baader film filter question

[a10ken]

Hi group

can any,one advise me on the best way to go about making a solar filter: my options are to make a full appeture filter (10") or a off-axis filter positioned in-between the spider arms. and what are the pro,s and con,s of these options.

Thanks in advance a10ken.

[Bart]

Hi a10ken,

Im afraid I can't help you, but just seconding your question as I'd also like to do this.

Bart

[Merlin66]

If you make a suitable cover plate which can be securely fixed to the end of the scope....an aperture of 80mm or so covered by the Baader Solar film will give you excellent white light views of the sun.

The seeing conditions in the UK are not normally good enough to get all the resolution benefits of a full 10" telescope aperture - 80mm will do the job!

[KevG]

Some useful info from Baader, with a small paragraph regards filters for large aperture, made my filter via this method, albeit it was for a small frac;

Baader Planetarium - making of an inexpencive filter cell

[brianb]

Go for full aperture. You may rarely get the full benefit, and with typical seeing you will probably do better with a reduced aperture (4-6") or even a 3" off axis mask, but you can use a simple cardboard mask with the full aperture filter to reduce aperture if you have to. If you have a small aperture filter, you won't get benefit on the one day the seeing is spectactluarly steady.

[a10ken]

Go for full aperture. You may rarely get the full benefit, and with typical seeing you will probably do better with a reduced aperture (4-6") or even a 3" off axis mask, but you can use a simple cardboard mask with the full aperture filter to reduce aperture if you have to. If you have a small aperture filter, you won't get benefit on the one day the seeing is spectactluarly steady.

Good call mate. best of both worlds(no pun intended)