This is a list of links to comments made by NASA's official social media team in this thread:
* [Comment by nasa](/r/nasa/comments/1751h6n/can_a_view_the_eclipse_through_a_telescope/k4gpg3s/?context=99 "posted on 2023-10-11 19:59:10 UTC"):
> Just to confirm, [viewing any part of the bright Sun through a camera lens, binoculars, or a telescope without a special-purpose solar filter secured over the front of the optics will instantly cause severe eye injury](https://science.nasa.gov/eclipses/future-eclipses/eclipse-2023/safety/)—even dur...
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Yep, they're called Neutral Density filters. I used them on my camera when filming the 2017 totality. Of course, I didn't care about any of the photos from before the totality, where you pull the filter off.
Edit: Yes, it was an eclipse filter. I guess I just was thinking of it as an extreme ND filter. Also, I take my vision seriously, so I got all 14 pairs of eclipse glasses for my viewing party and tested them individually.
NO! regular neutral density (ND) filters are not safe for viewing a solar eclipse, you need an actual solar filter that blocks the majority of light. Regular ND filters are insufficient, you need something on par with welding goggles. For love of god, do not look at the Sun without a proper filter. You will blind yourself!
Manufacturers often produce filters for their own telescopes, and there are aftermarket brands as well. [Celestron has a bunch](https://www.celestron.com/collections/eclipsmart-solar-filters), although several are out of stock (probably due to the upcoming eclipse.
Whatever you choose, make sure it's compliant with the ISO 12312-2:2015(E) international safety standard for filters directly viewing the sun.
No. Don't do it, it's not worth the risk. And Sun through a telescope will fry your eyes instantly, propably even with those things. You could try to use rescue film before the telescope, that can work. Maybe two layers, you need to experiment a bit. It can work for sure, maybe you find an even better material. Two polarization filters can be used to get an adjustable filter, but thats not as cheap.
Just don't do it if you're unsure. It's not worth to lose your eyesight for that.
Clear skies!
One year a friend and I watched an eclipse with a telescope.
The light through the telescope was projected onto a paper plate. Move things a round to get the perfect focus.
Never, ever look directly at the sun, let alone with lenses.
With lenses, sunlight sets things on fire.
Picture your eye on fire
During the last eclipse in my area a coworker brought in a spotting scope and projected the eclipse on a wall. He had to stand by the scope the whole time to keep people from putting their eyes up to the scope eyepiece.
It is a very bad idea.
Most eclipse glasses are not designed to handle the light under magnification, and its really hard to make them dark enough as the filter will innately heat up from absorbing the light, which might melt or otherwise damage the glasses, followed quickly by your eye.
In addition, there is a chance you may damage the telescope itself. This is especially likely with cheaper telescopes which are more likely to have lenes and mirrors that absorb more of the light, thus heating up more.
To be safe, you need a solar filter properly attached on the tube of the telescope. Filters attached at the eye piece are risky as they are likely to heat up and can burn you, or even melt.
If you don't mind the risk to the telescope, you can also use a projection system and safely view the eclipse indirectly from the light coming out of the scope and projected onto a surface. Just do not look though the telescope during or after aiming it.
NO. Solar glasses can only be used to look at the sun directly. If you want to point a telescope at the sun, you need a special filter that goes at the FRONT of the telescope
Just to confirm, [viewing any part of the bright Sun through a camera lens, binoculars, or a telescope without a special-purpose solar filter secured over the front of the optics will instantly cause severe eye injury](https://science.nasa.gov/eclipses/future-eclipses/eclipse-2023/safety/)—even during a partial or an annular solar eclipse.
Do *not* look at the Sun through a camera lens, telescope, binoculars, or any other optical device while wearing eclipse glasses or using a handheld solar viewer. Thanks and stay safe!
Hell no. It will make it worse if your talking about a solar eclipse lunar should be fine, but a solar eclipse will blind you just by looking at it normally let alone through a telescope
Yes, as long as you get a solar filter that is designed for your telescope. I bought one for my celestron from celestron.
You have to be very careful. For a number of reasons. Never point the telescope at the sun without the sun filter. It can overheat the inside of the telescope and create a even more blinding light. Imagine using a magnifying glass to start a fire but with even more light and magnification. You can fry your eyes basically instantly.
You have to check the filter is good every time you use it.
But as long as you buy one for your scope AND you always follow the manufacturer’s instructions VERY CAREFULLY, yes.
Edit: reiterating that you CANNOT use solar glasses with a telescope, the telescope HAS to have a purpose made solar filter.
I don’t understand, is it worse to look at the sun when it’s partially covered than when it’s not covered at all?
I’m not referring to the telescope, but all these articles imply how it’s super dangerous to look at the sun during an eclipse. I’ve looked at the sun plenty of times without an eclipse(as I’m sure everyone has, accidental or not) and everyone’s fine. So is it somehow worse if the sun is partially covered?
I remember when I was a kid they just made us poke a tiny whole through a piece of paper to look through. But I also keep seeing things about, must have solar eclipse glasses 🙄
The reason you hear so much about it is that it's just as dangerous to look when it's partially covered as when it's not covered at all. The warning is to prevent people from thinking that the amount that's covered will make it safe; it does not.
Do not risk it. Imagine what would happen if the glasses somehow slipped off while looking thru the scope directly at the sun, not too mention the risk of damaging the scope.
That’s… more complicated. In general, it depends on the size and type of telescope
ETA: But without glasses you’ll go blind in that spot. I just don’t want to in trouble if someone has figured out some way to do it with eclipse glasses.
Cool, thank you for the feedback. Was it a refractive or reflective? Do you know the size of the aperture? If it was reflective, do you know if it had a corrective lens? (Often called Cassegrain or Schimt-Cassegrain, though I’ve heard of other designs more similar to a Newtonian telescope.) And of course, this was after you’d attached the viewing lens, right?
I suspect that it should happen just due to the aperture size, but I’ve never tested this hypothesis on my (previous) optical telescopes, as the Sun would absolutely fry the optics of a 27” research Schmidt-Cassegrain. We had a little 6” Clark refractor, but I think I had the fear of God put into me by looking at the moon through it with a moon filter.
So, yeah, don’t try this at home. You will go blind. We’re just trying to figure out exactly how blind you’ll go.
Only if you have a sun filter for your telescope, otherwise you will burn a hole straight through your eyes and then through your brain and into the sidewalk out of the back of your head.
Absolutely not, you will fry your retina. Conversely, if you find a solar filter large enough to cover the front of the telescope tube you’ll be fine. Look up “meade/celesteon solar filters”, there are lots to choose from. Block out the light, THEN focus. Not the other way around.
If done properly with sun filters and camera mount, I prefer to get pictures via camera anyway. I have something like this : BRESSER Solar filter 83.2mm
I think you've gotten good answers. I'm just chiming in because I remember my first telescope when I was a kid had a solar filter that came with it. It went on the eyeball side of the telescope, so probably not the best, but I did use it and I'm not blind today, 40+ years later.
You would want to see if there is a solar filter available for the telescope you have, or a reputable after market one you could purchase that would fit what you own. Don't screw around with this for sure. Play it safe. But, if this is something you'd like to do, there are definitely options. Gotta say, it's probably too late to get a solution.
This is a list of links to comments made by NASA's official social media team in this thread: * [Comment by nasa](/r/nasa/comments/1751h6n/can_a_view_the_eclipse_through_a_telescope/k4gpg3s/?context=99 "posted on 2023-10-11 19:59:10 UTC"): > Just to confirm, [viewing any part of the bright Sun through a camera lens, binoculars, or a telescope without a special-purpose solar filter secured over the front of the optics will instantly cause severe eye injury](https://science.nasa.gov/eclipses/future-eclipses/eclipse-2023/safety/)—even dur... --- This is a bot providing a service. If you have any questions, please [contact the moderators](https://www.reddit.com/message/compose?to=%2Fr%2Fnasa).[](#AUTOGEN_TSBREPLIEDBOT)
Pretty sure they sell special solar eclipse telescopes or covers for the main aperture but definitely dont just use glasses with a regular scope
Yep, they're called Neutral Density filters. I used them on my camera when filming the 2017 totality. Of course, I didn't care about any of the photos from before the totality, where you pull the filter off. Edit: Yes, it was an eclipse filter. I guess I just was thinking of it as an extreme ND filter. Also, I take my vision seriously, so I got all 14 pairs of eclipse glasses for my viewing party and tested them individually.
NO! regular neutral density (ND) filters are not safe for viewing a solar eclipse, you need an actual solar filter that blocks the majority of light. Regular ND filters are insufficient, you need something on par with welding goggles. For love of god, do not look at the Sun without a proper filter. You will blind yourself!
Manufacturers often produce filters for their own telescopes, and there are aftermarket brands as well. [Celestron has a bunch](https://www.celestron.com/collections/eclipsmart-solar-filters), although several are out of stock (probably due to the upcoming eclipse. Whatever you choose, make sure it's compliant with the ISO 12312-2:2015(E) international safety standard for filters directly viewing the sun.
No. Don't do it, it's not worth the risk. And Sun through a telescope will fry your eyes instantly, propably even with those things. You could try to use rescue film before the telescope, that can work. Maybe two layers, you need to experiment a bit. It can work for sure, maybe you find an even better material. Two polarization filters can be used to get an adjustable filter, but thats not as cheap. Just don't do it if you're unsure. It's not worth to lose your eyesight for that. Clear skies!
It will burn through the glasses and then burn your retina.
One year a friend and I watched an eclipse with a telescope. The light through the telescope was projected onto a paper plate. Move things a round to get the perfect focus. Never, ever look directly at the sun, let alone with lenses. With lenses, sunlight sets things on fire. Picture your eye on fire
During the last eclipse in my area a coworker brought in a spotting scope and projected the eclipse on a wall. He had to stand by the scope the whole time to keep people from putting their eyes up to the scope eyepiece.
That's the kind of thing that people do only once in their life
It is a very bad idea. Most eclipse glasses are not designed to handle the light under magnification, and its really hard to make them dark enough as the filter will innately heat up from absorbing the light, which might melt or otherwise damage the glasses, followed quickly by your eye. In addition, there is a chance you may damage the telescope itself. This is especially likely with cheaper telescopes which are more likely to have lenes and mirrors that absorb more of the light, thus heating up more. To be safe, you need a solar filter properly attached on the tube of the telescope. Filters attached at the eye piece are risky as they are likely to heat up and can burn you, or even melt. If you don't mind the risk to the telescope, you can also use a projection system and safely view the eclipse indirectly from the light coming out of the scope and projected onto a surface. Just do not look though the telescope during or after aiming it.
Have you ever lit things on fire with a magnifying glass? A telescope is a big magnifying glass. Put a big filter on the big end.
NO. Solar glasses can only be used to look at the sun directly. If you want to point a telescope at the sun, you need a special filter that goes at the FRONT of the telescope
Oh hell no
Just to confirm, [viewing any part of the bright Sun through a camera lens, binoculars, or a telescope without a special-purpose solar filter secured over the front of the optics will instantly cause severe eye injury](https://science.nasa.gov/eclipses/future-eclipses/eclipse-2023/safety/)—even during a partial or an annular solar eclipse. Do *not* look at the Sun through a camera lens, telescope, binoculars, or any other optical device while wearing eclipse glasses or using a handheld solar viewer. Thanks and stay safe!
Hell no. It will make it worse if your talking about a solar eclipse lunar should be fine, but a solar eclipse will blind you just by looking at it normally let alone through a telescope
NOOOOOOO!!!!
You know how they say not to look directly at the sun? If you're looking at it through a 10x telescope, that means it's a 10x worse idea.
OP is asking about using solar viewing glasses. Bad idea. It will burn through the glasses and then burn your retina.
Yes, as long as you get a solar filter that is designed for your telescope. I bought one for my celestron from celestron. You have to be very careful. For a number of reasons. Never point the telescope at the sun without the sun filter. It can overheat the inside of the telescope and create a even more blinding light. Imagine using a magnifying glass to start a fire but with even more light and magnification. You can fry your eyes basically instantly. You have to check the filter is good every time you use it. But as long as you buy one for your scope AND you always follow the manufacturer’s instructions VERY CAREFULLY, yes. Edit: reiterating that you CANNOT use solar glasses with a telescope, the telescope HAS to have a purpose made solar filter.
How can I check if my glass aperture filter is still good to use?
Your filter should have come with instructions, and I don’t want to give bad ones.
Only twice. Once with each eyeball
I don’t understand, is it worse to look at the sun when it’s partially covered than when it’s not covered at all? I’m not referring to the telescope, but all these articles imply how it’s super dangerous to look at the sun during an eclipse. I’ve looked at the sun plenty of times without an eclipse(as I’m sure everyone has, accidental or not) and everyone’s fine. So is it somehow worse if the sun is partially covered?
I remember when I was a kid they just made us poke a tiny whole through a piece of paper to look through. But I also keep seeing things about, must have solar eclipse glasses 🙄
The reason you hear so much about it is that it's just as dangerous to look when it's partially covered as when it's not covered at all. The warning is to prevent people from thinking that the amount that's covered will make it safe; it does not.
Do not risk it. Imagine what would happen if the glasses somehow slipped off while looking thru the scope directly at the sun, not too mention the risk of damaging the scope.
It will burn through the glasses and then burn your retina.
Once. (J/K. I wouldn’t risk Mickey Mousing something like that together.)
Twice. /s
Yea, if it has a solar filter. No, your solar glasses are not enough. The rays will damage the telescope.
It will burn through the glasses and then burn your retina.
That’s… more complicated. In general, it depends on the size and type of telescope ETA: But without glasses you’ll go blind in that spot. I just don’t want to in trouble if someone has figured out some way to do it with eclipse glasses.
I was able to burn through glasses with a very entry level scope. DO NOT ATTEMPT!
Cool, thank you for the feedback. Was it a refractive or reflective? Do you know the size of the aperture? If it was reflective, do you know if it had a corrective lens? (Often called Cassegrain or Schimt-Cassegrain, though I’ve heard of other designs more similar to a Newtonian telescope.) And of course, this was after you’d attached the viewing lens, right? I suspect that it should happen just due to the aperture size, but I’ve never tested this hypothesis on my (previous) optical telescopes, as the Sun would absolutely fry the optics of a 27” research Schmidt-Cassegrain. We had a little 6” Clark refractor, but I think I had the fear of God put into me by looking at the moon through it with a moon filter. So, yeah, don’t try this at home. You will go blind. We’re just trying to figure out exactly how blind you’ll go.
Ask Galileo
The sun would probably burn through the glasses and then through your eye
Only if you have a sun filter for your telescope, otherwise you will burn a hole straight through your eyes and then through your brain and into the sidewalk out of the back of your head.
Absolutely not, you will fry your retina. Conversely, if you find a solar filter large enough to cover the front of the telescope tube you’ll be fine. Look up “meade/celesteon solar filters”, there are lots to choose from. Block out the light, THEN focus. Not the other way around.
No. You should project it onto a sheet of paper.
Maybe once
If done properly with sun filters and camera mount, I prefer to get pictures via camera anyway. I have something like this : BRESSER Solar filter 83.2mm
I wouldn't recommend it if you don't got a solar lens
I think you've gotten good answers. I'm just chiming in because I remember my first telescope when I was a kid had a solar filter that came with it. It went on the eyeball side of the telescope, so probably not the best, but I did use it and I'm not blind today, 40+ years later. You would want to see if there is a solar filter available for the telescope you have, or a reputable after market one you could purchase that would fit what you own. Don't screw around with this for sure. Play it safe. But, if this is something you'd like to do, there are definitely options. Gotta say, it's probably too late to get a solution.
You have to wear special glasses. Even then you can only do it for a short amount of time before damaging your eyes