Castell UHC filter (and the Skywatcher LPF)

[Ogri]

A horribly short session before the clouds rolled in again, to the point I didn't even manage a comparison with no filter at all.

Good news though, the upper atmosphere haze (volcanic ash?)seems to have cleaned up enough to at least see a nebula down here (now just those pesky clouds and yet more clouds . . .).

I started off with the Skywatcher LPF in the ST120 for the milder contrast, using the 1.25" 20mm erfle EP for 30 x magnification, as the Hyperions were set out ready cooling, and picked up the Triffid Nebula very nicely (I'm pretty sure it was the Triffid Nebula anyway, it's the one I was looking for, but the clouds were rushing in much faster than expected and I wasn't heading back in to get the star atlas to double check).

I quickly switched to the Castell UHC, and the difference in improved contrast was immediately apparent, and the nebulosity had a much more 'solid' and noticeable 'presence' to it. It was a very nice view.

Then the cloud shutters rolled in as I was taking the filter off to try without. Didn't even get to try the 13mm and 21mm Hyperions.

So the thing works!

And I liked the Skywatcher LPF too.

Yep, I'd buy both of them again like a shot.

You know, I'd buy that 20mm erfle again like a shot too. Yes it has its 'issues' but it is really usable, and for the money, for a non-perfectionist like myself, the thing really delivers (a bigger area than I can see without moving my eye around, is pretty darned good). I must try the rest of the range out sometime.

Sorry it's such a brief review, but it's all I've had to go with since I bought both the filters, and I know some of you have been waiting on any information at all on this Castell UHC. It's been a rather long wait.

Dad managed to christen his Revelation 15 x 70 birthday bins as well, and he's chuffed with them (something else I didn't manage to take a peek through).