Thread: Solar Filters
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Old 03-08-2010, 05:17 PM
astro744
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Quote:
Originally Posted by sheeny View Post
There's no issue with viewing the moon during the day - its no brighter than it is at night. The only thing you have to watch is that you keep the scope away from pointing at the sun when you move it, leave it and especially when looking through it.

Al.
Ditto. Contrast is low though but best time is first quarter (mid-late afternoon class) or last quarter (early-mid morning class). The Moon will be 90deg from the Sun and the terminator will show plenty of craters in both sunlight and shadow.

Venus is possible too in the late afternoon even with the Sun up. It's about 45deg from the Sun so care should be excersised. Use Stellarium to find the exact time when it crosses North and note the altitude of Venus (Stellarium will tell you). Then point your telescope North (Geographic not magnetic) and point it up at the angle Stellarium says and use a low power eyepiece. (First focus on a distant tree to get close to infinity).

Also use a shroud around your truss to ensure no stray light reflects off the mirror no matter what object you are observing during the day. It's also a good idea to extend the front of the telescope with a cardboard 'dew shield' to also act as a light shield to prevent stray light reflecting off the secondary mirror.
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