Introduction: How to Make a Lockable Solar Filter for a Telescope. Get Ready for the Eclipse 2017

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About: I am an escapee from modern life, now living by the sea in a forest garden in France. After over 20 years industrial experience, I quit my managerial position to study for a degree in Engineering. That done I …

A low-cost but safe way to house an AstroSolar Safety film for fitting onto a telescope for viewing and photographing the Sun. With all the solar activity forecast now is the time to get prepared with this easy to assemble housing made from recycled and repurposed materials. The video has detailed explanations and also some of my first solar images.

There is now a written version of this film on my blog: The Green Lever - How to Make a Locking Solar Filter for a Telescope

MATERIALS AND WHERE TO GET THEM

UPDATE I guess this is not surprising as everyone rushes to get organised, that if you are in the USA and looking to buy from Amazon, then the solar filter film is selling out rapidly and then coming back in stock! As of today August 5th 2017 :-

Baader AstroSolar film 7.9" x 11.4" is now back in stock. They also have a larger sheet, so maybe a group of solar observers could buy this and divide it between them! Baader Planetarium AstroSolar Safety Film Visual, 50x100cm / 19.7" x 39.4"

Just in case the above sell out again! There is also this product to choose from and it gets good reviews: Thousand Oaks Optical Solar Sheet

The rest of the materials were:

an offcut of a PVC sewage pipe,

cardboard sheet and

double-sided adhesive tape.

In the meantime I wish you all Clear Skies and if any one knows anyone on YouTube or elsewhere who will be live streaming it for us on the other side of the Atlantic, that would be great information to have.

Cheers Andy