Dismiss Notice
New Cookie Policy
On May 24, 2018, we published revised versions of our Terms and Rules and Cookie Policy. Your use of AstronomyConnect.com’s services is subject to these revised terms.

A WARNING!

Discussion in 'Observing Celestial Objects' started by Dave In Vermont, Jun 9, 2018.

A WARNING!

Started by Dave In Vermont on Jun 9, 2018 at 2:12 PM

21 Replies 3409 Views 0 Likes

Reply to Thread Post New Thread
Page 1 of 2
  1. Dave In Vermont

    Dave In Vermont Well-Known Member

    Joined:
    Jan 5, 2016
    Posts:
    3,356
    Trophy Points:
    113
    Dave In Vermont, Jun 9, 2018
    #1
    I just found that AliExpress is up to a very bad thing that could & would leave beginner's blind-for-life:

    AliExpress a.jpg ​

    AliExpress b.jpg
    <<<The so-called Sun Filter.>>>

    These horrors screw into an eyepiece. Then pointed at the SUN. And shatter! This then allows the full and magnified Sun's intensity to enter the eye(s) of the user - which will cause blindness, or severe eye-damage in 1/200th of a second. Your blink-reflex won't kick-in until 1/20th of a second.

    I thought we'd seen the last of these! Please all - write an email to AliExpress and tell them to get these out of their website, or action will result to have an international-boycott launched against them until they do!

    Here's the page address, and navigate from there. Save someone's sight!

    https://www.aliexpress.com/price/te...l?spm=2114.10010108.1000012.19.3c885986CM4Dm1

    Thank You!
     
    Last edited: Jun 9, 2018
  2. Nebula

    Nebula Well-Known Member

    Joined:
    Aug 5, 2016
    Posts:
    1,822
    Trophy Points:
    113
    Nebula, Jun 9, 2018
    #2
    hemm a $3.39 filter for the sun... That's certainly playing with fire.

    Are there any public cases of bad accidents with these filters yet?
     
    Dave In Vermont likes this.
  3. Dave In Vermont

    Dave In Vermont Well-Known Member

    Joined:
    Jan 5, 2016
    Posts:
    3,356
    Trophy Points:
    113
    Dave In Vermont, Jun 9, 2018
    #3
    These have been around since the 1950's - but very rarely is anyone stupid enough to carry them - or (thankfully) use them today! And yes - there were many casualties from them - thanfully also rarely these days. If you see them advertised - it's pro forma to warnpeople to steer well clear, and tell the seller to get these out of there! By utterly militant means if it's merited. AliExpress - a notorious seller of junk & garbage - merits causing them to shake in the boots - just to get them to sit upright and pay attention!

    Go get 'em! Take no prisoners!
     
  4. Nebula

    Nebula Well-Known Member

    Joined:
    Aug 5, 2016
    Posts:
    1,822
    Trophy Points:
    113
    Nebula, Jun 10, 2018
    #4
    I look quickly at their website.. all I see is way under priced solar accessories.. That can't be really good when it's time to protect priceless vision.

    (Not that I think the Astro Solar sheet is correctly priced, I find it overwhelmingly overpriced)

    But.. Aliexpress.. oufff it's a bit scary.
     
    Dave In Vermont likes this.
  5. Orion25

    Orion25 Well-Known Member

    Joined:
    May 23, 2016
    Posts:
    1,895
    Trophy Points:
    113
    Location:
    Georgia
    Orion25, Jun 10, 2018
    #5
    EEEEEEK! :eek::eek::eek: These little blinders are STILL around? One of these eye-killers came with my old Jason refractor that I got back in high school. Thankfully, I never used it because I wasn't into solar at the time (WHEW). Must go after these sellers and distributors! These are true health-hazards!
     
    Dave In Vermont likes this.
  6. Nebula

    Nebula Well-Known Member

    Joined:
    Aug 5, 2016
    Posts:
    1,822
    Trophy Points:
    113
    Nebula, Jun 11, 2018
    #6
    Used on a Newtonian and pointing the sun.. it could ruin the mirrors too...
     
  7. Pleiades

    Pleiades Well-Known Member

    Joined:
    Sep 12, 2017
    Posts:
    293
    Trophy Points:
    43
    Location:
    Middle Tennessee
    Pleiades, Jun 12, 2018
    #7
    YIKES!!
     
    Dave In Vermont likes this.
  8. Orion25

    Orion25 Well-Known Member

    Joined:
    May 23, 2016
    Posts:
    1,895
    Trophy Points:
    113
    Location:
    Georgia
    Orion25, Jun 12, 2018
    #8
    That's true! I didn't even think about that :eek:
     
  9. sickfish

    sickfish Well-Known Member

    Joined:
    Jun 21, 2016
    Posts:
    97
    Trophy Points:
    18
    Location:
    Watertown Massachusetts U.S.A.
    sickfish, Jun 13, 2018
    #9
    I have one sitting on my desk at work.
    A buddy of mine found an old telescope at a yard sale for 5 bucks.
    He gave it to me and it had a couple of crappy EPs and this "sun filter"
    I look through it just holding it up in my hand, looks like looking at the sun through my welding mask.
    Would not put it on an EP and a scope
    Very dangerous thing though. Had a scope that was bought when I was a kid and one of these was included.
     
  10. Dave In Vermont

    Dave In Vermont Well-Known Member

    Joined:
    Jan 5, 2016
    Posts:
    3,356
    Trophy Points:
    113
    Dave In Vermont, Jun 13, 2018
    #10
    Very rarely seen these days due to most people knowing the dangers of these, it's standard procedure for, if you see people selling these things, to spread the word on forums and get everyone involved in going after the seller(s) to stop them. By whatever means necessary.

    I'd gouge my eyes out with white-hot steel spikes before I'd put that in one of my eyepieces and put it in a telescope! Wise move, Mr. Fish! :cool:
     
  11. Nebula

    Nebula Well-Known Member

    Joined:
    Aug 5, 2016
    Posts:
    1,822
    Trophy Points:
    113
    Nebula, Jun 13, 2018
    #11
    That' it I am sending a message to that company right now.
     
    Orion25 and Dave In Vermont like this.
  12. Dave In Vermont

    Dave In Vermont Well-Known Member

    Joined:
    Jan 5, 2016
    Posts:
    3,356
    Trophy Points:
    113
    Dave In Vermont, Jun 13, 2018
    #12
    You hadn't yet? I thought you did that. Ah well. It's always a good use to spending 5 minutes - saving someones' eyesight. Most likely a young persons' at that! :cool:

    Go for it! You'll feel good.
     
  13. Nebula

    Nebula Well-Known Member

    Joined:
    Aug 5, 2016
    Posts:
    1,822
    Trophy Points:
    113
    Nebula, Jun 14, 2018
    #13
    I can't find any evidences on the WWW these filters are shattering...
     
  14. Dave In Vermont

    Dave In Vermont Well-Known Member

    Joined:
    Jan 5, 2016
    Posts:
    3,356
    Trophy Points:
    113
    Dave In Vermont, Jun 14, 2018
    #14
    Good. They haven't been on the market for years!

    Until now!
     
  15. Nebula

    Nebula Well-Known Member

    Joined:
    Aug 5, 2016
    Posts:
    1,822
    Trophy Points:
    113
    Nebula, Jun 14, 2018
    #15
    The thing is, I don't think it's impossible to have a round glass like that with 99.9% opacity and an anti UV coating for 5$ which could be safe to look at the sun trough it and that will never ever shatter.

    My fear is more about the telescope itself, where a non solar telescope is non a solar telescope and using that filter, would let the light in with full aperture.

    It,s not something I would buy anyway.

    They have superb Datyson eyepiece too.

    https://www.aliexpress.com/item/62-...2d08,scm-url:1007.13338.98644.000000000000000
     
  16. Dave In Vermont

    Dave In Vermont Well-Known Member

    Joined:
    Jan 5, 2016
    Posts:
    3,356
    Trophy Points:
    113
    Dave In Vermont, Jun 14, 2018
    #16
    Remember that China has a full-on market of couterfeit-goods for sale, Nebs. How would you like to buy a nice Rolex wristwatch for $50? They come with a free all-day sucker!
     
  17. Scopejunkie

    Scopejunkie Well-Known Member

    Joined:
    Apr 14, 2018
    Posts:
    200
    Trophy Points:
    43
    Location:
    Tehachapi, CA
    Scopejunkie, Jun 14, 2018
    #17
    The WWW does not have all the answers. I had one crack on me using a 60mm refractor over 40 years ago. I was lucky it didn't shatter. I heard it crack. When I removed it from the eyepiece and held it up to the sun you could clearly see the crack. I could have lost an eye that day. These things are just plain dangerous in any telescope!

    Keith (Scopejunkie)
     
    Orion25 and Dave In Vermont like this.
  18. Dave In Vermont

    Dave In Vermont Well-Known Member

    Joined:
    Jan 5, 2016
    Posts:
    3,356
    Trophy Points:
    113
    Dave In Vermont, Jun 14, 2018
    #18
    I don't even know why we're still talking about it. Leave alone questioning the DANGERS of them. Rule in astro-forums: You see one of these. You report seeing one (or a whole damn page). You go after the seller to shut it down.

    That's one rule I believe in.

    Time for a psychology-test:

    "You're kid is having his birthday and he wants a telescope. You get Little Joey a telescope. And all these accesories. And you buy him this little Sun-Filter thingy. It was cheap.

    Little Joey is outside with his telescope one day. You're in the house, busy with paying bills. Suddenly a scream comes from the yard. It's Little Joey! He his his hand over his eye; "My eye! My eye!" You rush him to the hospital. The doctor examines him and takes you aside; "I'm sorry, Mr. Meanswell, but your son is now blind in his right eye. Seems he was looking at the Sun with his telescope. And his filter cracked or something. He saw the full-force of the sun - magnified. I'm sorry to say, the blindness is permanent." <END>


    How does this story make you feel?

    If it's disturbing and upsetting to you, you're fine.

    If it's not disturbing and you don't give a damn about Little Joey or his Dad - you lack empathy for others. These are the hallmark characteristics of a psychopath.


    ...and how does that make you feel? :p
     
  19. Nebula

    Nebula Well-Known Member

    Joined:
    Aug 5, 2016
    Posts:
    1,822
    Trophy Points:
    113
    Nebula, Jun 15, 2018
    #19
    I am 100% with you guys on that filter? Remember, I am asked to trash a company and a product here on this thread. It's beyond expressing a warning to people about it, it's trashing the product and the whole company directly.

    Yet, nobody can be 100% sure these filters they are selling right now in 2018 will shatter like it's supposed. I am in the right of asking for evidences, stories, recent tests about the right filter we are talking about before I say anything, we are technicians and scientists here, it's not a student revolution.

    My question is: Do we have evidences the new filter from 2018 will shatter and make people blind?
     
  20. Dave In Vermont

    Dave In Vermont Well-Known Member

    Joined:
    Jan 5, 2016
    Posts:
    3,356
    Trophy Points:
    113
    Dave In Vermont, Jun 15, 2018
    #20
    I haven't seen any posted regarding this having happened yet in 2018. But it's common knowledge years ago. We've been successful in stopping them due to this having happened in the past. But now they're back again!

    So we must act 'proactively' to prevent the repeat of what they did in the past.

    Peoples' medical-records are not available on the 'WWW' by law in the Untied Snakes. And I rather doubt that people back in the 1950's - 1970's would care to start a blog, or such, today about themselves or their children back then who were blinded by a 'Sun Filter' included in their 1966 Jaeger 60mm Refractor. Get it?
     
Page 1 of 2

Share This Page