how to observe the sun better?

[lnlarxg]

hi SGL Helios!

I recently got some white light solar film by Baader onto my 12" reflector, I found it much better than the orange glow I used to get from my old thousand oaks filter film

I am so interested to progress further on solar observing, like seeing more structures or flare of the sun. 

without the budget for a proper solar scope, are there anythin I could do to improve white light solar viewing rather than just seeing a white globe of light (which I love btw especially when sunspots are present ), or I really need to save up for a proper solar scope in order to get views of flares or prominence??

thanks

dom

[Moonshane]

A used pst is the cheapest option 

You cannot really dramatically improve the white light view without spending nearly the same sort of money.

I prefer a Herschel wedge for white light but you need a refractor for that.

[lnlarxg]

28 minutes ago, Moonshane said:

A used pst is the cheapest option 

You cannot really dramatically improve the white light view without spending nearly the same sort of money.

I prefer a Herschel wedge for white light but you need a refractor for that.

 

does look that way,the PST may be the way

[Ben the Ignorant]

You can also sharpen the Baader film view a bit by using simple colored filters, especially the orange and red ones. Orange and red are the wavelengths least blurred by turbulence, that will stabilize the image.

Then there's another effect: even the best eyepieces make a micro-mess of optical aberrations because the have to work with different colors which behave differently inside glass. Restricting the view to a single color allows you to focus (10:1 focusers are a nice help here) on that color alone, you will get a slightly sharper view in any color.

If that color happens to be less sensitive to turbulence the benefit is increased. Not by a huge amount but colored filters are so cheap it's worth doing.

[Peter Drew]

Dom. What aperture white light filtering are you using on your 12" reflector?

[lnlarxg]

2 hours ago, Peter Drew said:

Dom. What aperture white light filtering are you using on your 12" reflector?

Hey peter, I am literally just covering the little hole on the tube cover as I read in many places it lets enough in already.  I hope that correct, since at the moment it really is bright enough already

[Peter Drew]

If that is the case then using a larger aperture between the edge of the tube and the secondary mirror, probably around 4"-4.5" diameter will give you considerably more resolution of solar detail. Viewing solar prominences and flares requires hydogen-alpha components which are in a different league regarding complexity and price.

[Moonshane]

Great question Peter. True what you say although (to the op)  to see proms flares etc you still need a ha unit.