That $15 moon filter I bought off Amazon actually saved my scope from burning out last weekend

I was out in my backyard near Austin trying to grab a clear shot of the full moon through my 8-inch Dob and realized my cheap filter didn't just cut glare, it probably kept my eyes from getting fried by the brightness after 20 minutes of staring-anyone else nearly wreck their night vision before grabbing a filter?

3 comments

3 Comments

charlesschmidt14d ago

Laughing at the idea of you squinting through a Dobsonian like it's a telescope and not a improvised magnifying glass aimed at the sun.

the_harper14d ago

Come on, isn't a Dobsonian perfect for showing people why you don't stare at the sun?

kevin_williams13d ago

Oh man, that reminds me of when I was a kid and my friend @charlesschmidt tried to show me Jupiter through his dad's old 8-inch Dob. He lined it up in the finder scope, took a peek, and then spent the next five minutes rubbing his eye and complaining about a "bright green blur." Turns out he'd accidentally aimed it at a streetlight reflecting off a wet leaf. I still give him grief about that at barbecues. Good times.