Page:Illustrated Astronomy.pdf/97

 WATCHING THE SUN DIRECTLY (AND SAFELY)

There are different ways to watch the Sun directly, with or without zoom. In the case of no using zoom, we can get glasses specially designed for it. It is imperative to have certified glasses to avoid retina damages; you must ensure the glasses block the 99,999 % of the solar light.



If you decide to watch the Sun with zoom, you can do it using binoculars or telescopes well equipped with filters specially designed to watch the Sun. There are two types of filters:

1 · “Gray” filters or neutral density filters, which block all the light equally and create a sight of the Sun as seen with glasses. You can see the Sun a bit bigger, and perhaps you distinguish its solar spots.

2 · Narrowband filters, particularly hydrogen-alpha filter, which block all the light except a very particular reddish color that allows the solar chromosphere, solar spots, eruptions or solar flares, and granulation to stand out. The telescopes full equipped with these filters are suitable to watch the Sun all the time, but they are not a great advantage during an eclipse.



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