I didn't think about the fact that you could line up the telescope with the shadow on the ground. My brain wasn't thinking three-dimensionally. Thank you.

You're welcome! I did just a little bit in this week's regular video, and realized that there was a lot more I should have covered. This way it hits pretty much everything, I think.

Yes, the Sun can blind you almost instantaneously.

The problem is, "seeming to really dim things" doesn't mean that dangerous, eye-damaging light isn't reaching your eye. Just because the image of the Sun didn't hurt, does not mean that you didn't damage your eyes. Practice safe solar; use only #14 or another safe method, or view online. It isn't worth risking your eyesight.

It's not that it's more intense; it's that it is just *as* intense as when the Moon isn't covering it. There is enough sunlight reaching your eyes during an eclipse to still cause serious damage. Always better to err on the side of safety than wind up with temporary - or worse, permanent - eye damage.

Thank you - that is some stock music purchased on at a stock media website. It is called "Building Suspense."

blobrana responded to this correctly in your other post, but I'll ad to it: If you use a solar filter, then yes. If not, remember that the lens of the camera will concentrate the light on the small CCD chip in your camera. That will destroy the pixels rather quickly. Best to use a pinhole projector - they are simple and inexpensive to make, and safe.

Indeed, dim is not always safe. Photographic film, for example, will dim the visible light, but lets though a lot (~50% ?) of the dangerous Infra-red light. Even some 'proper' solar filters do not block out IR light - only reduce it to 'acceptable' levels.

I think because your pupils adjust to the darkness (allow more light into the eye) however because it's just as intense it's worse than looking at it on a normal day because your eyes adjust differently.

To put the Solar filter in front of your eyes before you view the sun! great idea & Good advise ! learn something new ! Thank you .

Only for a *total* solar eclipse, and only naked eye, is my understanding - and even then, it is not advisable, because when the Moon exposes the Sun again, you can damage your eye. The one coming up this Sunday is an annular solar eclipse, meaning a part of the Sun's surface will still be visible, making it unsafe to view it directly at all times without a proper filter or other safe method.

Yeah, when researching this I came across that and just thought, "Wow... really?" But you never know what kind of advice people get or ideas they come up with, so I figured I better include that.

Fahwad - and David. Wow - I didn´t know these filters could break. I guess it must be from the heat and possible tensions in the glass. I once experienced troubles after welding steel parts of my yacht, that was bad enough. My eyepiece will definitely be trown into the bin. Thanks again David.

New to astronomy and got really lucky to find this interesting and educational videos. Btw love youre theme song. Where did you get it? Thanks

live in a small place dont have a shop like that.... i looked... was thinking amazon but by the time i new it was to late to ship espesally since the eclipse was on a sunday. i shall get a pair before hand thanks for the dates!

blobrana responded to this correctly in another post below, but I'll add to it: If you use a solar filter, then yes. If not, remember that the lens of the camera will concentrate the light on the small CCD chip in your camera. That will destroy the pixels rather quickly. Best to use a pinhole projector - they are simple and inexpensive to make, and safe.

I'm guessing you put it at an angle so you do not get any reflections inside the tube from the filter...? Good call on the "shiny vs. polymer" films; I've used both, and I agree, the shiny ones produce very detailed images.

Yes, (with solar filters) that is the safest way - but best to ask permission first. ;)

Of course, someone would for sure have used poptart wrappers for visual use and end up in hospital. Proper (and costing the same as poptarts) solar viewing eyeglasses (available from any telescope shop) can be used with the camera. BTW, next partial solar eclipse for you is on the 23rd October, 2014 and a superb total solar eclipse on the 21st August, 2017.

Hey would some solar filter film be a lot better that some #14 welding glass

why doesn't stacking the welder's glass work? I already just tried that before I knew not too and it seemed to really dim things with two 10's. I tried stacking 3 glasses together and I couldn't even see the sun anymore.

ahhhhhhh! wish you said poptart before ahhhhhh! i just got some ahhhh! darn...... well still got some pretty pics.

Incredible.

What about doing astrophotography of the sun? Would I just put my camera on the telescope like normal?

If theres an eclipse but the sky is cloudy and the sun is not visible to #14 glass, can I use lower # of the glass like 12 or 10 where the sun is not too bright and it is covered by the clouds? I subscribed

Hello. I greately appreciate your videos. In fact they made me actually use my telescope. There´s one thing I don´t understand. I have a sun filter to be screwed into the eyepiece and use it together with the aperture reducer. Why is it that you recommend not to use this method ? I can´t see how unfiltered sunlight should get to my eyes using the filter and aperture reducer. Best - fahwad.

What was the name of the Guy who did this instructional video.

I've actually tried without a solar filter and it the pictures turn out bad - too much glare; lt didn't break the CCD chip that time, but it could have. Also you can't really tell from the screen if the capture is good. I've taken images of the sun through low cloud, and they can turn out OK, BUT the best method is to make a pinhole projector, or a pinhole dustcap for the camera (if the lens is removable) or get a proper solar filter, (for ONLY camera work you can use plastic-silver food wrap)

well my digital camera only has a digital screen so what i mean is it ok to view it on my screen or thorugh... like at an angle to avoid looking directly.

these days its telrods, star pointers, and red dots, remember to take those off before viewing the sun SAFELY

Hi Fahwad - The eyepiece filters are dangerous because they are located very near the focal point of the telescope, so all of the incoming light is more focused and concentrated at this point. It is much like if you were to focus a magnifying glass to burn paper, or leaves, an ant. That eyepiece filter is in the same location; all the Sun's light is concentrated, and if the filter breaks (which they can, and have), you could be blinded. Save your eyesight; throw that filter away.

Good advice, but i have to admit that i do actually glance at the sun through a thick CD held at arms length - poor image though. For real observing, i personally use the shiny A4 sheet solar film fitted to a DIY telescope fitting; it's not mounted 'face on' at 90 degrees like premade solar filters - its got a slight slope (70-80 degrees) when fitted to the telescope (i'll leave you to puzzle over the reasons for that). BTW, the shiny films are slightly sharper than the carbon polymer filters.

It is never safe to look at the Sun without proper protection. Of course, if someone told you 1 or 2 hours BEFORE sunrise, as you said, that's fine - because the Sun isn't visible yet. ;-)

whats the worst that can happen? is that how people become blind?

But than why do people buy sun filters? For the eyepieces

Yeah, no reflections and improved contrast - not a problem if the film is not shiny on both sides ie like a polymer filter. i would also add that i prefer the pleasingly beautiful 'Ipomoea tricolor' blue (or white) solar images of the solar films, compared to the (some would say more lifelike) orangey images from carbon polymer filters (which i believe are just a non messy version of 'soot on glass'). ;)

is it ok to take pics or video of a solar eclipse .

So if I have a reflector and it comes with an aperture stop, do I still need solar film to view the sun through the eyepiece? Or do I only need an aperture stop if I’m doing eyepiece projection? I didn’t really understand that part

What about using multiple layers of a quality 5% window tint?

I used 2 smoked glass and 2 aluminum filter bond together and it works great i can see the sunspots and solar eclipses, is it safe? It reduced the suns glare too much, But how about the UV rays?

The moon is essentially just a black disk, and with a filter you won't see it because of the suns glare. For just camera shots the 'poptart' plastic-silver food wrappers would have been better than sunglasses.

or i mean looking at the solar eclipse through the screen of a digital camera.

ok so it doesnt really show on camera i see the sun's shape but no moon..... then i used a left over burger king cup made a pin hole and taped an index card to a wall and the eclipse was almost complete. i used these sunglasses to take pics it looked real pretty but the eclipse didnt really show up.

Do solar filters work with astronomy binoculars?

I have a hard time finding the sun using the shadow method, does anyone know a better way?

Not a good idea without a proper filter.

thanks and tea and coffee LOL:P

oh..... so it will break the camera...... what if i just take quick pics then. hmmmmm....

ugh so much for that.

How do I point my telescope at the sun????? I can never get it in view and I just end up blinding myself by looking at it by trying to point it holy fuck I don’t get how I’m suppose to find the sun

Parts of the Sun will still be visible during the eclipse - so you'll need to use a solar filter at all times.

so funny