DIY Solar Filters

My DIY solar filters are ready!

I assembled some cardboard frames to hold sheets of the filter material and attached them to tubes of cardboard that will go over the telescope and finder scope ends that will be pointed toward the sun. Finally, the tubes are set in rigid foam blocks to it able to withstand some handling over the coming years. It’s the same technique I used in 1991.

My T ring and extension tube also arrived. They should allow me to connect my camera to the 90GT telescope.

I’ll be set to take some Sun pictures tomorrow. There’s no eclipse, but I might see some sunspots.

Eclipse Preparations Starting


8″x8″ Solar Filter Bundle

The gear I’ve ordered has started arriving! We’re going to need some filters for the partial phases.

This is the great Mylar filter material from Thousand Oaks Optical. The one 8×8 sheet is enough to build filters for our Celestron 90GT, binoculars, and a few different camera lenses. The filter material is black on one side (eye side) and silver on the other (sun side). Black should help with internal reflections. The included spectacles are made with the same material.