The How Zone

Photographing the Sun

A Better Setup


If you haven't read the safety precautions, please do so now. Also, while you are setting things up, be sure to leave the caps on both ends of the telescope.

Now that you've projected the sun onto a surface you've probably noticed how bright everything is. Makes it tough to really focus on the solar spots when everything is glowing a blazing white. What you need is a little bit of shade.

Poncho Wearing Telescope

This is my latest attempt at shade. It's a backpacking poncho, with the hood/neck slipped over the telescope and tied off with the poncho body extended. We have lots of wind and this is still a bit of a challenge on the big gusts. Luckily our telescope mount is heavy. Make sure you keep the material away from the focused sunlight coming out of the lens. You'll also want to retain access to the focus knob.

If you are handy, you might even construct a large, solid box. I read of one fellow who projected into his house through an open window. Drop me an email with your ideas/setups and I'll post them here.

Here's another look at the other side of the poncho for reference.

Projection Setup

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