I use a pair of welder's goggles for my periodic pagan sun observations. If I'm going to join the unwashed masses staring at the sky there better be food , potables and pretty girls <img src="/images/graemlins/tongue.gif" alt="" />. There are several relatively inexpensive plastic sextants for basic instruction. Just remember when shooting the horizon to stand very straight with one leg bent on a step,log etc. This won't help steady your observation, but you'll look like a dashing younger Farley Mowat <img src="/images/graemlins/cool.gif" alt="" />