Full Moon + Sunglasses = Good Views

After reading the thread on the eye patch, which I plan to try (I think my daughter got on eye patch from McDonald’s “Pirate of the Caribbean Happy Meal”), I thought I would share my experience. Last night, while viewing the full moon, I used polarized sunglasses (I don’t own a moon filter). The view was pretty good and I didn’t go blind. I’m I the only crazy guy out here? :S

What a good idea.

When I got my first scope I looked at the full moon and nearly blinded myself, well, at least it felt like it at the time. I now use a variable polarizing filter when the mmon get to bright, but I never would have thought of the sunglasses.

I know some people find the moon too bright but I have never found it so. At the magnifications useful for looking at the moon, say 200x or more, the exit pupil is 2mm or less even in a 16 inch scope... I just let my eye adapt if I am using a big scope and if I am in a small scope, I need the light anyway.

Jon

Whenever I observe the moon between first and last quarter with my 15X70 binoculars, I put on my sunglasses. Makes the view very comfortable. I have never been able to find moon filters for binoculars.