Here are the materials I used to construct my filter.

• Badeer AstroSolar Safety Film – about $35 w/ shipping
• 1 Sheet of Black Poster Board – $0.79 @ Walmart
• 1 Sheet of Black Foam Board – $3.79 @ Walmart
• Black Electrical Tape
• Elmer’s Glue

The total cost of the filter project was less than $45.

DIY Solar Filter

I used the directions found here and also here.  The AstroSolar film also came with similar directions.

DIY Solar Filter on the Celestron C8

The Hartman mask template generator gives you a good template to use for where to cut the hole.

Works just as well as the one I bought for my small scope.  I still have some of the Baader AstroSolar Film left so I am going to make a small solar filter for the finder scope.

Solar filters for the 8″ scope start at about $110, I figure I should be able to put one together for a little more than the cost of the film (about $35 which includes the shipping).  With the film being 7.9″ x 11.8″ I should have more than enough to make more than one if necessary.

I will post instructions and pictures of my DIY solar filter once I have it finished.

The sun has been pretty active with several sunspots that are part of the new Solar Cycle 24.  To keep up to date on what is going on up there on our star check out SpaceWeather.com or NASA’s Solar and Heliosheric Observatory page.