Solar Amateur Astronomy Presentation

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Bob Yoesle
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Solar Amateur Astronomy Presentation

Post by Bob Yoesle »

A surprise came to me recently when a CN member found and posted links to a pair of on-line YouTube videos of a Rose City Astronomers introductory-level presentation on the world of solar amateur astronomy I did back in October 2019.

Here's a link to the post if anyone is interested in viewing this pair of video's. They run a total of about 58 minutes.


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Re: Solar Amateur Astronomy Presentation

Post by eroel »

Bob:
Thanks for sharing your interesting solar talks, they remind me of the talks I had made since I started in 1950 with solar observing.
I was 12 years old when I started observing the Sun. it was very dangerous to observe with the equipment we had and the information at our disposal.
Best regards.
Eric.


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Re: Solar Amateur Astronomy Presentation

Post by Bob Yoesle »

Thanks Eric,

I remember it like yesterday when my 60 mm Unitron's dark glass eyepiece filter cracked just after I had looked away! I was about 12 at the time as well, and had brought it on a vacation with family at Feather River in northern California... great times and a valuable lesson ;-)

Clear skies,

Bob


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Re: Solar Amateur Astronomy Presentation

Post by Martin_S »

Bob, these terrible things are still around.

Martin
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Re: Solar Amateur Astronomy Presentation

Post by Bob Yoesle »

Yes, it's unfortunate. :shock:

I always recommend breaking the filter and throwing it away and replacing with an objective filter or Herschel wedge.


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Re: Solar Amateur Astronomy Presentation

Post by arnedanielsen »

Bob Yoesle wrote: Sun Jun 20, 2021 3:42 am Thanks Eric,

I remember it like yesterday when my 60 mm Unitron's dark glass eyepiece filter cracked just after I had looked away! I was about 12 at the time as well, and had brought it on a vacation with family at Feather River in northern California... great times and a valuable lesson ;-)

Clear skies,

Bob
I've got one of these gems!! :-)

When I grew up an astro-buddy of mine had the same filter for his 100mm Unitron folded refractor. The filter cracked and when he bought a new one he gave the old one to me, which I have kept as a warning. Luckily we mostly used the Sun projecting screen set and we have both our eyes intact.
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Best regards,
Arne


Best regards,
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Re: Solar Amateur Astronomy Presentation

Post by EGRAY_OBSERVATORY »

A good reminder of the dangers that can behold those not-accustomed to looking at our very-hot and dangerous friend...

Terry


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Re: Solar Amateur Astronomy Presentation

Post by DeepSolar64 »

I had a couple of these eyepiece solar filters back in the late 70's and early 80's. I never had them to crack luckily. Upon learning the dangers of them I went to projection but never liked the view as well.

Of course, now I use over the objective filters and/or a Herschel wedge to do the job.

I had no idea these filters were still being sold. I thought they had passed the way of the dinosaur by the end of the 1980's.

I am curious, would adding an ERF to the front objective block enough infrared to make these filters safe to use?

James


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Re: Solar Amateur Astronomy Presentation

Post by Rusted »

DeepSolar64 wrote: Mon Jun 21, 2021 2:52 am
I am curious, would adding an ERF to the front objective block enough infrared to make these filters safe to use?

James
Only in the sense that the image would be so dark that you'd have to remove the VERY DANGEROUS eyepiece filter to view the sun safely with a front mounted and approved, Solar Foil filter.

I had a similar effect when I forgot to remove the green Solar Continuum filter from the eyepiece of my H-a telescope. Everything went very dark. LIke mixing green paint with red to make black paint.

It might have been interesting if the backstreet cheapskates who build these VERY DANGEROUS eyepiece filters had invested some R&D into a semi-reflective filter. Partial silvering or aluminising? Nah, there'd be no profit in doing it safely and properly. :roll:


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Re: Solar Amateur Astronomy Presentation

Post by DeepSolar64 »

Really that, Rusted!! An aluminized coating on the sunward side of the filter may help those filters be more safe. But it's a moot point now, over the aperture filters are cheaper and more readily available than they were when these more dangerous filters were popular. Solar wedges are also more easily obtained and less expensive.


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