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Solar filter


Dave scutt

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 Hi everyone. 

The weather at night has been bad recently and was wondering if I could use my 12"skywatcher dob for solar observation. 

What could I expect to see .

If I could could you recommend a good but reasonable price solar filter. 

Thanks dave

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One possibility is the Astrozap Baader Solar Filters that FLO sell - they come mounted in a cell and made to fit a variety of telescopes up to 14 inch SCT's - I am sure they can advise on an appropriate size to fit your SW.  The largest they have listed for a newt is for  10" but maybe a SCT one will do the job. Alternatively you could make a mask to go over the front of your Newt and then use an A4 sized sheet of Baader AstroSolar Safety Film to create your own filter -  a lot cheaper but requires some basic Blue Peter DIY skills.

365 Astronomy also have a range of what look like custom made filters for SW newts - at what looks like a very reasonable price indeed (https://www.365astronomy.com/Solar-Filter-for-300mm-Newtonian-Telescopes.)

A Baader Solar Continuum Filter will really enhance the white light view as well - so if your budget stretches to that it would be a good investment.

With a white light solar filter and Solar Continuum Filter you will see a LOT of detail is the increasing number of sun spots, faculae and granulation under good seeing - and of course it changes every day. But if that is your dob in your icon - don't forget to put the cap's on the finder or you will end up with very frizzy hair.

 

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53 minutes ago, Barry Fitz-Gerald said:

One possibility is the Astrozap Baader Solar Filters that FLO sell - they come mounted in a cell and made to fit a variety of telescopes up to 14 inch SCT's - I am sure they can advise on an appropriate size to fit your SW.  The largest they have listed for a newt is for  10" but maybe a SCT one will do the job. Alternatively you could make a mask to go over the front of your Newt and then use an A4 sized sheet of Baader AstroSolar Safety Film to create your own filter -  a lot cheaper but requires some basic Blue Peter DIY skills.

365 Astronomy also have a range of what look like custom made filters for SW newts - at what looks like a very reasonable price indeed (https://www.365astronomy.com/Solar-Filter-for-300mm-Newtonian-Telescopes.)

A Baader Solar Continuum Filter will really enhance the white light view as well - so if your budget stretches to that it would be a good investment.

With a white light solar filter and Solar Continuum Filter you will see a LOT of detail is the increasing number of sun spots, faculae and granulation under good seeing - and of course it changes every day. But if that is your dob in your icon - don't forget to put the cap's on the finder or you will end up with very frizzy hair.

 

Lost my hair along time ago 🤣

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Remember to keep your finderscope capped at all times... or better still, remove it!

For alignment, I use a TeleVue Sol-Searcher... https://televue.com/engine/TV3b_page.asp?id=66 - other types of Sun alignment gadgets are available too...
or you can just point your 'scope at the Sun until you get the smallest shadow on the ground. 

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  • 2 weeks later...
Il 27/9/2021 alle 17:36, Barry Fitz-Gerald ha detto:

Una sono i filtri solari Astrozap Baader venduti da FLO - vengono montati in una cella e realizzati per possibilità di trovare una varietà di telescopi fino a SCT da 14 -

 

Are these filters made of glass?

Edited by Gonariu
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On 27/09/2021 at 16:29, Dave scutt said:

What could I expect to see .

Hi Dave,

I observe and image the Sun using a C11 EdgeHD, which is pretty close in aperture to your 12" Newton and will thus give the same resolution. The following image is what you can expect visually as well:

Sun210909_092132UTC_bw.thumb.jpg.1fc4fd9381f3ccee7876656b530bb919.jpg

Please note that there is ND3.8 and ND5.0 foil. The ND3.8 is not suitable for visual observing as it is 16 times less dense than the ND5.0. ND3.8 is made for imaging, although above image shows that ND5.0 can be used for imaging as well (the image was taken using a ZWO ASI174MM and ND5.0 foil in combination with a Baader Continuum filter). For visual observing I can recommend adding a polarisation filter to your set-up. Personally I find the ND5.0 filter on my C11 a tat too bright. The polarisation filter consists of two filters: one fixed filter that is attached to your EP, and a rotational one that is attached to the diagonal. The one in the diagonal has to be rotated until it allows maximum dimming, which is checked by rotating the eyepiece. During observation the eyepiece is rotated to get an acceptable intensity. The advantage of the polarisation filter is that it adds a bit of colour to the visual image (either blue or yellow, depending on the filter rotation).

Nicolàs

 

 

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No they are made using Baader solar film which is better performing than glass and quite safe. The problem with the glass filters is that the glass used isn’t optically flat due to the cost involved and also the coatings are less durable than the solar film.

Edited by johninderby
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