So far, most well-known helioscopes have to be aligned manually with the ever-changing position of the sun in the sky. In this project, it was assessed whether a gas- or liquid-filled transparent...Show moreSo far, most well-known helioscopes have to be aligned manually with the ever-changing position of the sun in the sky. In this project, it was assessed whether a gas- or liquid-filled transparent sphere has adequate potential to function as a helioscope. If this would be possible, this helioscope would allow for omnidirectional imaging, solving the problem of constant manual adjustment. The numerical assessment of this gas- or liquid-filled ball lens was done with the help of a ray-tracing simulation, which was tested and confirmed by comparison with analytical as well as experimental results. Then, the suitability of available materials for the experimental assessment was evaluated. The final experimental assessment of the ball lens functioning as a helioscope was done with the help of a miniature version of the envisioned helioscope. It was found that the resolution limit of the ball lens used for the experiments should be sufficient to image a sunspot of average diameter.Show less