Light pollution filter for visual

[Raph-in-the-sky]

Hey guys,

I was wondering if light pollution filter help for visual use. 

From what I understand, light pollution filter don't help for galaxies and cluster as the light emitted cover the entire spectrum and UHC/OIII are better for nebulae.

Does anyone use light pollution filter for visual?

If it helps, I m using a 10' Dob at a Bortle 4-5 site.

Cheers,

Raph

 

 

[Guest]

Your understanding is correct. a filter will not help for anything composed primarily of stars, such as galaxies and star clusters. Nor will they help much with reflection nebulae. Howevre if your targets are emission nebulae then a UHC type filter will help a lot from almost any skies. An OIII filter will help if you are primarily interested in planetary nebulae but would be the second filter to buy after a UHC type filter.

 

Owen

[Raph-in-the-sky]

2 minutes ago, obrazell said:

Your understanding is correct. a filter will not help for anything composed primarily of stars, such as galaxies and star clusters. Nor will they help much with reflection nebulae. Howevre if your targets are emission nebulae then a UHC type filter will help a lot from almost any skies. An OIII filter will help if you are primarily interested in planetary nebulae but would be the second filter to buy after a UHC type filter.

 

Owen

Thanks for the answer. I already have a UHC and an OIII ... So no point in buying a light pollution ... I starting to wonder why those exist if they are inferior to UHC and OIII in every situation? Maybe just because people buy them?

[johninderby]

All depends on what you are looking at. I find a neodymium (moon and skyglow) filter is the best general purpose filter for lunar / planetary.

Edited September 12, 2019 by johninderby

[RT65CB-SWL]

Another vote for the neodymium filter. It is my 'Swiss-Army knife' filter... it does almost anything! 

[Raph-in-the-sky]

1 hour ago, Philip R said:

Another vote for the neodymium filter. It is my 'Swiss-Army knife' filter... it does almost anything! 

Hmm... I might have to add that to my list

Do you also use it on DSOs?

Edited September 12, 2019 by Raph-in-the-sky

[RT65CB-SWL]

1 hour ago, Raph-in-the-sky said:

Hmm... I might have to add that to my list

Do you also use it on DSOs?

I don't do DSO's... sorry!, (excluding M42 & Trapezium). I only got the neodymimum for planetary when sodium streetlights ruled, (now got one to many LED ones). Should be ok, I would think. 

[Ricochet]

In my experience a neodymium filter is absolutely useless on DSOs but the filter to use for lunar and planetary viewing. The only light pollution filter I have used that is useful on DSOs is the Astronomik CLS, but this will probably become less effective as LED lights become more common. There is a new (ish) IDAS light pollution filter designed for use under LED lighting that might be useful, even though it is targeted more at photographic rather than visual use. 

[cletrac1922]

Ralph

I am also using a 10'' Dob at a Bortle 4-5 site.

Have perfect clear skies

Last few weeks, when leaving home for work aropund 4-30am, have Orion overhead

Attached pic taken about a month ago, with Android phone

Had crescent moon, with Jupiter and Venus

Unfortunately Android phones do not like poor lighting conditions

John