Solar Telescopes, Filters, & Accessories
From eclipse glasses to solar telescopes, we carry everything you need to view & image the Sun!
Learn more about solar gear below, or head to our Solar Filter Guide to find the right size for your telescope, camera lens, or binoculars.
Solar Filters
Glasses & Viewers
Solar Telescopes
Solar Film
H-Alpha Filters
Solar Accessories
- Baader Solar Viewer AstroSolar Silver/Gold Eclipse Glasses / Shades # 2459294 - Pack of 5Our Price: $23.00In StockFree US Shipping Over $25
- Thousand Oaks Optical SolarLite Solar Filter Film (ND 5) Square PieceFrom Our Price: $8.99Free US Shipping Over $25
- Seestar S50 All-In-One Smart Telescope by ZWOOur Price: $499.00In StockFree Contiguous US Shipping
- Meade / Coronado 40mm f/10 PST H-Alpha Personal Solar TelescopeOur Price: $899.99In StockFree US Shipping
- Baader AstroSolar Visual Solar Filter Film (ND 5) - Eco Size Piece 140x155mm (5.5x6.1") # 24...Our Price: $24.00In StockFree US Shipping Over $25
- Baader Solar Viewer AstroSolar Silver/Gold Eclipse Glasses / Shades # 2459294 - Pack of 1Our Price: $5.25In StockFree US Shipping Over $25
- Spectrum Telescope Glass Solar Filter: 5" Cell Inside Diameter # ST500GOur Price: $116.95In StockFree US Shipping
- Baader AstroSolar Visual Solar Filter Film (ND 5) - A4 Sheet 20x29cm (7.9x11.4") # 2459281Our Price: $39.00In StockFree US Shipping
- Baader Solar Viewer AstroSolar Silver/Gold Eclipse Glasses / Shades # 2459296 - Pack of 25Our Price: $89.00In StockFree US Shipping
- America Paper Optics Plastic Eclipser Solar Eclipse Viewing HD GlassesOur Price: $24.99 As low as $22.50In StockFree US Shipping Over $25
- Celestron EclipSMART 12x50 Solar Binoculars # 71239Our Price: $119.95Out of StockFree US Shipping
- Baader AstroSolar Filter for Telescopes - 120mm Filter Aperture # ASTF-120Our Price: $97.00In StockFree US Shipping
- Thousand Oaks Optical SolarLite Solar Filter Film (ND 5) - 4" (101mm) Square PieceOur Price: $12.99In StockFree US Shipping Over $25
- Spectrum Telescope Thin Polymer Film Solar Filter: 5.25" Cell Inside Diameter # ST525BP1Our Price: $71.95In StockFree US Shipping
- Celestron EclipSMART Solar Filter for Select Celestron 6" SCT Telescopes # 94243Our Price: $56.95In StockFree US Shipping
- Baader AstroSolar Filter for Spotting Scopes, Small Telescopes, & Telephoto Lenses - 65mm Fi...Our Price: $46.00In StockFree US Shipping
- Thousand Oaks Optical Solar Eclipse Viewer Card - Pack of 5Our Price: $8.99In StockFree US Shipping Over $25
- Meade / Coronado 40mm 0.5A PST - Double Stack H-Alpha Solar TelescopeOur Price: $1,649.99In StockFree Contiguous US Shipping
- Spectrum Telescope Thin Polymer Film Solar Filter: 3.5" Cell Inside Diameter # ST350BP1Our Price: $66.95In StockFree US Shipping
- Baader AstroSolar Visual Solar Filter Film (ND 5) - Medium Roll 50x100cm (19.7x39.4") # ASOL...Our Price: $99.00Out of StockFree US Shipping
- Baader AstroSolar Filter for Spotting Scopes, Small Telescopes, & Telephoto Lenses - 50mm Fi...Our Price: $39.00In StockFree US Shipping
Understanding Solar Filters & Solar Telescopes: Complete Guide
Astronomy is typically thought of as a nighttime activity, but solar astronomy during daytime can be one of the most rewarding parts of amateur astronomy! In this complete guide, we'll go over the differences between all of the various gear you can safely observe our home star: the Sun.
First, we have to start off with a safety tip: never point a telescope or look at the Sun without proper filtration. Serious eye damage or blindness will occur. The Sun's light is incredibly powerful, and optics like telescopes and binoculars only magnify that power. Continue reading to figure out which solar filter type is best for you and your budget.
Image courtesy of American Astronomical Society / Paul Deans
Solar Eclipse Glasses
Eclipse glasses and viewing cards are the perfect choice for anyone to safely observe the Sun during a solar eclipse! No experience is required to use these inexpensive glasses, and you can use them to safely look at the Sun at any time. Although the amount of detail is limited because they don't magnify the image, eclipse glasses are the least expensive option to observe the Sun at only a few dollars each.
Background Image credit: Brocken Inaglory under CC 4.0
Solar Filters
Looking for a solar filter for your telescope, camera lens, or binoculars? Head to our Guide to Choosing a Solar Filter on our Solar Filters page! In this guide, we cover everything you need to know about solar filters, plus a quick recommendation if you want an easy solution to safely view or image the Sun.
Background Image credit: Deddy Dayag under CC 4.0
Hydrogen Alpha Solar Telescopes
If you're looking for the ultimate view or image of the Sun, many consider dedicated hydrogen alpha solar telescopes to be the holy grail of solar observing and imaging. Hydrogen alpha solar telescopes feature a special filter that allows the user to see or photograph solar activity like solar flares, prominences, filaments, and other details not visible with white light solar filters.
These filters typically produce a red view of the Sun and can give incredible views of solar activity. Since these telescopes are typically dedicated for daytime observing, they are many times more expensive than white light filters, but offer unforgettable views of our home star.
Hydrogen alpha (or Ha for short) telescopes can vastly vary in price depending on size, build quality, and how many filters — also called etalons — they include. A single stack Ha etalon provides great views of the Sun and are less expensive than double stacks. Double stacked Ha etalons offer higher-contrast views and images than single stacks, but usually come with double the price tag as a result. Some manufacturers like Lunt Solar also offer solar telescopes with a modular day and night capability, where the etalon(s) can be removed altogether for nighttime viewing.
Please note that hydrogen alpha solar filters are different than hydrogen alpha filters for nighttime astrophotography. Hydrogen alpha filters for nighttime astrophotography are neither effective nor safe to use for solar viewing as they let through a wider bandpass of hydrogen alpha.
Background Image credit: Giuseppe Donatiello under CC 1.0
White Light Solar Telescopes & Binoculars
Another inexpensive way to get quickly into solar astronomy is to use a white light solar telescope or binoculars. Both of these options offer a great, relatively inexpensive way to instantly get into solar astronomy without prior experience or equipment. White light solar telescopes typically come with a telescope with a solar filter installed, a mount and tripod, eyepiece, and everything you need to just take it out and start safely observing the Sun. White light solar binoculars also come with the filters pre-installed so they're ready to go right out of the box.
Other Narrowband Solar Filters
Having a dedicated hydrogen alpha solar telescope isn't the only way to get coveted narrowband views of the Sun. Some telescopes, like refractors, are compatible with special products like the DayStar Quark. If you have a larger aperture telescope like a large refractor or SCT, a DayStar Quark can be an excellent way to get incredibly high resolution views and images of the Sun in hydrogen alpha for a fraction of the price as a dedicated hydrogen alpha solar telescope.
Lastly, hydrogen alpha isn't the only bandpass that offers great views of the Sun. Other narrowband solar filters can isolate the Sun in alternate bandpasses, such as Calcium K, which produces a purplish image of the Sun in high resolution.