Omega NPB and OIII Filters

[leinad (Dan)]

Arrived today well packaged!
Waiting eagerly till later on tonight when it gets a bit darker to try them out.
There was a small speck on one of them, which Im not sure if a dust speck or small dust speck sized chip. Isnt too much too worry about though I hope.
Gave them a quick few squirts with the air can, a small touch of a cotton ear bud, but it looks like it may be a small, small chip. Hopefully wont be noticeable during viewing.

The threading is a little thin it felt, but fits tightly after a few turns. NOt as well threaded I think as the Meade filters.

At half the price of the Astronomik filters I'm happy so far.

I'll report back on my findings later on.

Tonights Preliminary Targets:
Keyhole Nebula
Orion Nebula
Tarantula Nebula

[erick (Eric)]

Yes, let me know your experience with the OIII filter. Can you try it on a few planetary nebula, please?

[leinad (Dan)]

Bugger.
Rain clouds are overhead now, rain is due tomorrow as well.
Gonna have to wait ill Friday night.
oooh the suspense.

[leinad (Dan)]

Any particular requests erick ?
Do you have any good web link lists ?

Originally Posted by erick

Yes, let me know your experience with the OIII filter. Can you try it on a few planetary nebula, please?

[erick (Eric)]

It's still early days for me with planetary nebulae - I've only see a few. I do want to start looking for more and I believe an OIII filter will help in the hunt.

I have to defer to the experts. Here is what glenc posted in another thread. Brightest are at the top:-

This is a list of the 20 brightest planetary nebulae south of declination -20 degrees.The list gives the name or NGC number, the constellation, the visual magnitude (brightness), the size in arc minutes, the RA (x axis) in hours and the declination (y axis) in degrees. The list is sorted by magnitude. Objects less than 0.2' across are not included.

Name Con Mv Size' RA Dec
7293 AQR 7.6 14.7 22.494 -20.84
3918 CEN 8.2 0.3 11.838 -57.18
5189 MUS 9.5 3.1 13.559 -65.97
5882 LUP 9.5 0.3 15.281 -45.65
1360 FOR 9.6 7.7 3.554 -25.87
2867 CAR 9.7 0.3 9.357 -58.31
3132 VEL 9.7 1.0 10.117 -40.44
6302 SCO 9.7 1.4 17.229 -37.10
IC4406 LUP 10.2 1.7 14.374 -44.15
lC4191 MUS 10.6 0.3 13.147 -67.64
6153 SCO 10.6 0.5 16.525 -40.25
3211 CAR 10.7 0.3 10.297 -62.67
M 3-6 Pyx 10.8 0.3 8.678 -32.37
6563 SGR 10.8 0.8 18.201 -33.87
6445 SGR 10.9 0.6 17.821 -20.01
3699 CEN 11.0 1.2 11.466 -59.96
IC5148 GRU 11.0 2.0 21.993 -39.39
5307 CEN 11.2 0.3 13.851 -51.21
6629 SGR 11.2 0.3 18.428 -23.20
6072 SCO 11.3 1.2 16.216 -36.23

[leinad (Dan)]

Great thanks!

glenc, you THA MAN!

[citivolus (Ric)]

I'd be curious how sharp the stars are. I have two OIII filters, and the smaller of the two (an older Lumicon 1.25") lacks the resolution of my Baader 2".

[leinad (Dan)]

Looks like a clear nite!
Been keeping my eye on the weather reports all day.
Hope to use my new filters tonight. woohoo!

Seeing looks good.
Fingers crossed it stays that way for a number of hours.
Will report after.

[leinad (Dan)]

Hey citivolus,

star sharpness was quite good. I havnt tried any others so I cant give a good comparison, but I can tell you that at high mag where stars werent so sharp I could still see them although tinged purply/red, so they werent being drowned out by the filter to say.

Originally Posted by citivolus

I'd be curious how sharp the stars are. I have two OIII filters, and the smaller of the two (an older Lumicon 1.25") lacks the resolution of my Baader 2".

[leinad (Dan)]

hey erick,

I posted an ob. report with findings. Only found one Planetary nebula during the night.
NGC 3195 at Mag 11! OIII filter made this one stand out very well.I was able to shift the object out of view then bring back in to view, and clearly make it out again without too much effort.
Was quite impressed compared to un-filtered view where I could just make it out.
NPB was clearer, but didnt bring out a rich, saturated color as the OIII did.

Hard to explain sorta.

Originally Posted by erick

Yes, let me know your experience with the OIII filter. Can you try it on a few planetary nebula, please?

[wavelandscott (Scott)]

Good to hear that you are enjoying the filters!

If you have not tried to "blink"" with them, you might find this another way to find "hard to see stuff"...

To "blink" instead of putting the filter on the eyepiece, you simple hold it on the edge with your fingers (careful not to get your fingers on the filter) over the eyepiece and move it back and forth...this creates a filtered/non-filtered "blinking view". To me this is sometimes an easier/faster way to tease out hard to find things than pulling the eyepiece out, puttinig on the filter, putting the eyepiece back in...it is also cheaper than a filter wheel. 2 inch filters are easier to use in this way than 1.25 inch filters but either work well (I think).

Clear Skies!

[leinad (Dan)]

Thanks for the tip wavelandscott.

[erick (Eric)]

Originally Posted by leinad

hey erick,

I posted an ob. report with findings. Only found one Planetary nebula during the night.
NGC 3195 at Mag 11! OIII filter made this one stand out very well.I was able to shift the object out of view then bring back in to view, and clearly make it out again without too much effort.
Was quite impressed compared to un-filtered view where I could just make it out.
NPB was clearer, but didnt bring out a rich, saturated color as the OIII did.

Hard to explain sorta.

Thanks, sounds like there is one of these in my future.

[citivolus (Ric)]

Originally Posted by wavelandscott

Good to hear that you are enjoying the filters!

If you have not tried to "blink"" with them, you might find this another way to find "hard to see stuff"...

I find this technique works well for seeing Eta and M42 naked eye under less than ideal skies.

Good to hear about the sharpness, it sounds like it beats my smaller OIII filter. Stars ended up quite bloated in it, like the coating was diffusing.