Covering head whilst observing

[Ricochet]

3 hours ago, Mark at Beaufort said:

I always use a hood when solar observing. As @mikeDnightstated above it's a great accessory for viewing faint DSOs. I bought mine from R-Sky a company in Russia. Many members on SGL did the same.

 

 

 

Did you buy the standard one or the solar version? Is there any reason to buy both? 

[Mark at Beaufort]

1 hour ago, Ricochet said:

Did you buy the standard one or the solar version? Is there any reason to buy both? 

No I just bought the standard hood which I found okay for both solar and night time use.

[Ricochet]

35 minutes ago, Mark at Beaufort said:

No I just bought the standard hood which I found okay for both solar and night time use.

Thanks, Mark. I meant to order one ages ago and never got around to it. 

[Paz]

16 hours ago, Ricochet said:

Did you buy the standard one or the solar version? Is there any reason to buy both? 

I got the standard version and use it for solar and night time but I find it heats up in the sun quite a bit. I sometimes wonder if the solar version is cooler in the sun as it's white on the outside but just as good in the dark as it's black on the inside.

[Alan White]

I use one to block stray lights in some locations at home and sometimes for Solar as well to help with stray light across the eyepiece.
It's one of the R-Sky ones from Russia, very well made, sits in my Observing case all the time.

Images from the R-Sky webpage.

Highly reccomend a hood, but you could just wear a Hoodie Jumper as I do sometimes as well.
The R-Sky just envelopes everything better.

Perhaps an idea for @FLO and the Astro Essentials range??

Edited October 18, 2021 by Alan White

[Highburymark]

I use a reflective blanket for solar, which also doubles up as an effective night light blocker. Thoroughly recommend finding something that covers the head and allows you to focus on the photons coming from the eyepiece, not next door’s garden illuminations

[Louis D]

I need to come up with a way to block sunlight from directly hitting my body during the summer here in Texas while solar observing near noon.  Within minutes with no hood, I'm dripping sweat on everything, so I retreat to the AC of the house to cool down.  A box fan blowing across me helps to delay this a bit.  Wearing a broad brimmed, well ventilated hiking hat helps block sunlight from the eyepiece while preventing excessive heat build-up around my head and sunburn to my exposed skin.  As a result of all this, I tend to solar observe mostly from mid-October to late March.  That reflective solar blanket might prove useful as long as I can get decent ventilation under it.

I'm guessing it's quite a bit cooler in Europe during the summer based on folks using hoods while solar observing.  I'd love to try early morning observing when it's much cooler, but I've got solid trees to the east of my observing site.  To the west are houses with heat waves radiating off their roofs, so solar noon it has to be.

[paulastro]

1 hour ago, Louis D said:

I need to come up with a way to block sunlight from directly hitting my body during the summer here in Texas while solar observing near noon.  Within minutes with no hood, I'm dripping sweat on everything, so I retreat to the AC of the house to cool down.  A box fan blowing across me helps to delay this a bit.  Wearing a broad brimmed, well ventilated hiking hat helps block sunlight from the eyepiece while preventing excessive heat build-up around my head and sunburn to my exposed skin.  As a result of all this, I tend to solar observe mostly from mid-October to late March.  That reflective solar blanket might prove useful as long as I can get decent ventilation under it.

I'm guessing it's quite a bit cooler in Europe during the summer based on folks using hoods while solar observing.  I'd love to try early morning observing when it's much cooler, but I've got solid trees to the east of my observing site.  To the west are houses with heat waves radiating off their roofs, so solar noon it has to be.

Well Louis, certainly no problems with dripping sweat everywhere in West Yorkshire while solar observing - with or without the dark cloth I have over my head 😊.

[Louis D]

27 minutes ago, paulastro said:

Well Louis, certainly no problems with dripping sweat everywhere in West Yorkshire while solar observing - with or without the dark cloth I have over my head 😊.

I should think not looking at this comparison chart of average high temperatures for Leeds versus San Antonio, TX:

And our mid-October to late March does indeed roughly correspond to the peak of your summer temps.

[faulksy]

On 16/10/2021 at 17:14, Mark at Beaufort said:

I always use a hood when solar observing. As @mikeDnightstated above it's a great accessory for viewing faint DSOs. I bought mine from R-Sky a company in Russia. Many members on SGL did the same.

 

 

 

me to mark. here is the link

https://r-sky.org/en/products/observing-hood

[Rusted]

I can't recommend dark materials for summer shade. We bought an awning in the form of a dark blue, tent "flysheet" on very tall, tent poles.
During a mid 80sF [low 30s] heatwave it was almost intolerable to be under it due to the heat radiating downwards. The value of the shade provided was minimal.

White, lightweight tarpaulins remains a safer choice for shade. This material seem to be thermally neutral and inexpensive, though short lived.
I certainly wouldn't trust it against rain in my own experience. Not even when the material is brand new. Made of non-woven polythene I think.