Filters - Minimum Requirements

[skir]

Just wondering what the minimum requirements for filters are?

I want a set that will work for everything really. Purely for visual at this stage , but later I might want to get into ap so is there a way I can minimise the expense pain of upgrades with sensible initial purchases?

[Spec-Chum]

If you're just buying one get a UHC.

Most of the others have more specialised purposes (or don't do much at all haha)

[skir]

To add to my initial question. I see there are sets of coloured filters available e.g red, green, blue etc. I understand a red filter will filter out that colour, but what scenarios do you use these filters in?

[Naemeth]

To add to my initial question. I see there are sets of coloured filters available e.g red, green, blue etc. I understand a red filter will filter out that colour, but what scenarios do you use these filters in?

[damnut]

Hi Skir,

You have not told us what you are going to observe or what kit you have so its difficult to give specific advice, good advice above to look at the filter guide. In general avoid the sets of filters as they are usually poor quality and you will probably not use them all.

And always avoid any glass solar filter that goes in the optical path, you wll be playing russian roulette with your eyesight. Have a visit to the Liverpool astro soc and see what others are using in similar kit and see what may be beneficial to you. Some of the more exotic filters are very expensive and some used only for astro photography.

Cheers

[Moonshane]

filters are not generally essential for night time astronomy but for certain targets will allow invisible objects to be visible, especially if you suffer light pollution. visual filters are not the same as imaging filters so I don't think there are many that cross over.

I would recommend the ones I use as follows:

Baader Neodymium- great for use as a moon filter, to increase contrast on Jupiter and Mars

Castell UHC and Oiii filter - I think the UHC is hard to get hold of but both work very very well for the price and give great results on emission nebulae and planetary nebulae.

Baader Solar film - essential for solar viewing with a normal scope. I also use a Baader Solr Continuum Filter to increase contrast and clarity - improves the effects of poor seeing.

[CSM]

If filters block too much light then you won't see much at all, especially with the smaller scopes. So look at the light transmission figures with the coloured ones. Thus the #12 Yellow has 74% VLT whilst the #25A Red only transmits 14% making it unsuitable for the smaller scopes.

[rwilkey]

Hi Skir, I have never appreciated the benefits of colour filters, to be honest I think they are a waste of space. UHC and OIII filters are good for nebulae and as Shane has said above the Baader Neodymium Filter is also good for moonglow and one or two planets.

[ronin]

Don't actually own any, had a scope for the past 12 years so zero I suspect is the minimum.

[skir]

Ok so neodymium, oiii and UHF its sounding like.

For the neodymium I guess it's got to be a baader? Who makes good versions of the other 2?

[Naemeth]

Ok so neodymium, oiii and UHC its sounding like.

For the neodymium I guess it's got to be a baader? Who makes good versions of the other 2?

Either look at Lumicon, Astronomik or Baader. Skywatcher is a cheaper alternative.

Lots of good discussion on CN about this, just some for you:

http://www.cloudynig...29/Main/3423915

Be careful though, as depending on your scope, you may have to stick to certain brands, or more accurately, different transmission values. Some O-III / UHC filters have a much narrower band of light they allow through, and thus are only really suitable on larger scopes, those with a wider band of light will be more suited to smaller scopes.

One violet filter I looked at only lets 3% of the light in!

[Spec-Chum]

Ok so neodymium, oiii and UHF its sounding like.

For the neodymium I guess it's got to be a baader? Who makes good versions of the other 2?

Skies the limit do one too, no idea what its like tho

[skir]

Well my scope is a 8" f5 newt if that helps. ( I do need to put this info in my sig really )

[Naemeth]

Well my scope is a 8" f5 newt if that helps. ( I do need to put this info in my sig really )

For most filters that should be absolutely fine. Just double check with the retailer you order with first .

[Grotemobile]

http://www.firstlightoptics.com/moon-neutral-density-filters/variable-polarizing-moon-filter.html

This is what i have just bought .This is great for the moon,

& planets.Got the best view of Juipter,i have seen with this.

Steve.

[skir]

http://www.firstligh...oon-filter.html

This is what i have just bought .This is great for the moon,

& planets.Got the best view of Juipter,i have seen with this.

Steve.

yes, that's something I'd seen others talking about and have considered how would this differ to the baader neodymium filter?

[yesteryeargames]

Hi i have the Baader Neodymium Filter, do you attatch it to the end of the eyepeice that goes into the telescope, or unscrew the eyepeice and put it inthere?

Will this filter help with nebula and galaxys ? or will i need to invest in another type as well?

any good value reccomendations? thanks

[yesteryeargames]

Oh and i have a fingerprint on the filter is it ok to wipe it ? how do you clean a filter? i know your never meant to touch the eyepiece lens.

[Moonshane]

yes, that's something I'd seen others talking about and have considered how would this differ to the baader neodymium filter?

I have tried both and much prefer the Neodymium. plus the latter works much better on the planets I mentioned so it's a two for one filter in a way.

[Moonshane]

Oh and i have a fingerprint on the filter is it ok to wipe it ? how do you clean a filter? i know your never meant to touch the eyepiece lens.

Hi i have the Baader Neodymium Filter, do you attatch it to the end of the eyepeice that goes into the telescope, or unscrew the eyepeice and put it inthere?

Will this filter help with nebula and galaxys ? or will i need to invest in another type as well?

any good value reccomendations? thanks

nothing really helps with galaxies other than dark skies and more aperture. nebulae may be helped if you suffer a lot of light pollution ut most are enhanced by the UHC as mentioned above.

also as mentioned above, the UHC/Oiii Castell are good value and work well.

the filter screws into the end of the eyepiece or if you buy 2" and have a filtered adapter it can be screwed into that to avoid having to switch the filter to each eyepiece in turn.

Oh and i have a fingerprint on the filter is it ok to wipe it ? how do you clean a filter? i know your never meant to touch the eyepiece lens.

you can clean eyepieces and filters successfully with care. there's hundreds of threads on SGL for this - better to search or start a new thread really.

[skir]

Many thanks for everyone's thoughts. I now have some ideas for when I do eventually buy some filters, though that will be a while yet.

[rwilkey]

Well my scope is a 8" f5 newt if that helps. ( I do need to put this info in my sig really )

Any filter will work well with this aperture, but remember, a dark sky location is best.

[yesteryeargames]

Baader Neodymium Filter is also good for moonglow and one or two planets.

Tried it on the moon made 0% differnce tried it on Jupiter made 0% difference to the glare

could there be something wrong with the one i got ?

[rwilkey]

Tried it on the moon made 0% differnce tried it on Jupiter made 0% difference to the glare

could there be something wrong with the one i got ?

Could be Yesteryeargames, I find the Neodymium filter effective on both those targets, though on the Moon I more often than not use an ND96 (0.9) filter or the 0.6 as a preference.

[Grotemobile]

As i said, you need one of these for a 8" scope.

The Neodymium is not enough on this scope

http://www.firstlightoptics.com/moon-neutral-density-filters/variable-polarizing-moon-filter.html

Steve,