Laptop Solar Shade...Recomendations

[Craney]

Hello everybody.

I am wanting to fine tune my Solar imaging in the run up to the next Solar Maximum.... fews years to get it right !! ...... I have a Double-stacked PST. 

One issue I have is the focus and the sweet-spot tuning whist trying to peer at the laptop screen at the right angle to avoid the glare.   I tend to sit in the shade of my shed if possible and reach out at arms length sideways to grapple with the adjustments on the scope and DS etalon.   It is all a bit faffy.

I was wondering if there was a 'known' quality product that would act as a Laptop Solar Shade to help out with the situation.  ie. I could sit closer to the scope.

Yes, I could velcro something together using some old dust-sheets and doweling rods, but .....well... 

Something along the lines of this.....

 

Any suggestions greatly appreciated.

Many thanks,

Sean.

 

[johninderby]

Wee bit cheaper and  lends itself to an ideal laptop shade box. £3.00. 👍🏻

https://www.ikea.com/gb/en/p/droena-box-black-30219281/

Edited July 6, 2020 by johninderby

[JamesF]

I would probably give something like John suggests a go first.  I have found however that it isn't always successful because sunlight reflecting off my clothing is sufficient to cause glare on the screen.  I feel sure that stripping off would just result in even more sunlight reflecting off my pasty white skin causing glare, so mostly I hide both myself and the laptop under a large towel or sheet, which handily also avoids causing the cows in our neighbour's field to stampede.

An alternative form of shield for the laptop is like an inverted "hopper" or rectangular-based pyramid with the top cut off.  The wide end goes over the screen and you look through the narrow end.  This is the first reasonable example I can find:

I'd probably make my own from black plastic sheet though.

James

[Craney]

Thanks @johninderby       Only £3 .......  useful as a box as well....  in all seriousness, to store the increasing number of solar accessories.

Thanks @JamesF     Yes, you are spot-on with the reflected glare comment.  Thats why I have to hide in the shade of the shed, otherwise all I see is my rippling torso reflected in the screen.

I like the idea of a viewer.

Also I can pretend to be Mr Spock, viewing  "strange new worlds........"

 

Thanks guys.

sean

[Steve Ward]

Easy enough to knock one up using foamboard , tape and some of the cheapo flocking stuff from Wilko's .

My version is/was as James suggested with a very narrow viewing slot to cut out the self-reflections.

Pics here from a similar thread from 2013.         

 

[Steve Ward]

I soon worked out however , that the more comfortable option was long active USB leads and hand controller lead extensions that let me sit comfortably in the shade/indoors out of the full force of the target.

[Craney]

Thanks @Steve Ward I will check out your creation.   

Re: remote control......The focuser on the PST might be difficult to motorise..... along with the etalon rubber ring tuner  and the DS thumbwheel !!... three motor drives !!  .... although I have seen people have a go at control from the eyepiece end using rods and wheels.

For the time being, I'll work on a screen shade and mark#1 finger fiddling technology.

 

sean.

[Craney]

Hmmm... now tempted to build my own.....

I like the 'letter-box' design of @Steve Ward  mentioned in the reply above.

I would have to be careful to get the right viewing angle for the screen, otherwise you might end up not seeing all four corners.

Since seeing this, I've felt it reminded me of something. At first I thought RoboCop.... then Back to the future .... but then the penny dropped...

 

Edited July 7, 2020 by Craney

[David Smith]

10 hours ago, Craney said:

Hmmm... now tempted to build my own.....

I like the 'letter-box' design of @Steve Ward  mentioned in the reply above.

Since seeing this, I've felt it reminded me of something. At first I thought RoboCop.... but then the penny dropped...

 

 

Just needs a red light...

[JamesF]

9 minutes ago, David Smith said:

Just needs a red light...

LOL.  I was thinking exactly the same thing

James

[Craney]

So curiosity got the better of me, and I decided to have a search around for any bits of scrap material to fashion a solar-shade.

I dug out a couple of A4 Lever arch files that just matched the width of my  Tough-book laptop.

Fast-forward......Sharp knife, scissors and a few meters of silver sided duct tape.

 

 

There you go.....  cost   ...errr.... about 30p of tape.

Now then, what about these clouds.......

[JamesF]

9 minutes ago, Craney said:

Now then, what about these clouds

They work particularly well as a solar shade.

James