Solar Binoculars

I just found online Celestron Eclipse Binoculars for view the eclipse, or just viewing the sun! Cool!

https://www.amazon.com …art+10x42+solar​+binocular

They also have:

https://www.amazon.com …art+10x25+solar​+binocular

Correct me if I am wrong, the 1st number is the amount of magnification.
The 2nd number is the lens diameter, the larger the number the larger the lens letting in more light also then giving you a better view.

I ordered the 10X42 Binoculars

Inspeqtor wrote in post #18416486
I just found online Celestron Eclipse Binoculars for view the eclipse, or just viewing the sun! Cool!


Correct me if I am wrong, the 1st number is the amount of magnification.
The 2nd number is the lens diameter, the larger the number the larger the lens letting in more light also then giving you a better view.

I ordered the 10X42 Binoculars

Yes and yes (on the meaning of the first and second number). Larger aperture optics also have the ability to resolve finer detail. We are approaching solar minimum so lately there have been fewer visible sunspots.

Light gathering isn't really an issue for the Sun (it's mostly all about light blocking). A consideration for binoculars is weight. Your arms will get tired holding them in front of your eyes for long periods of time. Many binoculars have a standard tripod bolt socket ... but it's usually on the front (at the hinge point - often covered by a plastic cap). You can get a very inexpensive "L" bracket which allows the binoculars to be mounted on any standard tripod or monopod with a 1/4" 20 tpi mounting screw (the standard size).

TCampbell wrote in post #18416522

Inspeqtor wrote in post #18416486
I just found online Celestron Eclipse Binoculars for view the eclipse, or just viewing the sun! Cool!


Correct me if I am wrong, the 1st number is the amount of magnification.
The 2nd number is the lens diameter, the larger the number the larger the lens letting in more light also then giving you a better view.

I ordered the 10X42 Binoculars

Yes and yes (on the meaning of the first and second number). Larger aperture optics also have the ability to resolve finer detail. We are approaching solar minimum so lately there have been fewer visible sunspots.

Light gathering isn't really an issue for the Sun (it's mostly all about light blocking). A consideration for binoculars is weight. Your arms will get tired holding them in front of your eyes for long periods of time. Many binoculars have a standard tripod bolt socket ... but it's usually on the front (at the hinge point - often covered by a plastic cap). You can get a very inexpensive "L" bracket which allows the binoculars to be mounted on any standard tripod or monopod with a 1/4" 20 tpi mounting screw (the standard size).

I noticed this last week while taking practice shots of the sun for the upcoming eclipse, the sun spots were not there, but I had no idea why. Do you know how long it will be before they return?

I had thought about the sun being our only light source that light from the sun would not be a problem

I have a Nikon Binocular that has a tripod L-Bracket. I have no idea if the Celestron will have that or not. I would think to hand hold the binocular tight to your eyes would be safer for looking at the sun than having the binocular bolted to a tripod or monopod.

TCampbell wrote in post #18416522
Yes and yes (on the meaning of the first and second number). Larger aperture optics also have the ability to resolve finer detail. We are approaching solar minimum so lately there have been fewer visible sunspots.

Light gathering isn't really an issue for the Sun (it's mostly all about light blocking). A consideration for binoculars is weight. Your arms will get tired holding them in front of your eyes for long periods of time. Many binoculars have a standard tripod bolt socket ... but it's usually on the front (at the hinge point - often covered by a plastic cap). You can get a very inexpensive "L" bracket which allows the binoculars to be mounted on any standard tripod or monopod with a 1/4" 20 tpi mounting screw (the standard size).

Yes, agreed with a comment.

Inspeqtor wrote in post #18417042
I noticed this last week while taking practice shots of the sun for the upcoming eclipse, the sun spots were not there, but I had no idea why. Do you know how long it will be before they return?

The Sun takes about 25.4 days (a little shy of a month) to do a complete rotation. The equator spins a bit faster than the poles (btw, that 25.4 number is the rate of spin at the equator) and the most activity tends to be near the equator.

You can check out websites like spaceweather.com and spaceweather.live to check for sunspots.

There is a previously established "Active Region" (AR) spinning into view now. (AR2665). It's just on the eastern side at the very edge.

TCampbell wrote in post #18417205
The Sun takes about 25.4 days (a little shy of a month) to do a complete rotation. The equator spins a bit faster than the poles (btw, that 25.4 number is the rate of spin at the equator) and the most activity tends to be near the equator.

You can check out websites like spaceweather.com and spaceweather.live to check for sunspots.

There is a previously established "Active Region" (AR) spinning into view now. (AR2665). It's just on the eastern side at the very edge.

Thank you. There is a lot about astronomy I do not know, for instance I was unaware the sun actually rotated!

From what you are saying then within every month there are periods of time we should see sun spots, and within every month there are periods of time we will not see sun spots.

25.4 will be an easy number to remember because there are 25.4 millimeters in an inch. I work with both millimeters and inches everyday.

Thank you also for the website information.

I got my Binoculars yesterday! I checked Amazon, they are now sold out of both sizes. I must have gotten one of the last ones, if not the very last one in stock.

I used it for the first time between the cloud coverings.... I was hoping to see the orange color of the sun like I get from my Thousand Oaks filter for my camera lens, but it is the silver or grey color.

Still better than not being able to see the sun/eclipse at all!

I will be able to get some good pictures to be able to keep with my Thousand Oaks filter!

I captured sunspots on Aug 4th using the Thousand Oaks on my lens and again on the 9th. I think it was on the 3rd, when I started to test the Thousand Oaks filter, I didn't capture any sunspots. On the 4th I thought my camera sensor was dirty, haha so I confirmed the spots at NASA's todays sunspot site. Both were in the same region, labeled 2670 on the website. The Aug 4th had 2 spots, one big & one very small located lower left-- but only the big spot on the 9th, located on the right side of the sun. NASA's site--
https://sohowww.nascom​.nasa.gov/sunspots/

I have an extra 8x8 sheet of the solar film that I'm thinking about using to make binocular filters. I'm still chewing on the idea.

I read online the sun is in its 11 year cycle of low activity, so there will be times of no sunspots. Also read it's possible the corona during totality won't be as big due to the current cycle. I suppose we'll know soon enough.