Solar Optical Thin Film Sheets
To accomplish direct solar viewing safely, this 9” X 12” precut sheet of black thin film will allow no more than .001% of the sunlight through, creating a neutral density of five with a yellowish-orange image. It is safe for using with any set of binoculars, refractor, spotting scopes, telescope, or view finders that is creating magnification. They can be used for viewing directly or you can create your own eclipse viewers and/or solar filters. You can also view the sun with these sheets with your naked eye, a camera, and even video cameras with just one layer, using nothing more than a pair of scissors. The .002″ thick material can also be cut with a sharp razor because it is extremely sturdy material that is easy to manage while working with it.
If you own a large aperture reflecting telescopes and plan to cover it with an 8” or bigger telescope by Newtonian or Schmidt-Cassegrain as an observation tool, we recommend that you create an off-axis filter cell.
Safely Storing Your Filter
When not in use, you should place the filter in a covered plastic container that will keep it dry and keep it from getting damaged.
THE FOLLOWING SAFETY PRECAUTIONS MUST BE OBSERVED
EACH TIME YOU DO A SOLAR OBSERVATION!
By not following these steps, serious damage to the eyes or permanent blindness could occur!
Prior to using the solar filter, be sure it has a correct fit and the integrity is clear. If there is any damage to the filter, you should get a replacement. If there are any holes in your Spectrum Telescope product, DO NOT use it. Any size of holes will weaken the cell and it won’t stay in place.
- Place the filter on & off the telescope, making certain that it can’t be accidentally knocked off or blown off by wind gusts.
- It is our recommendation that the filter be taped onto the telescope for additional safety.
- Be certain before using that cylinder and filter cell are glued together securely.
- Look for pinholes by holding the filter up to the sky. This should show you any pinholes or places where light is leaking through.
The eyepiece filter material should NEVER be used any other place than the optical path of the telescope. The filter will burn in a matter of seconds because of the intense concentration of light energy, similar to catching leaves on fire with a magnifying glass, only quicker. The filter works ONLY when it is attached to the refractor objective’s FRONT aperture, or the Schmidt plate front of a Schmidt-Cassegrain telescope, or a Newtonian telescope’s tube FRONT.
Always verify your telescope’s viewfinder is covered properly with either a solar filter that is made as described or the dust cover that comes with the scope originally. Consequences of having an unprotected view through the finder-scope could be catastrophic to the eyes similar to that of looking through the main telescope.
A filter manufactured of filter material for the Spectrum Telescope is fairly resistant against breakage versus that of a glass filter. Care should be taken when using objects that are sharp pointed. Any filter that is punctured should be disposed. Same is to be said of any glass filter that is cracked. Safety should be emphasized when others are present in using the scope for observation, especially with children present. A person’s eyesight can be damaged if the filter is damaged or removed. There is no room for joking around when using this instrument and it should never be left unattended outside during the daytime!