Safely aligning telescope with solar filter?

[Manok101]

I remembered I have a solar filter for my small telescope that I got for the Venus transit, and I can't for the life of me remember the trick in aligning it to the sun without melting my eyes, can anyone help me out?

[101nut]

Assemble scope, mount and filter then rotate scope until the shadow on the ground is smallest ...

AndyG

[Knighty2112]

Get the shadow of the telescope to appear exactly round as you see reflected onto a piece of card or something behind it and you should be close to it been in line with the sun. Always use you widest angle EP first after this to get it in the eyepiece, centre it and then get the EP you want to use in place after that. Good luck. 

[Manok101]

I thought it was something like that! Thanks, I'll have a couple of hours to find the sun tomorrow! I may keep it up after this as a way of having something to do in the afternoon.

[Stu]

8 minutes ago, Manok101 said:

I remembered I have a solar filter for my small telescope that I got for the Venus transit, and I can't for the life of me remember the trick in aligning it to the sun without melting my eyes, can anyone help me out?

Best thing to do is use the shadow of the scope to align on the sun. Look at the shadow and adjust it so that it is at its smallest and roundest and you should be pretty much there.

[Dave In Vermont]

As you're in the USA, Manok, you can get one of these:

http://www.dynapod.com/dyna-hp1.html

Or make your own. I've used one for years - never a problem and utterly easy to use. And the owner is a great guy! Too late for tomorrow, but, hey - the Sun is fun any clear day.

Have fun,

Dave

[Putaendo Patrick]

I'm sure you know this, but in the general interests of safety - do not forget to cover or remove your finderscope

[Floater]

10 hours ago, Dave In Vermont said:

As you're in the USA, Manok, you can get one of these:

http://www.dynapod.com/dyna-hp1.html

Or make your own. I've used one for years - never a problem and utterly easy to use. And the owner is a great guy! Too late for tomorrow, but, hey - the Sun is fun any clear day.

Have fun,

Dave

These are very good - so much so that I imported a couple. Cost about £12 if I remember correctly. And, as Dave writes, the owner is a good 'un.

[Dave In Vermont]

Well it had to happen.....

The transit of Mercury has made it into the mainstream-press (for imbeciles) over here:

http://www.businessinsider.com/what-could-happen-when-you-look-at-the-sun-through-a-telescope-2016-5

Shish-Kabobs, anyone?

Yum!

Dave