pitfalls and perils of solar imaging: testing for upcoming solar eclipses

testing my solar imaging:

sun 
9/23/23
baader film filter
single exposure 1/1,000 sec ISO 100, 300 mm f/4

Close up of the sun this summer, while trying to image venus during inferior conjunction with the sun:

sunspot 8/13/2023 20:05 UTC

I failed to image venus during inferior conjunction with the sun.  The conditions were frustrating: very bright, hot, poor seeing, and windy.  I was able to see it visually, but had difficulty focusing the camera, so slewed to the sun with a solar filter to focus on an obvious target.  while focusing, i noted a bright spot on the ground...the lens cap had blown off the finder scope objective leading to this unplanned modification of the eyepiece lens cap.  At that point I abandoned the attempt.  

Finder scope:

hole burned in finder scope lens cap

boring test stuff:

i cannot focus manually :(

best manual:

typical auto:

autofocus with light clouds
1/1000s

IR/UV block filter off center 4x exposure:

1/250 sec

125x exposure:

1/8 sec

125x exposure no IR/UV block filter:

1/8 sec

1000x exposure no filter, f/4:

1 sec

1000x exposure no filter f/5.6

1 sec

imaging details:

full disk testing 9/30/23

nikon D850

AF-S NIKKOR 300mm f/4E PF ED VR

Baader solar film, Fotga IR/UV cut filter

iso 100

sunspot

camera ZWO ASI 290MM with 850 nm IR pass filter, baader solar film

celestron 11" Edge HD

mediocre seeing

8/13/23

East Bluff, CA