If you do damage the film, toss it and use a new piece. When working with the film, it is best to wear gloves so that you don't get fingerprints on the film or otherwise damage it. That way, you won't damage the filters in transit. One nice thing about the filter film is you can easily travel with all the materials required to make filters on site once you get to your eclipse location. In a pinch, you can even cut out a piece of filter material and connect it to a lens with a rubber band. It is relatively easy to make your own filter with some poster-board material, filter sheets, and a little glue and tape. Explore Scientific's 'Sun Catcher' variable large-aperture solar filters are available in many sizes. The Celestron EclipSmart solar filter can fit on some Celestron PowerSeeker telescopes.

It's possible to buy add-on solar filters for some telescopes. If you see an image of the sun that is uncomfortably bright, or see a bright point of light anywhere in the filter, it can be an indication that you have a pinhole or other damage to the film. The image of the sun you see should look similar in brightness to what you see though eclipse glasses. Once your filter is finished, you may test it by holding it in front of your eyes and viewing the sun or an intense light. Get extra film, make a filter and test it out. If you're not sure what you're doing or if this is the first filter you've made, seek assistance from someone with experience. Sheets of solar safety film typically come with instructions you should follow. If the telescope you intend to observe with has a finder scope, I recommend removing it prior to solar viewing this will keep you from accidentally looking through an unfiltered finder scope. Filters like this always go on the front of the scope before any optics (lenses or mirrors).

A color-neutral film like the Baader AstroSolar safety film will provide images of the sun with no color correction. Two manufacturers of good quality visual solar film are Baader Planetarium and Thousand Oaks Optical. Be sure to get the type of film that is rated for visual use. If you need solar filters for your equipment, the most economical and perhaps simplest thing to do is to buy a sheet or two of a common solar safety film. (Image credit: Bob Baer/Sarah Kovac/Citizen CATE Experiment) Making a solar filter The 'diamond ring' phase of the March 9, 2016, total solar eclipse, seen from Tanjung Pandan, Indonesia.

Sun spotter solar filter for telrad