nPAE Theia90 Star Diagonal Review and Solar Observing Report

[nPAE]

Here is the Theia90 review and solar observing report from Cyrille, the Co-ordinateur Médiation Scientifique at the Musée de Préhistoire Tautavel, France.

**NEVER look at the sun without appropriate equipment as permanent blindness can result**

Equipment stack: White light solar energy reduction filter; 8” Meade LX90 Schmidt–Cassegrain telescope; nPAE Theia90 Star Diagonal with Infra-Red, Ultra Violet, 3 colour and continuum filters; Explore Scientific eyepiece and Auriga Bino Viewer.

Here Cyrille describes using the IR / UV filter screwed into the nose of the Theia90 and then loading the remaining filters into the sliders and swapping them around to obtain the best combination of the two.

“I use star diagonals only for observing the sun in white light on an 8 inch SC. It is a device intended for the school public at my work. I use a classic full aperture filter. the Theia90 is used with an IR/UV filter screwed to the entrance and the charger device allows the use of 3 different Filters: the best results for detailing the photosphere are obtained with a light blue filter 82...the results are extraordinary: the surface of the sun is entirely covered with granulations and faculae, the contrast in the spots is surprising. It is a high quality star diagonal. The 8 to 540nm continuum filter works great too (a simple UHC filter does almost the same job). All these comparisons would not have been simple without the use of this dual filter system.”

The Musée de Préhistoire Tautavel is open daily, except Tuesdays from 10 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. and from 2 p.m. to 5 p.m.