Good Filter For Observing Venus

[saac]

I have a friend coming to visit over the next few weeks and I thought we could have a go at observing Jupiter and few of the brighter nebula. I'm looking for some advice on  a suitable filter for visual use. And again anything similar for visual use on say M31/M45/M42 -for use with an Esprit 120 from a Bortle 4 area.  Thanks in advance. 

Jim 

[John]

I don't find filters help much with planetary observing. I have tried quite a few and still do now and then but I quite quickly gravitate back to a filterless view and allowing the eye to get used to the contrast of the planetary features. Amazing how a relatively bland Jupiter can come to life with extra detail after around 30 minutes or so observing. Assuming the clouds give you that long that is ! 🙄

For nebulae at star parties I often use a decent UHC filter to help increase the contrast for the inexperienced observers. M42, M27 and a number of other "showpieces" seem to jump out a bit more with a UHC. An O-III filter can make even more of an impact on receptive targets such as the Veil and Owl nebulae but those can be challenging for the novice observer even with such a filter. 

For clusters and galaxies (eg: M31, M45 etc) it's back to as dark a sky as possible and the well dark-adapted eye to get the best from those. 

Edited November 13, 2023 by John
Forgot to close the brackets !

[Mr Spock]

For Venus I find a variable polariser essential. The planet's brightness can mask the delicate cloud detail without. I've also found a blue/violet filter can assist with revealing cloud detail - a 38A or 47.
I find Jupiter is best as it is with the 4". With the 12" the variable polariser helps tease out more detail.

[Zermelo]

The only filter I've found to help with planets was the cheapest one I possess:

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/404621900566?mkcid=16&mkevt=1&mkrid=711-127632-2357-0&ssspo=oz251vuyrrs&sssrc=4429486&ssuid=IL6Mz5D7S4O&var=&widget_ver=artemis&media=COPY

though I've not yet tried it on Venus.

 

FLO says: https://www.firstlightoptics.com/flo-guides-colour-filters-to-improve-lunar-and-planetary-visual-observing.html

Agena says: https://agenaastro.com/articles/choosing-a-color-planetary-filter.html

Also this thread:

 

Edited November 14, 2023 by Zermelo
Typo

[Franklin]

The best and cheapest way of filtering out the excessive glare of Venus, to help increase the contrast of subtle features, is to observe the planet in a daytime sky. In an evening sky be very careful if the Sun is above the horizon when searching for Venus, morning apparitions are easiest as you can set your scope tracking the planet whilst still dark and then wait for the Sun to rise. 

[John]

41 minutes ago, Franklin said:

The best and cheapest way of filtering out the excessive glare of Venus, to help increase the contrast of subtle features, is to observe the planet in a daytime sky. In an evening sky be very careful if the Sun is above the horizon when searching for Venus, morning apparitions are easiest as you can set your scope tracking the planet whilst still dark and then wait for the Sun to rise. 

Similarly, some of my best views of Jupiter have come when observing it against a sky with plenty of light left in it.