Warning: Always use the solar filter on your telescope and make sure it is properly installed prior to looking towards the sun. Take time to read and review the important facts within these instructions. A few minutes now will give you hours of enjoyment.
Shipping Information: Should you receive your order with damaged item from transit, the following steps should be followed: Keep all of the inner and outer packaging that your scope arrives in. Contact our tech support department using the number listed above. A claim will be initiated by the carrier for arrangements to collect the package at your location. Once we have been notified by the carrier, who will provide us a claim number, we will ship your replacement unit within two to five business days. Do not ship any damaged item directly to us yourself unless you have received an RMA (return merchandise authorization) from Spectrum Telescope.
To Clean Your Glass Solar Filter: Using a soft cloth with isopropyl alcohol, clean the outside of your filter as frequently as needed. The filter’s inside has a coating and may be cleaned in the same manner. Remember that the coated surface is delicate and excessive rubbing may scratch it, even remove it.
KEEP Your Solar Filter Clean: Handle your optical filter with care and keep it in the protective case that comes with it when you’re not using it. To minimize any unintentional contamination or damage risks. When pinholes occur, they should be blocked out before you use the filter.
How To Block Pin Holes: Before you use the filter, check for pinholes each time as follows: With the filter’s inside facing you and outward and facing a standard CLEAR light bulb of 60, 75 watt NOT LED light approximately 12 to 24 inches away from the bulb. Avoid getting too close so that you don’t burn the film. Another proven method is to check for pinholes by looking toward the sky from one end to the other end of the filter. Any pinholes you find with either of these steps must be blocked on the coated inside surface. You can make up to twenty touch-ups for each inch of the clear aperture without having any adverse effects on the filter’s performance and/or safety. You can block the pinholes with either a tiny small spec of paint, a marker with a fine tip, or even correction fluid without worry about diminishing the filter’s optical performance. It is common for glass solar filters to have pinholes and/or scratches. Prior to using any filter, it is recommended to double check them before using the unit. Thin Film Solar Filters can be cleaned in just like the glass filters, however, use extreme caution not to poke holes into the unit’s film.
Mounting Your Solar Filter: Before you observe the sun with your Solar Filter, take the time to allow it to equalize with the temperature outside by placing it in the shade for 15 minutes. Install the filter with the scope pointing upward and sliding the filter carefully over the telescope end. Depending on the filter size, there will be several thumb screws found to the side. Hand-tighten the thumb screws snug to center the filter. This will keep the filter in place when pointing downward. If your size of filter only comes with 1 thumb screw, it is for centering the filter. By placing the felt on the filters inside opposite of the thumb screw and tighten it snug, but not too tight, to the felt pad. Be careful not to over tighten! Over tightening can distort the image, crack the glass, or strip the screws. Hand tightening the screw allows it to expand as it warms up.
Off Axis Solar Filters: These can be cleaned the same way as you clean the glass solar filters, using extreme caution to avoid scratching the glass’ coated surface that is in the direction of the unit. When you mount the off axis filter, the scope’s glass aperture needs be as close to a twelve o’clock position as possible.
Warning: The finder scope should always be covered if there isn’t any solar filter in place. Looking at the sun through the finder scope minus a solar filter can cause damage to the eye in less than a second. By practicing, you can get in close alignment simply by moving the tube assemblage till you reach the least bit of shadow casted behind you.
REMEMBER
- When unattended keep your filter out of direct sunlight so that the tube assemblage doesn’t warm enough which causes internal heat currents that will lessen the image quality.
- Check for pinholes, scratches, and other damage prior to every use.
- If you do not have a solar filter on your finder scope, cover it.
- Allow the temperature of the filter and the telescope to equalize by sitting it outside in the shade for 15 minutes.
- Use a light color cloth that covers the tube assemblage.
- Use your scope while standing on grass and not over a building or pavement so that you aren’t exposing the unit to surface heat currents.
- When you remove the solar filter, never aim your telescope toward the sun.
- Never leave your telescope unattended and stay with your scope when a child or an inexperienced adult is using it.
- Only clean your solar filter’s coated inside surface when absolutely necessary.
- If you experience “ghosting”, it most likely is from internal reflections and can be corrected by slightly tilting the filter.
- Never install your filter on a smaller size telescope that what it is designed for. This can damage the unit’s coating and/or substrate.
- When using an eyepiece to look through the telescopes focusing portion, the coating may show small defects. This is common and should not be of any concern.