What moon filter to get?

[tom33pr]

Hi,

I heard dome people say - don't bother with a moon filter...

• Do you use one? If so, what color? Neutral?
  
• Do you use any filters for planets?
  
• What to get? a single one? Or a set of various colors?
  
• Anny suggestions?
  

Thanks.

[brianb]

IMO the moon is too bright to get away without a filter. I use a Wratten 29 (deep red) filter but anything with a good density is worth trying ... a deep colour isn't an issue as the moon has little colour in any case.

Don't waste money on a raft of filters which might be useful on planets. A better eyepiece will be more helpful, and a bigger scope better still. When you're at the limit & have built up some experience, specific coloured filters will give you just a bit more ... but you won't need to ask which ones.

[tom33pr]

Thanks.

Good density filters? Could you recommend any?

[brianb]

Wratten 29 (deep red)

neutral density 1.2 (6% transmission)

Wratten 58 (dark green), some people prefer this for the moon

Baader Solar Continuum - sounds silly but works very well on the moon, if you don't mind a deep green tint similar to Wratten 58

[JamesF]

Have to agree. I don't mind looking at the moon without a filter when it's mostly in shadow, but as it gets towards full I find it borderline painful to look at without one and I'm often half-blinded by the after image when I leave the scope.

My first was the moderately-priced Celestron one which I found ok though has nothing like the quality of manufacture of my GSO IR filter, but I've just bought a set of the Revelation EPs from FLO and they include a moon filter so I'll give it a try if the cloud ever lifts. The Celestron filter has an olive green tint to it, whereas the Revelation one has a neutral colour and is, as far as I can tell, the same as a GSO filter with a different logo.

James

[mikeknowle]

I use an Antares variable Moon filter and it's fab. It has two joined polarized filters back-to-back that can vary the light transmission continuously from 40% down to 2%-ish, just by turning the rotating part.

All you need to do is set it to min light transmission, then turn it until you get a comfortable amount of light/contrast for what you want to see. Best bit is also it doesn't ruin your dark adaptation, so when you finished looking at the moon, you can crack on looking at other stuff if you want to without waitng too long.

It only cost me £15.

Cheers

[mikeknowle]

PS. I bought it off Ebay. I think they are about £30-£40 new.

[NickMilner]

I got a Meade ND96 (ND obviously being neutral density) from FLO. Seems pretty good to me.

[tom33pr]

yea, they seem to be going for £30-40... I don't see any second/hand around... do you know any websites with decent, 'used' stuff?

I don't have access to the sales here just yet... and the Canada-wide Astronomy Buy & Sell doesn't seem to be that good... (unless I need to be more patient and wait for an opportunity).

Thanks.

[crazyjedi]

I've been getting more and more interested in this thread. I am someone who views the moon as a pain in the butt cuz it washes out the rest of the sky but recently i've been reading a bit about the moon and have been thinkin about a lunar filter. The moon is far too bright to view without a filter when anything past half moon. i have always viewed the moon last thing of a session due to it totally obliterating my night vision but maybe if i had a filter as suggested..... What's the cheapest good one??

[spaceboy]

It only cost me £15.

BONUS!!! I had to pay full whack for mine and I think it is worth every penny. Got yourself a bargain there Mike.

[Doug]

Hi Tom

Baader do filters for around £50.00 to £60.00

but if you would like the best, I like Astronomik from Modern Astromony £80.00 upwards if you don't want to spend that much

Nike recommended a Meade N96 moon filter about £15.00 I use it on the Moon and the very bright planets it was my first filter and I still use it

Doug

Essex

[mikeknowle]

BONUS!!! I had to pay full whack for mine and I think it is worth every penny. Got yourself a bargain there Mike.

Now I have it, I would definately say I would happily pay full price for it....if I didn't have it.

(if that makes sense)

[ajg]

Another vote for the variable polariser.

There's a bonus if you have a scope with a diagonal. You thread one part onto the barrel of the diagonal, and the other part onto the eyepiece. You can then adjust the amount of filtering by rotating the eyepiece in the diagonal.

[Cunhaval]

For a straight filter, Baader from FLO at £22. Various strengths - 0.9 works for me. Not the cheapest, but sooo much better than the sad SW item which came with my scope.