Summer Solstice Solar Observing

The Sun is at its highest point in the sky, so the Bell is celebrating with solar telescopes! Join us in the Learning Landscape as we observe our closest star and learn why the amount of daylight we see changes throughout the year.

Solar Observing is an in-person event at the Bell Museum and is included in the cost of regular admission.

Solar safety

• Our telescope equipment utilizes safe Sun viewing methods; filtering the sunlight and projecting the sunlight.
• Solar filters include white light filters that block 99.999 percent of incoming sunlight, safely allowing us to see any sunspots that might be visible.
• H-alpha SolarMax II telescope filters out all the colors of sunlight except a specific red light (656nm) to allow us to see features such as solar prominences along the edge of the Sun.
• Sunspotters use a different method to safely view the Sun. They utilize mirrors and lenses to project the Sun safely onto a screen (piece of paper). You can draw/trace your own Sun and sunspots to start your own solar data log.