Polymer Solar Sun Filter

[Pinwheel]

Just received my 12" x 12" full aperture polymer solar sun filter from Israel via eBay. The best $29 spent for a long time. I pre built a cardboard assembly for it & it took a minute to tape the filter down. Having fitted it to my 12" dob, I've just finished having a look at the Sun. FANTASTIC sight, we have a lot of Sun spot activity at the moment.

Anyway I now can use my Dob in the daytime.. Very happy :thumbsup:

http://www.ebay.com.au/itm/Solar-Sun-Filter-Telescope-Sheet-Black-Polymer-12-x12-/270805290538?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item3f0d40ce2a

If anyone is interested!

[Steffen]

Interesting. Have you used Baader Astrosolar film, and can you make a comparison, esp at higher mags?

I only know the black polymer stuff from solar glasses (like the ones sold at the IceInSpace Shop), but have never seen it on a telescope.

Cheers
Steffen.

[Pinwheel]

Steffen, I haven't used Baader, however this stuff is thicker, stronger, 1/3 of the price & has a 15 year warranty. I was just out having a play & I could see some minimal turbulence on the surface around the sun spots. Sadly I can't take photos as my scope is an f5 and I don't plan the shorten it just yet. here's some photo's of the cardboard adapter fitted.

[Renato1]

Very interesting, thanks for that.

I always liked the orange Thousand Oaks stuff better than the Baader white stuff, though my filters are silver rather than black.

Making a filter for my 5" MAK will be my next project.
Cheers,
Renato

[Pinwheel]

I'm Sold, Totally satisfied! And didn't break $30 :thumbsup:

[astro744]

See http://www.thousandoaksoptical.com/solar.html for a list of the different types.

I would think the black polymer would not give as sharp an image as the Baader film since the film is thinner. Thousand Oaks Optical say black polymer is for binoculars, camera lenses and other small aperture instruments. Not sure if there are different types of black polymer.

It is also used for solar glasses that cost a few dollars each.

[Pinwheel]

Not having Baader as a comparison however there is nothing dull or blurry with this stuff, through my 12" is sharp as a pin.

[julianh72]

Ditto - I have never used anything other than the black solar film that I also bought from Israel on eBay.

It gives a nice "natural" yellow image, and it looks perfectly sharp for visual use on all the scopes I have tried it on - 76 mm Newtonian / 90 mm short-tube refractor / 130 mm Newtonian / 200 mm SCT.

The film is slightly "wrinkled" in the cardboard holders that I have made, but the instruction sheet says that is expected, and indeed emphasize that you are NOT supposed to stretch it taut. I can't see any evidence of image distortion arising from looking through a non-flat surface.

[Renato1]

I remember when US Sky and Telescope did a comparison of all solar filters in one issue, and rated them against various criteria.

Then several months later they reviewed the then new Baader filter. They gave it their top rating and said the previous review was now redundant, as Baader was better than all of them.

So, I eventually bought some from Claude in SA, and made a filter for my 80mm ED refractor, for which I already had the Thousand Oaks silvery glass solar filter. From the S&T review, I was expecting to see marvels. Boy, was I disappointed. There was nothing seen through the Baader filter that I couldn't see in the Thousand Oaks one. If anything, I thought the Thousand Oaks one was sharper.

I even later bought the Baader eyepiece filter for use with their solar filter. From memory, it gave the Baader solar filter the most minuscule of advantage over the Thousand Oaks one.

I'm now waiting for my sheet from Israel. Maybe I should make another filter for that 80mm to compare all three?
Cheers,
Renato

[Pinwheel]

All I can say is I paid 1/3 the cost of the USA equivalent & feel completely happy with the result. For the Baader devoted I say try this one for yourself.