Orion H-beta 1.25" filter

[Josh Wilson]

I want to get Hydrogen-Beta filter from Orion for when Orion (the constellation) is high in the sky at midnight around October or November. I plan on using it for observation on the Orion Nebula and the Horsehead Nebula with my 4.5" f/8 reflector. Has anyone used this filter? Any info would be great. Thanks in advance.

http://www.telescope.com/Accessories/Telescope-Eyepiece-Filters/125-Orion-Hydrogen-Beta-Eyepiece-Filter/c/3/sc/48/p/5583.uts?ensembleId=31

[philj]

Hi Josh I have the Lumicon version and Orion is spectacular with it you wont be dissapointed.

I have also used it with a C11 to bag the Horsehead Nebula visually as well they are very versatile filters a must for any ep case IMHO

[John]

I've not used an H-Beta but I'm not sure that the Horsehead Nebula is visible with a 4.5" scope even with this filter. I may be wrong though

[Josh Wilson]

I've not used an H-Beta but I'm not sure that the Horsehead Nebula is visible with a 4.5" scope even with this filter. I may be wrong though

I forgot to say that I live in light polluted skies. I might take a trip up to Kitt Peak (spectacular skies!!!) in December so I won't give it back if i can't see the horsehead first time around.

Hi Josh I have the Lumicon version and Orion is spectacular with it you wont be dissapointed.

I have also used it with a C11 to bag the Horsehead Nebula visually as well they are very versatile filters a must for any ep case IMHO

Thanks, I'm really looking forward to M42 now!!! Does IMHO mean 'i might have one' ?

[John]

IMHO means "In My Humble Opinion"

Kitt Peak should have lovely dark skies but I'd still be surprised if a 4.5" scope can show the Horsehead Nebula even with an H-Beta filter to be honest with you.

Some of our members took larger aperture scopes (8" or more) and H-Beta filters to dark skies in Scotland not so long ago and I don't recall them having any success.

Before you spend your money have a look at this report on the usefulness of different types of filter on different objects:

http://www.prairieastronomyclub.org/resources/by-dave-knisely/filter-performance-comparisons-for-some-common-nebulae/

[Josh Wilson]

I'm not going to be completely bummed out if I can't see the Horsehead because there is plenty of other DSOs to observe in the night sky and that site is very helpful for knowing how to effectively use filters for Deep Sky Observing. I even learned new technique for observing known as 'blinking', and I hope to try this out as soon as we get some clear skies in Phoenix. I'm hoping to get a job sometime this year after I turn 15 (6 more days!!!) and earn enough money to pay for a new XT8 or XT10 and a few eyepieces and filters.Thanks for that site, John! It is very helpful!

[John]

.....Thanks for that site, John! It is very helpful!....

No problem Josh - I hope you enjoy your trip to Kitt Peak and please let us know how you get on

[rwilkey]

I have the Orion H-Beta filter and have not had clear enough skies to get anything out of it yet, such as the Horsehead. For the Orion Neb (M42) a UHC (blue bias) or an OIII (green bias) filter would be better IMHO.

[Josh Wilson]

I might get an 8 or 10 inch XT telescope from Orion with better hopes for viewing the Horsehead Nebula. The fact that it is one of the hardest objects to view makes it one of my most sought after goals in astronomy. But I have found that I have to set many other goals just to reach one goal. Even if I fail at seeing the Horseheadh Nebula, I'll probably go to a star party where I have a much larger chance of seeing the Horsehead with a wider range of telescope apertures (largest I've seen was 22" Dob) and the helpful advice of more experienced observers and just some overall luck

[Mr Q]

I'm not going to be completely bummed out if I can't see the Horsehead because there is plenty of other DSOs to observe in the night sky and that site is very helpful for knowing how to effectively use filters for Deep Sky Observing. I even learned new technique for observing known as 'blinking', and I hope to try this out as soon as we get some clear skies in Phoenix. I'm hoping to get a job sometime this year after I turn 15 (6 more days!!!) and earn enough money to pay for a new XT8 or XT10 and a few eyepieces and filters.Thanks for that site, John! It is very helpful!

Josh - Ive' heard of averted vision but not "blinking", how does it work? And BTW, you will need very dark skies and a proper filter to see the Horsehead. It's a very difficult object with a 4.5" scope since it's very faint and small but when you go, give it a try - you never know!

[Moonshane]

I mirror your enthusiasm and would love to see the Horsehead. That said, there are literally millions of objects more difficult than the Horsehead. What you need to see them are increasingly large apertures. The best thing to do is discover the abilities of your scope, enjoy what you see and push the boundaries a little at dark sites before considering a larger scope. visual observing is all about aperture and if you can, darker skies. whatever scope you buy (literally) there will always be objects just too faint for you to see.

[mert]

IMHO means "In My Humble Opinion"

Kitt Peak should have lovely dark skies but I'd still be surprised if a 4.5" scope can show the Horsehead Nebula even with an H-Beta filter to be honest with you.

Some of our members took larger aperture scopes (8" or more) and H-Beta filters to dark skies in Scotland not so long ago and I don't recall them having any success.

Before you spend your money have a look at this report on the usefulness of different types of filter on different objects:

http://www.prairieas...common-nebulae/

Remember this thread at the beggining on the year?

I spent over a week looking for it with my scope in February, very dark skies, North Scotland, when the Flame Nebula was visible the Horshead was there, I tried without the h-beta and could not see it on the same night.

[michael.h.f.wilkinson]

H-beta is pretty specialized (some say it is really only suitable for the Horse-head), and a UHC is a better all-round performer. I am tempted to get the H-beta, however, because I already have the UHC. I have yet to see the Horse-head with my 8" scope.

[John]

H-beta is pretty specialized (some say it is really only suitable for the Horse-head), and a UHC is a better all-round performer. I am tempted to get the H-beta, however, because I already have the UHC. I have yet to see the Horse-head with my 8" scope.

I'm tempted too Michael - just for that one target - pity you can't rent them

I'd need to get my 10" newtonian out to a real dark site this winter when Orion is on show.

[Mark at Beaufort]

I have a Thousand Oaks H-Beta filter but I have yet to view the Horsehead Nebula using my 10" Dob. My southern view is pretty dark with no light pollution in that direction. I will have another go later this year when Orion comes back into view at a more reasonable time.

I am pleased that others have viewed it with a 10"

John you are welcome to try it out before buying or renting your own filter.

Mark

[swamp thing]

The old nag is my target for this coming winter. Narrowly missed it last year I could see the nebula but couldn't be sure on the notch that's the horsey itself (it was the one occasion that I forgot my "sky Atlas 2000" )That was from a good (VLM 7) site through a 16" Dob, no H-Beta filter though and no UHC either(sold mine like a prize idiot)

This winter I'm going to take a my "sky Atlas 2000", a 2" H-Beta filter, and my 20" Dob (when finished) to the same site. That should do it.

[michael.h.f.wilkinson]

Best of luck. I will have a go again this winter. Might try to have a go with the university's 16" RC.

[Mark at Beaufort]

I would be interested in deciding the best eyepiece for viewing the HH. Sometimes a low magnification and wide FOV is best on some objects - M101 and Barnard's Galaxy (NGC6822) for example. Any opinions on this?

On my 10" Dob the 13mm Ethos gives me 92x and a FOV of 1 degree 5 minutes - is this too much magnification? My H-Beta filter is 1.25" so cannot use my 20mm and 26mm Nagler although I can use a 25mm plossl which will give 48x and the same FOV as the Ethos.

Mark

[michael.h.f.wilkinson]

I hear from Olly that the HH is really a very small notch in the Flame. Might need more magnification.

[swamp thing]

That should be fine Mark. I will be using a 31mm Nagler this will give me around a degree FOV at I think about 75x in the 20" Using sky safari with this size FOV it looks like it should be easy enough. I can obviously go up in power but not down.

[John]

According to David Knisely (Cloudynights) the optimum magnification for H-Beta filters (not specifically on the Horsehead though) is between 3.5x and 10x per inch of aperture. I'm thinking that my 20mm Nagler and 13mm Ethos would be my "tools of choice" for this task with my 10" F/4.8 newtonian. Come to think of it, they are my most used deep sky eyepieces with that scope anyway !

I've always got the 8mm and 6mm Ethossssesss to fall back on .....

[RikM]

Didn't someone a while back post about seeing the HH in a finderscope from a very dark site?

Could it be that using a very low magnification brightens the background nebulosity enough to pick out the contrast difference that is HH itself?

[michael.h.f.wilkinson]

Didn't someone a while back post about seeing the HH in a finderscope from a very dark site?

Could it be that using a very low magnification brightens the background nebulosity enough to pick out the contrast difference that is HH itself?

I seem to remember that that was a case of confusing the dark bit in M42 for the HH. I am quite an experienced observer, and given the difficulties getting the HH in an 8" scope, I would say, not a chance in a finderscope, even in my 70mm

[John]

I seem to remember that that was a case of confusing the dark bit in M42 for the HH. I am quite an experienced observer, and given the difficulties getting the HH in an 8" scope, I would say, not a chance in a finderscope, even in my 70mm

I think that confusion is fairly common. I know that dark region in M42 as "the fishes mouth" but I don't know if that name is commonly used. I can see why someone unfamiliar with that part of the sky might think it was the Horsehead though.

[RikM]

I know that dark notch in M42 as the fishes mouth as well. I think I lost track of the thread before it reached the conclusion of mistaken identity, but I can well believe it.

I have never managed even a hint of the HH with my 10" and a UHC. I have seen (detected a hint of) the flame nebula once, on a night of extraordinary transparency but even then there was nothing visible in the HH area. Having imaged it, I know exactly where it should be and how big it should appear in the eyepiece, but even with averted imagination, with or without filter, there was nothing there.