Make a DIY solar filter

With solar action hotting up, get your DSLR or refractor ready and Sun-safe with this simple project

Solar photography may feel out of reach to many, because viewing or imaging the Sun often involves specialist equipment. Solar telescopes have special coatings to block a large percentage of unwanted light from reaching your eye or your camera sensor. These can be combined with etalons, hydrogen-alpha (Ha), calcium-K (CaK) or white-light filters that allow you view the light emitted by certain elements. However, because of their specialist nature, all of these items tend to come with a high price tag. But there is a simple, cost-effective way to retrofit your telescope or camera lens to make it Sun-friendly: a DIY solar filter. For this, we use solar safety film, a special film that blocks enough light to allow you to safely view or photograph the Sun. The sheet of…

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BBC Sky at Night United Kingdom (Digital) - 1 Issue, April 2025

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