Do people use a filter for Jupiter?

[mark3d]

It struck me that it's actually very bright... all I really see is a white planet with the 2 orange stripes. The stripes had been cool enough but I'd like to see as much as possible (GRS for sure!)

Should I be trying to improve the contrast with a filter?

[acropolite]

Your problem with the GRS may be timing, it's only visible at certain times, there are tables available that show the timing of GRS transits. http://www.skyandtelescope.com/observing/objects/planets/3304091.html

[Astro_Bot]

I think you should see more than that with a 10" aperture, but a filter may not help - I don't use one. You might simply have been having bad luck with seeing.

[mark3d]

Thanks, being able to plan for it will help. I mentioned GRS as more of an ambition, more curious about the filter and generally trying to see as much of Jupiter as possible. Thanks anyway!

[GeoffW1]

Hi,

The general wisdom seems to be a blue filter to bring out the GRS, and a yellow filter for the polar regions

http://www.skyandtelescope.com/observing/objects/planets/3304326.html

There are quite a few posts about it in IIS, some referring to filter wheels. I have never used one of those, so can't say more.

Cheers

[sn1987a]

I use this Jupiter moons app from S&T which I think is very good. I find a blue filter helps with contrast on the GRS.

http://www.skyandtelescope.com/apps

[Paddy]

I rarely use a filter for Jupiter. It is bright especially in 16", but you should be able to see the GRS and more bands than just the 2 equatorials in a 10" scope. It is low in the sky at present so it's best to use a low magnification to get the steadiest image I wouldn't go above 135x at present. Also make sure your scope is well collimated.

[mark3d]

OK thanks all. Looking forward to giving Jupiter a really good go in a dark sky.

[KG8]

never used a filter but a high power EP certainly cuts the light down.

[MattT]

Best way I find is with binoviewers. 15mm eyepieces and a 2x barlow gives about the same image size as a 5mm mono eyepiece in my 6" f12 frac.
Observing is easier for me with two eyes than one!

[knightrider]

Sunday just gone (16/3/14) the GRS was in view for the early part of the night. We had nice skies here and I was able to use up to 300x. Nice clarity and details, it almost looked like a photo of it. I also saw the white band of clouds behind the GRS that splits the main band and two other smaller circular storms in the upper or other main band.

Without a filter it wasn't too bright, but lower power it definitely looked bright. As I magnified more (200x and 300x) it wasn't really what I'd call bright. I used a #12 Yellow and #80A Blue to bring out other details easier. But without the filter is most satisfying as it gives its natural colour.

[astro744]

Filters are used to enhance contrast and thus bring out specific details that would otherwise be difficult to discern.

See http://www.lumicon.com/store/pg/15-LUMICON-Nebula-Filters.aspx (toward bottom of page) and http://vernonscope.com/index.php?route=product/category&path=70 (click on each filter for more detailed description of each.

Note Vernonscope filters only fit Brandon eyepieces and Daikin Barlows. An adaptor is needed for 1.25" eyepieces. (Thread is different).

Do not hesitate in using your narrowband filter on Jupiter as it looks amazing in O-III and H-Beta!

[stephenb]

Mark I have used this handy little program for years...

http://www.astrosurf.com/rondi/jupiter/

[kinetic]

No one has mentioned an IR cut filter yet.
Jupiter radiates in the IR as well as visible.
If you have removed the typical webcam IR cut filter (sometimes part of
the cheap lens you throw away) then focusing can never quite seem perfect
and a loss of contrast is sometimes evident.

M- type stars are a good example of this when your webcam or planetary
camera can do long exposures.
I used to get a halo around red M type stars.
This was the un-focussed IR while all other visible was focused.

As some have suggested, doing Jupiter in narrowband can be quite
rewarding too.

[AG Hybrid]

I use a cheapie 1.25" GSO blue filter to bring out some of the band details. Doubles as a pretty good star spliter filter too.

[Doogs38]

+1 for the blue filter. Seems to enhance the contrast in the equatorial bands & draw out some of the finer detail in some of the festoons. Also works nicely to enhance the views of Mars (especially ATM :-).

[expon]

I was actually going to come here and ask a similar question. So thanks OP for the thread. But it leads me to another question, does Jupiter always look like crap from Melbourne? Im about 11km from the city and all i can see are 2 stripes on jupiter through a 12" dob. Saturn looks amazing, mars i can make out some sifferent texture but Jupiter I cannot seem to get any better than 2 stripes. The moons are large however, more than a pin prick.

Today I tried a 6mm TMB Plan II and it looked nice, but only two stripes. Is it me been newb or is it a combo of bad viewing area plus low to the horizon and user error?

[OzStarGazer]

I purchased a set of Seben filters some time ago and according to their description the orange one increases the perceptibility of details in Jupiter's belts and polar regions; the dark blue filter is especially suitable for the observation of Jupiter's Great Red Spot and its reddish belts; and the light green one will enhance the contrast of the red and blue regions in Jupiter's atmosphere.

[noeyedeer]

hi dys, I havnt had the opportunity to see Jupiter since it was rising at 4am, and even then I could see the equatorial bands easily with my 10" dob. i was using the same ep, except barlowed and I could see a lot of detail. festoons, I can't remember seeing them.but you should see white and the mottling ..which maybe the festoons .. I was impressed over my last viewing using a 114mm reflector thou. I hope I get a chance soon to put the scope out for a view ..

matt

[OzStarGazer]

I have been able to see Jupiter's bands with a 5" dob and a 25mm eyepiece. :) I think the filters just enhance the experience, but you don't really need them in order to see the bands.

[astrospotter]

Well this may sound 'odd' but one of my favorite filters for use with large scope (18" dob) for Jupiter is an NPB filter as it really brings out the bands. Of course I have gone unfiltered, variable polarizer, assorted color filters as well but NPB gives a unique view and after all what you are looking for in a big scope is to cut down the intense light level and to bring out bands both of which happen with this filter. But no, there is no nebula to boost ... ;-)
The UHC filter, a popular and more commonly known nebula filter, is very similar to the NPB filter except some UHC filters don't pass the really dark Ha band (Not sure but feel UHC may be nice as well). Try it, you may find it yet another interesting perspective on that massive beast of a planet.