Solar photography

[Mcwaffles2003]

So I have a 6" RC and have been enjoying taking pictures of the night sky for a couple years. I was wondering if I could add some filters to my setup and get some really nice pictures of the sun. I bought some solar filter film back in 2017 to take pics of the solar eclipse (This event is probably the point of inspiration where I became determined to do astrophotography) and now it leaves me thinking. Could I just get a sheet of this and fit it over the aperture of my scope (securely!) and then use an H-alpha filter on a mono camera to take pictures of the sun?

[johninderby]

Yes the solar film will be fine as a full aperture filter on the front of the scope for solar white light.

Unfortunately Ha solar is a whole different thing and your scope would not be suitable. The Ha filter you are referring to is not a solar Ha filter but a filter for regular night time use.

 

Edited September 7, 2020 by johninderby

[Mcwaffles2003]

5 minutes ago, johninderby said:

Yes the solar film will be fine as a full aperture filter on the front of the scope for solar white light.

Unfortunately Ha solar is a whole different thing and your scope would not be suitable. The Ha filter you are referring to is not a solar Ha filter but a filter for regular night time use.

 

What's the difference, is a solar Ha filter much more narrowband?

[johninderby]

Yes a solar Ha filter is far narrower band and very expensive, It’s discussed in this thread.

 

[Mcwaffles2003]

Would a normal Ha filter offer any contrast of surface features?

[laudropb]

Using the solar filter film you are observing the photosphere of the Sun. You can see features such as sunspots, faculae and the granulation. A solar Ha filter let’s you observe the chromosphere . Here you can again see sunspots but also filaments and prominences. Adding an Ha filter to your system will not allow that. It is possible to increase the contrast in white light views by adding a solar continuum filter.