Antares ND13 2" neutral density Moon filter

[Madhatter]

Just saw a brand new 2" one on astroboot for 7 quid so took a chance, i dont have nothing in the way of moon filters and the 2" will be handy for not having to faff about swapping the filter between EPs when changing mag.

Question is..Is it any good?.

[arbacia]

The antares ND13 has 13% of transmitance.

That ND# doesn't follow the standard ND numbers (see Neutral density filter - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia)

In my telescopes (C11, LB12" and LB16") I use a photographic 48mm (=2") ND4 and ND8 as They have 25% (1/4) and 12,5% (1/8) of transmitance. I use mainly the ND8 which is like the Antares ND13.

For the moon consider also a Red filter. As it similarly reduces the amount of light, the red light is less afected by atmospheric turbulences and increases the contrast in bluish mare materials (titanium rich)

Patricio

[Madhatter]

Hi arbacia, thanks sounds like it might just be perfect!

I was debating gettig a 25A acctualy, i think they can also help with viewing mars?

[arbacia]

For Mars, at present I use Televue Mars typ A y Typ B (both of them are too expensive that I don't recomend you have them as first filters). What I have been using for Mars is a Baader Red filter, Baader orange and Baader Neodymium.

The Neodymium is superb in Jupiter, Mars and Moon. Looks like a clear filter with a mauve tint. However this filter is opaque to yellows and in Mars and Jupiter, all the pplanet surface is rich in yellows. Blocking the yellow other colors get contrast. A natural colour contrast. The thing is that the Neodymiun filter can be stacked with Red and Orange filters to improve the views of Mars. In fact, one of the televue Mars filters is an orange with a multiband filter coating.

Take your time before buying filters. Some of them have a subtle efect and that is a personal choice. Some of then represent an important investment and that money can have a better use in better eyepieces.

Get the antares ND13 filter for the moon and the red filter for Moon and Mars. Both are cheap, but consider to get better eyepieces before to have a large collection of filters.

Patricio