H-beta Filter - One Trick Pony??

[Paul73]

Hi Guys

Santa / 3 small children have just driven a sleigh straight through my astro budget! So carefull shopping is the order of the day.

My question is. With my 10" scope, would I get significant gains on other objects? Or, would it just give me a better, but still very small chance of bagging the HH?

Paul

[alan potts]

I'm no expert but I think you will struggle with the Horse head using a 10 inch unless you are really at a very dark and distant site well away from any light.

I think it is also a limited use filter though I have one for the HH which I hopefully will see this year or early next. I find I use my Olll  filter the most on the likes of the Veil which can be seen with ease, next I would say it was the Deep Sky by Lumicon on galaxies, though some would say this is a waste, I find on my larger two scopes it is a help.

I would say it was better looking for something else.

[Stu]

I'm sure you've seen this before Paul, but worth a trawl through I should think.

Much will still depend on the quality of your skies obviously.

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

[YKSE]

I've had 2" H-beta for a few months, only managed to see California nebula with it (with 120ED with 40mm EP).

Nebulas suitable for H-beta are not as many as David Knisely has shown in his comparison, still there're some. I've made an excel file of David's comparison, it's easier to sort in that file to find most H-beta suitable nebulas.

http://stargazerslounge.com/topic/250843-some-files-might-be-of-use/

[Paul73]

Thanks guys. I've always found the Mr Knisely's observations are rather optimistic for UK sky.

Given the likelihood of getting the HH even with the Hbeta is very low indeed. I think that I may spend my astro £ elsewhere for the moment.

Paul

[Mark at Beaufort]

Paul I had a 10" Dob for many years together with a Thousand Oaks H.Beta filter. My east/west sky is dark the same as Lucksall (down the road) used for the SGL star parties. I never managed the HH at home and only saw it at Lucksall with a 16" scope. In fact I have only seen the California Neb once and that was using my Orion VX8 with a Lumicon UHC - always failed with the 10" and the H.Beta.

[John]

I've not seen much with my Lumicon H-Beta filter even with my 12" dob

[jetstream]

The objects are limited in general and are underwhelming IMHO. I'm hoping my richfield frac opens some Hb doors.....

[swamp thing]

Not sure I'd call it one trick pony TBH.

I was lucky enough to be kindly loaned one by rustysplit. 

I found it offered some quite interesting alternate views of other nebulae when I used it. Obviously I was using it in quite a large scope though, whether or not you would get enough brightness at a usable image scale in a smaller scope I couldn't say.

[scarp15]

The objects are limited in general and are underwhelming IMHO. I'm hoping my richfield frac opens some Hb doors.....

I would like to try my 76mm frac sometime in this regard. There are plenty of H-beta seasonal targets, but they are almost all not so easy and the impact will be subtle.

Currently the California, which I have had the most success with and would like to try with my 76mm, also the HH which I have at least glimpsed. The H-Beta filter can provide an interesting quite stark view of M42 and certainly enhances the profile of M43.

As with this time last year, I would like an opportunity to attempt the Seagull - Emission Nebula in Monoceros IC2177  not so far from Sirus and Barnards Loop IC1396 Orion.  I might require a lower power eyepiece something around 30mm. Weather wise, like last year this might be wishful thinking.

[clarkpm4242]

I wold recommend the UHC filter (assuming that you don't already have one).  Much more versatile than the OIII or H beta.

Paul

[jetstream]

I would like to try my 76mm frac sometime in this regard. There are plenty of H-beta seasonal targets, but they are almost all not so easy and the impact will be subtle.

Currently the California, which I have had the most success with and would like to try with my 76mm, also the HH which I have at least glimpsed. The H-Beta filter can provide an interesting quite stark view of M42 and certainly enhances the profile of M43.

As with this time last year, I would like an opportunity to attempt the Seagull - Emission Nebula in Monoceros IC2177  not so far from Sirus and Barnards Loop IC1396 Orion.  I might require a lower power eyepiece something around 30mm. Weather wise, like last year this might be wishful thinking.

I agree Iain and I'm selling a few things to purchase a 2" Lumicon Hb to go with the Vixen 42mm for use in the 90mm frac. I hope it works I really hope the Vixen doesn't have floating eyerelief....

[Paul73]

Some good filter thoughts guys.

I may invest in the Lumicon 2" UHC first. Have got a 1 1/4" but bigger targets are a struggle. I have Lumicon OIII 1.25" & 2" already. The HH may have to wait for a larger scope.

Paul