A couple of questions!

[bikemark]

It was my first time last night with my first scope and couldnt belive the detail of the moon, it was amazing!

First question! What moon filter do you recomend?

Also i could see jupiter but could only just see the bands, is there a eyepiece to get me closer to see more detail?

Im currently using the standard eyepieces that came with my skywatcher 130.

[Atlas]

They make a moon filter specifically designed for moon viewing, however I prefer a variable polarizing filter.

As for Jupiter, atm with is decent towards the sun...bands are about as good as it's going to get for awhile. Pulling high detail out is difficult atm.

[paul schofield]

Jupiter can stand quite a lot of magnification. I use either a 9.7mm ep barlowed or a 8mm BST and if the night is very clear I can get away with the 8mm and Barlow, but that is quite rare. Yes a higher powered ep would give you a bit more detail on Jupiter. A decent barlow lens may help, but you do lose a little bit of definition this way. Check out planetary eyepieces. Something in the range of 6 to 8mm would improve upon the supplied 10 e.p.

[Starlight 1]

It was my first time last night with my first scope and couldnt belive the detail of the moon, it was amazing!

First question! What moon filter do you recomend?

Also i could see jupiter but could only just see the bands, is there a eyepiece to get me closer to see more detail?

Im currently using the standard eyepieces that came with my skywatcher 130.

Jupiter is low in the sky and if you can see the bands ,you find it hard to get any more detail, Last year I was loking at GRS this year only the bands and that with a 10"

[bikemark]

Ive just been outside and the sky seems darker tonight! Had a look at jupiter and it was a little clearer than last night!

Venus is very bright and looks like i can only see half of it! (is that right?)

The moon is very bright and really could do with a filter, which one is the best to buy and from where? Ive seen some on ebay but they do different coloured ones which now confuses me to which one i should be getting!

[Starlight 1]

Yes Venus is just like the Moon it move about.

[Jon Sales]

That's right Mark.

It's at half phase at the moment. You can just make it out with the naked eye.

Lovely and clear down here too

[Jon Sales]

The coloured filters are for planetary use to bring out detail in them.

Use a dedicated polarising filter for the moon. Baader do good filters, as do others. Don't spent more than £20-£30 at the most on a moon filter tho.

[laaj19]

So coloured filters are for looking at planets then when I got my set up I got a set of filters blue red yellow and a moon filter. I have only used the moon one so far. Should I be using a coloured one to look a jupiter if so which colour.

I have so much to learn

[bikemark]

Thanks for the advice, I've just ordered a baader moon filter from FLO.

[John]

Coloured filters and moon filters are found useful by some but should not be considered mandatory by any means, in my opinion. I've never used them and have seen plenty of subtle planetary and lunar detail with scopes from 80mm to 300mm in aperture. I find the trick is to spend extended time at the eyepiece with the moon or the planet in question. After a while the eye seems to adjust to the brightness and starts to pick out the finer and more subtle details as the moments of really good seeing (which are often very short) allow.