Baader Planetarium Solar Shade with 2" drilled hole

The Solar Shade improves solar viewing by blocking stray sunlight that causes glare and reduces image contrast. This makes it easier to see faint details like solar prominences, filaments, and granulation. It also increases comfort by shielding the observer and equipment from direct heat.

You install the shade by sandwiching it between any two accessories in your 2-inch optical train that have compatible threads. For example, you can thread it onto the barrel of your 2-inch eyepiece and then insert the eyepiece into your diagonal, or place it between a camera nosepiece and a focal reducer.

Yes. The Solar Shade is an excellent accessory for use with a 2-inch Herschel wedge. It installs just like any other 2-inch accessory and is highly effective at blocking the bright ambient light, which helps in discerning the fine details of sunspots and faculae in the photosphere.

Absolutely. This shade is ideal for dedicated H-alpha solar telescopes. By blocking stray light, it significantly enhances the contrast of faint prominences and delicate surface details in the chromosphere, which are the primary targets for H-alpha observers.

The main benefit is stability. This rigid shade clamps securely within your 2-inch accessory train and will not move or flap in the wind like a cloth hood. This provides a more reliable and consistent blockage of stray light without the risk of the covering shifting or falling off during an observation.

While designed for solar use, it can be helpful for any daytime terrestrial viewing to block glare. However, it is not intended for nighttime observing, as it would obstruct your view of the surrounding sky and could be a hazard in the dark.