Solar observation

[Xgaze]

Hi all,

I may have missed a topic on this but, I only found one discussing the OTH filter. So, two questions:

I have a budget of around d £30-40 for a solar  filterfor my SW 150 Dob. what would people suggest?

Secondly, what type of EP is suitable? something that seems to be missing  from the topics I have found here.

TIA

Tony

[Carbon Brush]

Opening warning that you hopefully don't need. Solar observing done incorrectly blinds - first time.

Baader solar film is a very good low cost introduction.
https://www.firstlightoptics.com/solar-filters/baader-astrosolar-safety-film-nd-50.html

Make a frame to hold the film over the open end of the scope.
Layers of card glued to make a frame and ensure there is a windproof and foolproof method of holding it in place.
Tabs extending to the tube sides and a few elastic bands (coving for the odd one or two snapping) for example.
If the filter comes off while viewing - refer to line 1.

An alternative is a full aperture filter in a ready made frame, that screws to the front of the scope. This costs more.

DO NOT try to do any solar energy filtering at the eyepiece end of things.
You MUST limit the energy entering the scope.

Once you have the solar film installed, you may use any eyepiece and maybe a variable polarising, or moon (dimming) filter for brightness adjustment.

You must remember that cheap, solar and safe do not go together.

HTH, David.
 

 

Edited June 13, 2023 by Carbon Brush

[PeterStudz]

As @Carbon Brush says!

I really enjoy white light solar with Baader solar film. And it’s quality stuff. Using scrap card to form the filter cell can work well. I went a little further and used a £5 card hat box from HobbyCraft that just happened to fit my 200p like a glove.

As for eyepieces. Just use the same eyepieces that you use for night time astronomy. 

Edited June 13, 2023 by PeterStudz

[Xgaze]

Excellent replies, thank you both.

 

[wookie1965]

1 hour ago, PeterStudz said:

As @Carbon Brush says!

I really enjoy white light solar with Baader solar film. And it’s quality stuff. Using scrap card to form the filter cell can work well. I went a little further and used a £5 card hat box from HobbyCraft that just happened to fit my 200p like a glove.

As for eyepieces. Just use the same eyepieces that you use for night time astronomy. 

Love that stool I've been looking for one like that for a few months now. 

[PeterStudz]

10 minutes ago, wookie1965 said:

Love that stool I've been looking for one like that for a few months now. 

I’m sure that I mentioned it to you before - it’s a secondhand £10 purchase from Gumtree. Originally sold by IKEA but sadly not anymore.

One of the best astronomy purchases that I’ve made. And useful in the house. My daughter uses it as an art stool too. 

I hope that you find one. Being IKEA there must be quite a number about. 

[Naughty Neal]

 Baader solar film is the stuff to use, also don't forget the finder scope if one is being used.

[wookie1965]

1 hour ago, PeterStudz said:

I’m sure that I mentioned it to you before - it’s a secondhand £10 purchase from Gumtree. Originally sold by IKEA but sadly not anymore.

One of the best astronomy purchases that I’ve made. And useful in the house. My daughter uses it as an art stool too. 

I hope that you find one. Being IKEA there must be quite a number about. 

Yes you have I keep checking Ikea unfortunately not got any seen a couple on ebay similar but want £90 not paying that lol. 

[wookie1965]

1 hour ago, Naughty Neal said:

 Baader solar film is the stuff to use, also don't forget the finder scope if one is being used.

I already have a Herschel wedge I would like to see proms 

[Naughty Neal]

Something went wrong there @wookie1965, I replied to the wrong person.

Beg Pardon.

[Louis D]

On 13/06/2023 at 09:15, wookie1965 said:

I already have a Herschel wedge I would like to see proms 

See this recent thread you started:

 

Edited June 15, 2023 by Louis D

[Jim L]

For those interested in beginning solar observing the Actual Astronomy Podcast’s most recent podcast is largely about solar observing and how to get started.

https://www.podbean.com/ew/pb-tf9rc-143257f

Chris often discusses solar observing so it might be worth perusing their other podcast releases for additional advice and information. As always when observing the sun through a telescope, don’t take any chances or shortcuts, and redundant in favor of safety is your friend.

 

[cletrac1922]

I have a Solarmax 11 mounted on a Skywatcher EQ5 mount

I am struggling to spot through the spotting scope on top of the scope

Attached image shows spotting scope on the Solarmax 11

I also use an ED80 on my EQ5 mount, have a glass solar filter for that 

Does anyone have any suggestion for spotting with the Solarmax 11

I am also using the Wi-Fi adapter for the EQ5 mount, which takes the guess work out of setting up the mount, as don't have to input date, time, location

The Wi-Fi adapter also has a solar viewing function, gives u an equation to solve to activate

With my 10" collapsible Dob, the hard cover has a detachable viewing hole, and I have attached Baader film over this hole, attached the hard cover to the top of the scope for solar viewing

Have also made up a tube, again using Baader film, for the spotting scope 

John

[Franklin]

An easy way to find the Sun is to hold an A4 piece of white card behind the eyepiece end and adjust the slo-mo's till the shadow the scope casts is at its smallest.

[Louis D]

I just look at the shadow of the scope on the ground and minimize the size of its shadow in both the up-down and left-right directions.  Once minimized, the sun is generally visible in a low power eyepiece.

However, I did finally bling out my white light solar observing setup as seen below:

It is much more accurate than the the shadow method.

[Gonariu]

For search sun I put the hand in front of the finderscope which after I close with his stopper for security.

Edited July 5, 2023 by Gonariu

[AstralFields]

I got a full aperture filter for my 200p dobson from here

Very nice quality and great price.

Just found this amazing item on AliExpress. Check it out! US $21.23  32％ Off | Fixed diameter 50mm to 225mm Aluminum alloy Solar Filter Sun Film Membrane 5.0Lens Astro astronomical Telescope Bard Film Baade
https://a.aliexpress.com/_mPEXYaS

[wheresthetorch?]

On 13/06/2023 at 15:14, wookie1965 said:

Yes you have I keep checking Ikea unfortunately not got any seen a couple on ebay similar but want £90 not paying that lol. 

Just seen this on eBay (no connection to me, etc. . . )

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/334897344960?mkcid=16&mkevt=1&mkrid=711-127632-2357-0&ssspo=7QLHfhfzTbW&sssrc=4429486&ssuid=fIm6QpuDRJa&var=&widget_ver=artemis&media=COPY