Telescopes with solar filter

Solar filter

— the presence of a filter for safe observations of the Sun in the scope of delivery of the telescope.

It is strictly forbidden to look at “our native luminary” through an unprotected telescope: even a short look into the eyepiece can lead to irreversible damage to the eye, besides, the optics themselves quickly overheat and can fail. Thus, special filters are used that transmit very little light — hundredths or even thousandths of a percent; in the case of the Sun, this is quite sufficient for normal visibility, while observation becomes quite safe.

Most modern telescopes are equipped with filters that are worn on the lens — they protect both the eye from burns and the device itself from overheating. There are also eyepiece filters — they are more compact and cheaper, but they do not provide protection for the optics and are themselves prone to rapid overheating and failure. The specific type of accessory should be specified according to the manufacturer's documentation, and sometimes this can even be done from product photos.