ORION TELESCOPES & BINOCULARS Deluxe Safety Film Solar Filters Instruction Manual

Orion Deluxe Safety Film
®
Solar Filters
Orion Deluxe Safety Film Solar filters are designed specifi-
cally for safe, white-light observation of the Sun through a
telescope. Made from high-quality Baader AstroSolar™
Film*, they provide sharp, resolved views of sunspots, pen-
umbral detail, solar granulation, and lighter colored faculae.
They are also great for viewing solar eclipses and planetary
transits. You'll see the Sun in a neutral white color, without
any artificial orange or blue tinting as with some other types
of filters.
This filter material (ND5 density) transmits less than 0.001%
of sunlight through the telescope. That might not sound like
much, but it's just enough to see the Sun in its full glory while
keeping your eyes safe from its harmful, intense radiation.
Baader AstroSolar™ safety film has been approved for eye
safety by the National Bureau of Standards in Germany, the
PTB. Unlike any other Solar Filter on the market, AstroSolar™
is CE-tested according to EG-Norm 89/686 and EN 169/92
(notified body 0196). All processes connected to this prod-
uct have been thoroughly tested. Coatings are inspected
constantly for consistency to ensure your eye safety!
Do not use a filter that shows any through-hole bigger than 0.5 mm
or tear! If you suspect a defect, please contact us for return instruc-
tions. All solar filters are covered by a limited liability warranty from
defects in material and workmanship.
WarninG!
DO nOt lOOK at tHE Sun through any optical
instrument without a professionally made solar filter
such as this one covering the front of the instrument, or
permanent eye damage could result!
• Do not use this filter if it shows any sign of physical
damage!
• Make sure filter FITS SNUGLY on the instrument.
• Be sure also to cover any finder scope attached to the
main instrument.
• Children should use only with adult supervision.
• Keep instrument covered if left outdoors in daylight,
unattended.
Providing Exceptional Consumer Optical Products Since 1975
inStructiOn Manual
telescope compatibility
Each Deluxe Safety Film Solar filter is mounted in an alumi-
num cell that slide-fits over the front opening of your tele-
scope. Each filter can fit telescope tube diameters up to 1/4"
smaller than the specified inside diameter (ID) with use of the
included adhesive foam tabs. There are four 1/16" thick tabs
and four 1/8" thick tabs so you can customize a friction fit to
your telescope. A tight friction-fit is required for safe solar
viewing through a telescope.
The filter is also equipped with three equidistant nylon
thumbscrews in the aluminum cell. They are there for extra
security to ensure a safe, snug fit of the solar filter to the
front of your telescope. The thumbscrews are intended to
complement the press-fit foam lining inside the aluminum
cell. Thumbscrews should ONLY be used to keep the filter
securely in place once a friction fit has been achieved.
Pinholes and Filter Safety
Despite the thin, flexible nature of the Orion Deluxe Safety
Film Solar filter material, it is actually a high-strength polymer
that stands up to considerable abuse. The coating on the
polymer cannot easily be rubbed off. It is applied on both
sides of the film. Since it is nearly impossible for any manu-
facturer to produce a filter coating that is completely pinhole-
free, a few pinholes may be found. Even if you find a pinhole
on one side of the filter, however, it is likely that the other side
is still coated, providing sufficient protection. However, if you
find a pinhole bigger than 0.5mm diameter that goes com-
pletely through the filter, do not use it. Call Orion technical
support for advice on returning or replacing the filter.
Check the filter's optical surfaces for any possible damage
before each use. The view through your telescope should be
comfortable and not appear excessively bright. Stop looking
immediately if the view is excessively bright.
Note that rippling or warping in the film material is normal
with Safety Film Solar filters and does not have any effect on
the image you will see or on the filter's safety.
using the Solar Filter
Make sure the filter fits securely onto the front opening of the
telescope. If it feels loose or comes off easily, DO NOT use it!
Call Orion customer service to see about getting a replace-
ment.
Keep the front of any finder scope covered with its opaque
objective cap or a couple layers of aluminum foil, if it is not
equipped with its own solar filter. Better yet, remove the find-
er altogether when observing the Sun. An uncovered finder
scope is dangerous to look through. Even if you do not look
through it, however, unfiltered sunlight could melt internal
parts of a finder scope.
To aim the telescope with solar filter installed at the Sun with-
out aid of a finder scope equipped with a solar filter, you can
use the shadow cast by the telescope as a guide. Point your
telescope in the general direction of the Sun, and watch the
shadow cast by the telescope tube on the ground. Move the
tube gradually back and forth, up and down until the shadow
is the smallest it will get. The Sun should then be visible in the
eyepiece field of view.
IN 548 Rev. A 3/15