LS and LL v Moonlight

[HiloDon]

Hi All,

With the moon getting full and bright this past week, instead of viewing with my usual NB Ha filter, I thought I would try just the Baader UV/IR cut filter on some of my favorite galaxies. I was pleasantly surprised and here are some captures I'd like to share. It's with the Lodestar X2 mono because my color is still in for repair. I used Lodestar Live, of course, and it performed beautifully.

I didn't see much effect from the moonlight but I think the skies were extremely clear. If I did get any wisps of clouds it would show up big time on the screen. The image controls on LL also make adjustment very easy and intuitive,

Don

[orion25]

Excellent images, Don. The blue moon was kind to you

Always enjoy your shares!

Clear skies,

Reggie

[HiloDon]

Thanks, Reggie.

All that's needed now is some of that great music you create.

Don

[MarsG76]

Fantastic... What CCD did you use?

[HiloDon]

Thanks, Mars.

It's a SX Lodestar X2 mono with the Sony icx829 sensor. Used with a program called Lodestar Live developed by Paul in the UK, it can produce near real time viewing and captures in less than one minute.

Don

[RobertI]

Great captures again Don, good contrast bright images for a moonlit night. What effect do you think the filter had? Do you think it reduced star bloat to any great extent?

Rob

[Martin Meredith]

Excellent images Don. Never let the moon get in the way! You've captured two of my real favourites -- Centaurus A and M83 -- sadly a little low up here in the north. Did you use linear or nonlinear scaling?

Martin

[nytecam]

Fabulous results Don under moonlight - to think DSO eyeballers sulk in the TV lounge under moonlight

[HiloDon]

Thanks, everyone, for the comments and likes.

Rob, I have never been convinced that the IR cut filter has done much, especially on the SCT, but I never ran any definitive tests. I had it, so I thought I would put it on because of the strong moonlight.

Martin, I think I used the non linear x^0.25 only for Fireworks. Probably should have tried it on the others, but I was happy with what I was getting in linear. I really like these southern objects. We're very lucky here to be able to see these along with some others like Eta Carinae.

Don

[Ain Soph Aur]

Not bad results during the Blue Moon! I have a 2" Baader Moon & Skyglow Filter that has UV/IR Cut, I may try out this evening while testing out the new AT72ED w/ 0.8x FR/FF and 5nm Astrodon Ha filter. I had only used it for visual a few times, never had thought about trying it with the LS. Just read up on it and it appears to also be recommended for imaging. It won't fit in the filter wheel but I can attach it to the input of the FR.

[HiloDon]

Brandon,

Maybe I should call these my moonlight galaxies. Not sure the IR cut had anything to do with it, but it's worth a try. If you use your NB Ha filter i think you're in for spectacular results with some great emission nebulae out there right now. Good luck and clear skies.

Don

[nightvision]

Great images as usual Don, if you ever have any doubt that some of the moonlight is being blocked by your UV/IR filter just try taking a lunar image via an IR pass filter.  I did just that using a 680nm IR pass filter, this was a single shot at 1/10 of a second and ISO-100 at F9:  (looks just the same at 820nm but needs slightly longer exposure)

[aparker]

Nice work, Don. Here in the Northeast US the summertime humidity is such that the full moon lights the whole sky up milky blue/white most nights. I have not tried out the Lodestar in those conditions but would not be optimistic. For nights like that I get out a small refractor and look at bright double stars or solar system objects...

[Paul81]

Amazing stuff, and under full moonlight too!