Mom may have warned you that certain activities would make you go blind, and while those warnings might not have always been perfectly accurate, Mom was totally justified in telling you not to stare at the Sun.

That is unless you have a piece of equipment like the MaxScope from Coronado Filters. This all-in-one hydrogen-alpha (H-alpha) filter and telescope tube is the perfect accompaniment for an afternoon of gazing at the nearest star.

Sure, it's not cheap. If all you want to do is safely observe an eclipse or hunt for sunspots, a low-cost solar filter (or even an extra-dark pair of welder's goggles) is enough. What the MaxScope does though is filter out all light except the H-alpha part of the spectrum, a specific shade of red.

It is at this wavelength that details of the Sun's surface really spring into view. Seeing the Sun in H-alpha, you begin to realize it's not just a smooth light bulb but a roiling, boiling cauldron of atomic fire. It's even more impressive when you realize the scale of the hotspots and prominences in comparison to our entire planet (as illustrated in this customer-submitted image from Coronado's site). Yikes.

So, pick some sunny afternoon to take Mom outside and introduce her to the awesome power of the Sun. And you can assure her that neither of you will go blind.

MaxScope 40mm, $1,719

MaxScope 60mm, $3,274