DIY Eyeguards for solar observing - can you tell it's cloudy?

[Stu]

I made a pair of these before, but then sold the Plossls they belonged to and gave the eyeguards away with them. I find with the 32mm and 40mm Celestron Omni Plossls I use for Solar Ha observing with my PST Mod, the eye relief is long (made longer by barlowing) so getting and holding the correct eye placement is tricky. In addition, quite alot of glare and reflection occurs because of the space between your eye and the exit lens.

These are made with some hobby foam, sticky backed felt and black insulating tape, and are a tight fit, but being lined with felt can be slid up and down the eyepiece to get exact extension placement. Basically I did one wrap of felt, sticky side out obviously, then two wraps of foam and wrapped the whole lot in tape, then attached the eye guards.

Testing must await some better weather of course!

[Science562h]

So, the only monkey rigged part on that 'scope is 'gonna be, what you made? What's your point, "use tape & tape round eyepieces?" Bad advice 🐵. That's, what towels are for & they protect your head, against the Sun.

BECAREFUL, WHEN SOLAR OBSERVING & USE PROPER DEDICATED EQUIPMENT. DO NOT ALTER EYEPIECES TO VIEW THE SUN, PERMANENT INJURY MAY OCCUR.  

[Stu]

9 minutes ago, Science562h said:

So, the only monkey rigged part on that 'scope is 'gonna be, what you made? What's your point, "use tape & tape round eyepieces?" Bad advice 🐵. That's, what towels are for & they protect your head, against the Sun.

BECAREFUL, WHEN SOLAR OBSERVING & USE PROPER DEDICATED EQUIPMENT. DO NOT ALTER EYEPIECES TO VIEW THE SUN, PERMANENT INJURY MAY OCCUR.  

Not sure what you are implying. They are a non safety critical part of the system which just shield from glare and help with eye placement. If I lived in a hot country I may have to consider something else where the tape glue wouldn't melt, but I don't, so I won't. The eyepieces are not altered in any way, nor is the performance of the ERF, blocking filter or etalon which are the genuine safety critical elements.

I have been observing the sun safely for many years and am well aware of all the safety precautions necessary, thank you very much. Nothing in my post represents a danger so I would be pleased if you would not imply it is.

[Rusted]

A bit harsh? Texas sunshine? Probably a bit fiercer than sun-baked Surrey?

I think Stu's eye shields do offer rather more than mere light exclusion. They also provide some useful, distance-related, eye relief control.

I had similar excess eye-relief problems with my 40mm Meade 4000 Plossls on my TE binoviewers for H-a.
Never used them again! Had I really wanted to, I'd probably just add a couple of black "funky foam" eye tubes.
The 40mm "tunnel vision" view was very disappointing when I was hoping for a 32mm but with extra low power on steroids.

[Stu]

1 hour ago, Rusted said:

They also provide some useful, distance-related, eye relief control.

Thanks, yes that's the primary purpose. 40mm with a Barlow has quite long eye relief so these definitely help with eye placement.

I do agreed about the narrow afov on the 40mm, but being able to reduce the mag on my PST mod is a great help when the seeing is not up to higher power.