Solar Filter Cell

[iceman (Mike)]

My baader astrosolar film finally arrived today, so I could finish the construction of my solar filter cell.

Here's a few pics, hopefully it will get it's first light tomorrow.





I've rescheduled to go to my son's preschool on Wednesday, hopefully the weather will co-operate! I spent all night (with my wife, thanks Kate ) putting together the handouts that I'm going to give the kiddies! After all the effort we went to, I hope that they're interested!

[Mick (Michael)]

Looks good Ice. There's not a lot of Sunspots at the moment.

[beren]

Cool Ice , good luck with the weather and the kids

[iceman (Mike)]

Amazingly enough, the weather gods shone some sunshine on my area of the world today, which was fortunate as I had the day off to take my telescope to my son's preschool and show the kids the sun and give them a brief talk about astronomy etc.

I'll do a full report of that fun event tomorrow when I get a bit of time..

Anyway here's some pictures in my backyard from 8am this morning when the sun first started to shine and I got to give the solar filter its first light!






I took some quick afocal shots (handheld, not on the tripod this time) with my digital camera, they turned out ok.. there's only 1 small sunspot on the sun at the moment so there wasn't too much to look at. I've gotta process them tomorrow morning, and i'll post them up then.

[Mick (Michael)]

Good on you Ice, I bet the Kids were wrapped. This is OT but there is nothing like taking Astronomy to Kids. This is a photo from a few years ago.

[iceman (Mike)]

The kids were excited, but I think they were just a little too young.. i'll do it again next year when my son goes to primary school, because the kids at preschool (4 and 5 yr olds) were too young to have an interest by themselves unless their mum or dad had an interest (like my son Jacob ).

The teachers at the preschool were interested though, and i'm planning to go back at the start of EST next year and do an evening planet session.. i mean the kids don't really get too much out of looking at a white circle, especially since there was only 1 tiny sunspot to see, and half the kids couldn't work out closing one eye

If I had a PST, that would be a different story though!

Cool photo Mick, what scope is that, and what are you showing them? I hope that's not pointing at the sun without a filter!

Those kids look about the right age too, to be independantly interested and ask some tricky questions.

The kids at preschool are funny, you ask them if they've got any questions, and half of the kids put up their hand, and when you ask them, they have no idea what to say or what to ask.. they just want to get picked Kids are funny sometimes

[Mick (Michael)]

It's a 50mm Tasco about 30 years old, it was my first telescope. We were looking at a heart shaped sunspot using solar projection, it's safe just don't get your fingers to close to the image. It was a fun day for me and the kids, Grade 3 kids can ask some really good questions.

[[1ponders] (Paul)]

Wicked filter Iceman. Any chance and sharing the wherefrom and how much and how to.

Paul

[iceman (Mike)]

But of course Paul!

Filter: $45 + $10 postage from Telescopes & Astronomy in SA, for a 30x30 cm sheet of film.

Cell: Made using instructions here

And that's it, it was really easy.

I'll be putting up on the Projects section, maybe tomorrow, but it won't really contain any more information than what i've just given you

Well worth it for the low cost.

I'm not sure how the cell would work on a SCT, I guess it wouldn't be too much different.

[[1ponders] (Paul)]

Thanks for that mike. Days seem to be a bit better than nights at the moment so I'll get some observing time in at last

[loopy]

Hey Mike, have you snapped osme shots with it yet?

Cheers,


Brad

[iceman (Mike)]

There's a couple of quick and dirty afocal shot in the Solar System forum, but I haven't taken any ToUcam shots yet, I get the laptop again next week so will try then.