Filter advice.

[DandTtech]

Hello,

Just upgraded the standard EP's on my SW 200p to a 17 and an 8 mm (SWA 70, 2 inch). Had a look at Jupiter and the moon on Monday with them for the first time and the difference is amazing, like the first time I looked through the scope over again! I also looked at the Orion Nebula for the first time ever and was wondering what filter the nice people here would recommend for viewing nebulae such as this? TBH the seeing wasn't brilliant by the time Orion was high enough over the surrounding buildings, so I didn't see the nebula at its best, but wondered if there was a filter that might be useful to view things when the seeing is better, or one that might help with light pollution, when I view from my back garden. And what about the moon? I have no moon filter, so it is too bright at times, but would a moon filter be the only thing I should consider, is there something else?

Thanks,

Mike.

[swamp thing]

TBH I wouldn't and don't recommend moon filters I find them utterly useless.

For me the moon is never too bright. I'm quite comfortable viewing it without a filter.

On to nebulae.

A UHC is the first filter most recommend. These actually improve the view, by cutting unwanted bands of light out , therefore adding contrast and darkening the sky background whilst letting the light from the nebulae 'pop' into view. The UHC (barrow band) filter works on more targets than its line filter counterparts.

Line filters like O-III and H-Beta are more aggressive versions of the narrow band UHC. Both these work extremely well. The O-III has more targets than the H-Beta. The H-Beta only really works on a handful of objects.

[houston]

I got the sw 2" uhc filter and the ostara skyglow filter. Uhc seems to turn everything green but does enhance nebula. Ostara is wrapped up for christmas with 8mm swa and hopefully the the 32mm.

Sent from my GT-I8160 using Tapatalk 2

[DandTtech]

Hello,

Thanks for the replies! Moon filter no good, OK I will try not to look at the moon when it is full/near full, though it will be hard to resist! I know the views are not contrasts enough when the moon is fully lit, anyway.

So what does UHC mean. Correct me if I'm wrong, but Olll filters the light emmisions of ozone and H beta of hydrogen, what of UHC?

Incidentally, the 2 inch Skywatcher SWA 70 EP is threaded for 1 1/4 filters.

Mike.

[Joves]

It stands for Ultra High Contrast.

I have quite a few filters, but if I could only have one, it would be the UHC. Definiitely recommend it as your first.

[DandTtech]

I'll put a UHC on the list then, thanks for the advice.

Mike.

[AndyWB]

Hello,

Moon filter no good, OK I will try not to look at the moon when it is full/near full, though it will be hard to resist!

Go ahead and do it! You won't do any permanent damage, but you'll find out if you're comfortable with the brightness or not. I do sometimes find it uncomfortably bright, and I don't like wandering around afterwards like I'm blind in one eye for 10 minutes 'cos it's lost dark adaption. You could counter this with a moon filter - and some do, it's a personal choice - but I prefer simply to up the magnification; that makes things dimmer.

So I'd say, save your money, try looking at the moon, and see what you think. Then try different magnifications. And do this at the end of a session, 'cos you won't see anything dim afterwards...

Oh, and +1 for the UHC

[DandTtech]

Hello,

Good point on leaving moon views till the end of the session, it is obvious, but I didn't think of it. The moon is such an alluring object I tended to look at it straight away!

I guess the idea of high mags is the smaller exit pupil, since my eyes must be like pinholes when looking at a really bright moon. Or is there just less light gathering with the higher mags? I notice using a Barlow reduces the brightness quite a bit.

Mike.