Observing Hood - Are they any good?

[Alan White]

I am thinking as a short term option to help block local light pollution (spotlight in next door plot).
The one I can find is made in Russia by R-Sky, looks ok and reasonable.

http://r-sky.org/en/products/observing-hood?isecid=13&icatid=16

What are your thoughts or experiences please?

[estwing]

Have you not got a towel?!!!

[Alan White]

1 hour ago, estwing said:

Have you not got a towel?!!!

Very Good.
Yep and a hoodie as well, wanted something really light blocking though.

[BXRO]

I'm having a monk's cowl made out of blackout curtain material, think it will keep my head warm in winter too

[chiltonstar]

I use a 1m square piece of blackout cloth bought from Amazon....

Chris

[Astro Imp]

As has been said a dark towel doubled over the head seems to work.

[estwing]

15 hours ago, Alan White said:

Very Good.
Yep and a hoodie as well, wanted something really light blocking though.

2 towels...

[billyharris72]

Stick a t shirt over your head, upside down. Ideally a black one, and fairly thick cotton. Works just like a hood, except deeper if anything. I find it to be quite effective (if daft looking).

Billy.

[Andy Mitchell]

Please, someone tell me I'm not the only one who looked at the link and thought of emperor palpatine. You can not imagine the power of the dark site!

[Stu]

No comment.....

[BXRO]

Ah all we need now is a bowl of hot water with some Vick in it

[Richard Hather]

Did you end up buying one of the observing hoods Alan?

If so what are your thoughts on it?

[Alan White]

5 hours ago, Richard Hather said:

Did you end up buying one of the observing hoods Alan?

If so what are your thoughts on it?

No Richard I didn't

Mainly because I am a tight wad and also I hurt my back and have been limited in observing.
What I did do was just wear a hoodie in the spring over or under layers and it worked fairly well, 
the manufacturered hoods look bigger than a hoodie though, so I may get one for winter.

[Richard Hather]

21 minutes ago, Alan White said:

No Richard I didn't

Mainly because I am a tight wad and also I hurt my back and have been limited in observing.
What I did do was just wear a hoodie in the spring over or under layers and it worked fairly well, 
the manufacturered hoods look bigger than a hoodie though, so I may get one for winter.

Sorry to hear about your back Alan, I hope it gets better soon.

Ive been using a hoodie up until this point, but the extra light from my neighbours pushed me to look for an alternative.

So I put my order in this morning and it's on it's way, so I will let you know if it was worth the money ?

[Alan White]

My back will mend, but thank you for your kind words.

Thank you for being a SGL tester for those interested.
Please do let us know how it goes and write up an equipment review.
 

[Richard Hather]

I will certainly do so Alan, hopefully I should get it in the next week or so but when I get to try it out is anyone's guess ⛈??

[Alien_Photons]

I bought a snood. Which doubles or triples or what ever you want to do with it into many things.

[Skylook123]

One additional benefit of some sort of hood (my wife took an old pair of black trousers with a torn knee and cut off one leg and most of the other, stitching it into a black tube) is when using filters.  In light polluted skies, an Ultrablock or Sky Glow or any number of other broad band filters works to limit the stray light sneaking in, but even in very dark skies the use of narrow band filters (O-III, Swan, H-Beta, UHC, etc.) makes nebulae come alive.  In either case, the wavelengths blocked by the filter can sneak in from behind the observer and reflect off of the coating on the filter and right back into the eye.  The hood blocks this back-scatter, with remarkable results.  When doing public outreach, I just advise the visitor to use their nose on one side of the eyepiece and their hand by their temple on the opposite side.  Not as effective as a hood, but improves the efficiency of sharing with many visitors when showing nebulae.