Herschel wedge do I need one

[John]

43 minutes ago, JOC said:

I've got a reflector, but I am not confident enough of it's construction materials to want to whack concentrated sunlight about inside it. 

Do you mean in terms of the light cone striking something internally instead of  just the prism and filters of the herschel wedge ?

[johnturley]

52 minutes ago, JOC said:

I've got a reflector, but I am not confident enough of it's construction materials to want to whack concentrated sunlight about inside it.  At least when you cover the end of an OTA with Baader solar film you know you got it all locked out the correct side of your optics

I thought that Hershel Wedges were NEVER recommended for reflectors due to the concentration of heat on the secondary mirror.

John 

[JOC]

6 minutes ago, John said:

Do you mean in terms of the light cone striking something internally instead of  just the prism and filters of the herschel wedge ?

Well if it entered the light path of a reflector it would strike off my mirrors, I don't know if that would damage them, would heat be generated, would that melt things, what would happen when it got to the EP etc. even if you ran a projected image onto these home-made screens you can make, would bits in the light train be damaged - I don't know enough about it to know, but I do know that if I slap a 8" lump of solar film across the end of the tube that I am safe from square one and need not worry about anything.

[Stu]

8 minutes ago, JOC said:

Well if it entered the light path of a reflector it would strike off my mirrors, I don't know if that would damage them, would heat be generated, would that melt things, what would happen when it got to the EP etc. even if you ran a projected image onto these home-made screens you can make, would bits in the light train be damaged - I don't know enough about it to know, but I do know that if I slap a 8" lump of solar film across the end of the tube that I am safe from square one and need not worry about anything.

Herschel wedges are only suitable for refractors, solar film is the best (only) option for reflectors.

[Stargazer McCabe]

1 hour ago, JOC said:

I've got a reflector, but I am not confident enough of it's construction materials to want to whack concentrated sunlight about inside it.  At least when you cover the end of an OTA with Baader solar film you know you got it all locked out the correct side of your optics

To be clear, there's no other option for Reflector users with a scope like yours to observe the sun other than using the solar film. The way you are going about it is your only option...

Don't change anything. It will do as you predict to your scope and worse to your eyes...

The wedge being described here is for refractors.

Edited November 26, 2019 by Stargazer McCabe

[John]

36 minutes ago, JOC said:

Well if it entered the light path of a reflector it would strike off my mirrors, I don't know if that would damage them, would heat be generated, would that melt things, what would happen when it got to the EP etc. even if you ran a projected image onto these home-made screens you can make, would bits in the light train be damaged - I don't know enough about it to know, but I do know that if I slap a 8" lump of solar film across the end of the tube that I am safe from square one and need not worry about anything.

I completely missed that you were talking about a reflector !

As has been said, Herschel Wedges should not be used with reflecting scopes.

 

[Space Hopper]

.......and not Catadioptrics either.

Don't be tempted to use one with something like an 8" SCT or it will be wrecked.

As already stated Herschel Wedges are for refractors only !!

 

[Steve Clay]

I've purchased the Lunt wedge from FLO along with filter and zoom eyepiece.

Will report on how it goes...

Steve