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Marky1973

Marky1973

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Damn this hobby... I just ordered some more film to make a new filter for my 70mm refractor.....but reading this thread I want a solar scope....  :grin: I've not been out at night for 2 weeks, so I need to look at something!

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