Changing from Solar filters to solar wedge.

[WilliamAstro]

So I made another topic about solar filters and how fragile they are, because I do not want to risk losing my site and finding another say viewing the sun. I was suggested by one of the mods to use a solar wedge. Upon seeing an image of it, it said hot surface. Which mean you cant touch the bottom of the wedge? Also, is it safe for imaging and will it melt any materials?

[johninderby]

As the Lunt is American made they have safely messages that are a bit  unneeded. Just the American way. Warm surface would be more accurate. Might be uncomfortable to hold your finger there for a long while.

Perfectly safe for imaging although additional filters would be used. Read about this here in the product discription. Wedge itself is identical though.

https://www.firstlightoptics.com/solar-filters/baader-coolceramic-herschel-wedge-solar-diagonal.html

”Baader offers two versions of their Herschel Wedge: 

Visual V

The Version-V for visual use comes with a pre-installed ND=3.0 (required for safe viewing) filter and a 2" Continuum Filter.

Photographic P

The Version-P for photographic use is essentially the Version-V with three additional Baader ND filters (ND1.8, ND0.9 and ND0.6). The additional filters are handy for further dimming the image for white light viewing, or attaching to eyepieces or a T2-15 Reducer, and are particularly useful for imaging.”

Edited February 26, 2022 by johninderby

[Mr Spock]

On my 102mm the back of the wedge gets warm, but not uncomfortably so. It's common sense not to touch it though. Views with a solar wedge are far sharper than with solar film. It's safer to - no accidental tears in the film to cause problems.

It does get a bit warmer when I use it on my 120mm though.

The Baader is good too. However, to me, that twist lock holder is an abomination. I wish I could get rid of the one fitted to my 102mm 

Here's the Lunt: https://www.firstlightoptics.com/solar-filters/lunt-white-light-herschelsolar-wedge.html

Mine's the 1.25" version

[johninderby]

My white light setup. Tecnosky 125 APO and Lacerta 2” wedge.

[Stu]

12 minutes ago, Mr Spock said:

The Baader is good too. However, to me, that twist lock holder is an abomination. I wish I could get rid of the one fitted to my 102mm 

I’ve done side by side comparisons of the Lunt and the Baader Coolwedge, and the Baader definitely has an advantage in fine detail particularly at high power. Personally I think the ClickLocks are great, no issues with them but I’ve used a couple of adaptors on my Wedge to give me a T2 thread which I can either use to connect a binoviewer directly, or add any other fitting I like. In my case that’s a Clicklock, but you could easily fit another type of you wanted to.

[Stu]

59 minutes ago, WilliamAstro said:

So I made another topic about solar filters and how fragile they are, because I do not want to risk losing my site and finding another say viewing the sun. I was suggested by one of the mods to use a solar wedge. Upon seeing an image of it, it said hot surface. Which mean you cant touch the bottom of the wedge? Also, is it safe for imaging and will it melt any materials?

I’m sure that if you are in a very hot climate with the Sun high in the sky, the back of the Lunt wedge would get very hot. It’s not dangerous though, and is designed to do that. In the U.K., it’s not likely to get more than warm. The CoolWedge I have doesn’t have a hot plate at the back (hence the name), and also has a handy viewer panel which shows you when you are lined up with the Sun.

[WilliamAstro]

I found 2 available on Ebay costing £189. The condition is new. Any opinions?

[johninderby]

3 minutes ago, WilliamAstro said:

I found 2 available on Ebay costing £189. The condition is new. Any opinions?

Links please or brand name so we know what you are looking at.

Edited February 26, 2022 by johninderby

[WilliamAstro]

Just now, johninderby said:

Links please or brand name so we know what you are looking at.

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/124527413163?var=0&mkevt=1&mkcid=1&mkrid=710-53481-19255-0&campid=5338268676&toolid=10044&customid=CjwKCAiAvOeQBhBkEiwAxutUVJDMy5SHTYSYE3aKNivISttnTfoN3Z5DVbDaiqm9NQMK87V_ekVhPBoCdssQAvD_BwE

[johninderby]

Buy it from a dealer like FLO. Great ssrvoce and backup and no overpriced shipping. Also no duities and import charges as when ordering from the EU.

https://www.firstlightoptics.com/lunt-solar-white-light-systems/lunt-white-light-herschelsolar-wedge.html

Edited February 26, 2022 by johninderby

[WilliamAstro]

1 minute ago, johninderby said:

Buy it from a dealer like FLO. A few £ more but worth it for the great service and backup.

https://www.firstlightoptics.com/lunt-solar-white-light-systems/lunt-white-light-herschelsolar-wedge.html

But it says it's OOS, are products like this always OOS? (out of stock)

[johninderby]

FLOs stock dates are pretty accirate although you can always message them to confirm.

[WilliamAstro]

Just now, johninderby said:

FLOs stock dates are pretty accirate although you can always message them to confirm.

ok thank you!

[johninderby]

Telescope House gives 7 to 10 days delivery. Actually ships from Germany but all import costs are included in the price.

https://www.telescopehouse.com/Telescope-Accessories/Filters/White-Light-Filter-for-Solar-Observation/LUNT-LS1-25HW-31-7mm-1-25-Herschel-wedge.html?mtm_campaign=Doofinder&mtm_kwd=0558211&mtm_source=English&mtm_medium=OnSite&mtm_cid=UK&mtm_group=SiteSearch

Edited February 26, 2022 by johninderby

[RT65CB-SWL]

When used with the Solar Continuum filter, Baader Solar Continuum Filter | First Light Optics - get used to seeing the Sun in green. Also adding another polarising filter, Baader Single Polarising Filter | First Light Optics is a good idea too.

[Louis D]

I went with a Hercules Herschel Wedge.  It works quite well and doesn't heat up the back finder/heat dissipation plate with my 90mm APO.  I also put a Daystar/Thousand Oaks solar filter on my 9x50 RACI and added a solar peephole finder.

Here's the wedge and solar finder in action:

The front view:

A closeup of the finder/heat dissipation plate in action:

A closeup of the solar finder in action:

The view through the solar filtered RACI on a partly cloudy day:

And a view through the eyepiece of the sun using the Hercules wedge:

 

Edited March 1, 2022 by Louis D

[LDW1]

I had a couple of different sized Baader Solar Film filters that attached to the front of my refractors and velcroed a couple of solar finders to the tube. I ended up with a 2" Altair Astro solar wedge with the built in ND filter and sun finder. But the Baader was almost as good for a lot less price. I would definitely recommend the Baader filter.

[Carl Au]

A wedge is the only real safe way to observe in white light. I use a 1.25 mm Lunt and a Baader Solar Filter, it’s what I used today in fact. Totally changed my appreciation of white light observing, I usually have a session or two every week if I can. You don’t get the same level detail using solar film

[LDW1]

7 hours ago, Carl Au said:

A wedge is the only real safe way to observe in white light. I use a 1.25 mm Lunt and a Baader Solar Filter, it’s what I used today in fact. Totally changed my appreciation of white light observing, I usually have a session or two every week if I can. You don’t get the same level detail using solar film

Used properly the Baader Film is as good, as safe as they get. Baader is considered the industry standard when it comes to WL the same as Garmin is with the GPS and Lowrance is with Sonars.

[Stu]

4 hours ago, LDW1 said:

Used properly the Baader Film is as good, as safe as they get. Baader is considered the industry standard when it comes to WL the same as Garmin is with the GPS and Lowrance is with Sonars.

Provided they are checked every time, stored correctly and fitted securely Baader solar film filters  are safe, agreed.  A wedge definitely offers an increase in contrast and detail, particularly high power detail in my experience.

[Carl Au]

Home made filter covers have been known to be blown or knocked off. They also can be pin pricked. A wedge is much safer. 

[LDW1]

A wedge, my wedge is no safer, it just gives better performance but from my experience not much more. If a Baader solar film filter gets blown / knocked off its because it was sloppily instalted by a sloppy owner / operator, there is no other reason.

Edited April 11, 2022 by LDW1

[Stu]

42 minutes ago, LDW1 said:

A wedge, my wedge is no safer, it just gives better performance but from my experience not much more. If a Baader solar film filter gets blown / knocked off its because it was sloppily instalted by a sloppy owner / operator, there is no other reason.

Obviously different people have different views, and it’s ok to disagree. I think one view is that if a front filter blows or is knocked off then the result could be very serious. If a wedge falls out or is damaged in some way, the worst case is a hot leg.

I think performance differences depend on how they are used. At the low power (x50 ish) many people observe the sun at I suspect there would not be much difference. At high power (x200) through a well corrected scope and binoviewing in my case, the level of fine detail and granulation visible through a wedge in good conditions can be quite astounding, not something I’ve replicated with solar film. I should add that I’ve not used film recently on my Tak or Vixen so should maybe do a side by side comparison to see exactly what it shows up, would be a useful reference for people.

As said though, there is room for more than one opinion, everyone has different experiences 👍

[johninderby]

When seeing is average not a huge difference in performance between Baader film and a wedge but with great seeing you can really push the mag with a wedge and see more detail.

Best white light I’ve ever had is with a wedge and my 125 APO. Wonder if the scope used makes for different experiences using a front mounted filter and a wedge.

Yes if a front mounted filter were to fail you would get the full suns light whereas if a wedge were to fail it simply wouldn’t pass any light to the eyepiece. However never heard of a front mounted filter failing but have heard of the filter falling off.

[Stu]

12 minutes ago, johninderby said:

Wonder if the scope used makes for different experiences using a front mounted filter and a wedge.

I suspect it does. I think if you use a fast achro with too much SA then it will mask the performance benefits of a wedge at high power, so you won’t see much difference. Use a decent long focal length achro (eg 102mm f11) or a good apo and the results would likely be different.