DIY solar eyeguards

[Stu]

I use some nice 32 and 40mm Celestron Omni Plossls with a PST mod and Antares Binoviewers for solar Ha observing. I have been struggling with eye placement because of the extended eye relief; the barlowing needed to get to focus pushes the eye relief out to a degree where it is difficult to keep your eye in the right place and there is a lot of glare and many reflections.

I used some thin foam from Hobbycraft, cut into strips and wrapped it around the body of the eyepiece twice. Secured in place with insulating tape, it could be slid up and down until in the right position. It is tight enough to stay put.

This mod on its own works very well and I now have no problem with eye placement with either set of eyepieces.

I added some wings to the eye guards to try to cut down the reflections some more. This is semi successful I would say, but I still need to shield with my hand if I don't have the full 'towel over my head' look  

A bit of fun using stuff I had around the house and it has improved the observing experience quite considerably.

[DRT]

If only you had been able to incorporate a washing-up liquid bottle, a wire coat hanger and some sticky-back plastic there could have been a Blue Peter Badge coming your way, Stu

Nice mod - I use the TV Plossl eye guard extender so placement isn't a problem but I would love to find something that could solve the reflections problem. Putting your head in a black bag on a hot summer day isn't a comfortable solution  

[Stu]

I agree, reflections are a pain. These wings solve most of the stuff coming from behind (as it were..) but I need something to shield the front. Perhaps a baseball cap would do it, otherwise I'll rig up a shield in front of the eyepieces somehow.

[Stu]

Well inelegant or not, this solves the problem  

[Racey]

I know it's been round the loop a few times. So apologies if you've seen this before.

But @Mrs Racey and I bought 2 Case Logic Catch Alls and they sit wonderfully on our solar setups. If we are cyclops viewing they sit on the Ha Scope and the White Light Wedge one too on the Mini Ercole. 

They also work reasonably well with the Binoviewers... Takes a bit of juggling admittedly with the viewers. But they reduce the effects of extraneous light marvellously. 

We got the idea from 

http://www.homebuiltastronomy.com/PSTEyepieceShield.htm

[Stu]

Ah yes, I think I tried those some time ago, had forgotten about them!!

[DRT]

Thanks for the link @Racey - have ordered a couple to give them a go