Solar Finder

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I witnessed the awe-inspiring total eclipse, thoroughly enjoying every moment of it. I brought along my trusty scope and brand-new solar filter, but soon discovered one crucial component was still missing - a reliable finder for pinpointing the sun's location. That's when I devised this ingenious solution. By utilizing shadows, you can easily locate the sun without having to peer through the finder itself. Simply align the silhouettes on the frosted plastic surface at the back of the device. Since I'm fortunate enough to own a Telrad scope mount, I created an insert specifically designed for seamless integration. For those without a Telrad mount, don't worry - there's also a stand available for mounting the finder. To ensure a smooth finish, I employed 400-grit sandpaper and steel wool to frost the plastic surface at the back of the device. The SolarObjective and SolarTube were fabricated using PLA filament with precise settings: a .4 layer height, three top and bottom layers, and three vertical layers, necessitating support material for both components. A 4mm brim was applied to the SolarTube for added stability. I also incorporated a 45-degree mirror into the design, which eliminates the need to bend over to view the back of the tube. This feature was printed using a .2mm layer height, yielding an exceptional finish that surpasses the original settings used for the rest of the device. WARNING: Do not use this finder without a proper solar filter in place on your telescope or other instruments designed to observe the sun, as doing so can have severe consequences.