Useful link written by Phil Harrington

rlow · Post by **rlow** » Fri Jan 12, 2007 11:18 am

Jacket with hood can be a good alternative, if it is cold outside. Otherwise it is more comfortable and convenient for me to cup with both hands.

Canopus Lim · Post by **Canopus Lim** » Fri Jan 12, 2007 1:14 pm

I currently use cupping but it is not the best solution as the hands have to move the scope to track the object and also there are gaps in the fingers and light still enters to the observing eye. Also, it is rather tiring to have the hands trying to block the light when observing long.

I will try the headless cloaking device and if it is uncomfortable, then have to go back to cupping.

Canopus Lim · Post by **Canopus Lim** » Wed Jan 17, 2007 1:02 am

It was clear at 9pm to 11pm so I brought out my grab-and-go C5, Panoptic 35mm, 17mm Nagler T4 eyepieces and Baader Moon skyglow filter. I also brought out the headless cloaking device

Anyway, I used the black T-shirt and put it in the reverse (upside down way) of wearing (head through the neck instead of the bottom). To cover the eyepiece and surrounding area around my face, I would just flip up the T-shirt. It works very well in blocking out the light and it was very dark inside. There is substantial improvement than without this 'headless cloaking device'. I could see many more faint stars than without it (I shielded my eyes from the ambient light too). Well.. the drawback as what Rlow said is that it is hot.. yah.. I perspired but I did not perspire too much. Much less than 2.4km run. haa. There was no fogging of the eyepieces too but I think the humidity was not so high tonight as it was a bit windy.

Therefore, my verdict is that this 'headless cloaking device' is very useful especially in places where there is a lot of street lights. I would recommend it. However, if there are curious people near you...perhaps you will hear someone screaming when they see the headless being

rlow · Post by **rlow** » Wed Jan 17, 2007 12:17 pm

Here's what I have been using with my big 30mm 1rpd eyepiece: a black wristband which I used for badminton. It fits perfectly and works very well to block out stray lights. And I get to keep my head!

Canopus Lim · Post by **Canopus Lim** » Wed Jan 17, 2007 2:06 pm

Do you mean you put the wristband on the eyepiece? Hmm.. but won't the light still get reflected off your spectacles or the corner of your eye when you observe through the 'light shielded' eyepieces? I think it will work in a darker place without a street light less than 10m away.

One thing good about the 'headless cloaking device' is that it can help me get dark adapted while inside it. It can be very dark if I have those clothes peg and clip the loose ends of the shirt folded down over me and the eyepieces. It was even darker than the background sky seen through my C5.

rlow · Post by **rlow** » Wed Jan 17, 2007 2:14 pm

The wristband works well for me, and I do critical observations without my glasses on.

Canopus Lim · Post by **Canopus Lim** » Wed Jan 17, 2007 2:57 pm

Ok no wonder it works well.

Looks like from now onwards when I do observing from my house, I will just use the Black T-shirt. At least this way saves me the trouble of traveling to other places in the East to observe just to run away from street lights.