LPR Filters Baader v Astronomik

[Profiler (Profiler)]

For those of us who live in heavily light polluted cities and must make do with what we have in the night sky can anyone offer some advice/experience of what they found in using either the Baader Moon and Skyglow filter or the Astronomik CLS filters for LPR.

Ironically, there are quite a few reviews praising the Baader filter on CN but virtually nothing on the CLS filter on the entire net (that I can find at least) even though Astronomik filters in general apparently have such a good reputation.

All thoughts and opinions are most welcome. Indeed, if there is some other great brand of LPR filter out there to be recommended I would be happy to learn of this as well.

[swannies1983 (Dan)]

I use the Hutech LPS filter and it works great! I can get out to about 15mins with it (about 5-8mins without it). The filter produces a "blue" cast but post processing fixes it.

[TheDecepticon]

+ 1 for the Hutech. Easy to adjust colour cast in post processing. Used the Astronomik as well as a DSLR clip filter, was quite good, but the Hutech is easier to work with.

[mswhin63 (Malcolm)]

Thanks for the suggestion. I was considering which filter to get as well. Will investigate Hutech as well.

[Profiler (Profiler)]

Sorry folks for not being a bit clearer in my original post. I am actually meaning in the context of old fashion visual astronomy not AP.

[LightningNZ (Cam)]

I was going to ask this same question tonight, so thanks for asking for me!

In addition to the Baader and Astronomik options there is also DGM. I've already decided on a DGM NPB filter for astrophotography but for now I'm building a visual only rig and need a filter to cut through the urban glare.
-Cam

[MattT]

Profiler I posted this link in the beginners section on a similiar question, might be of interest.
Matt
http://www.cloudynights.com/ubbthrea.../o/all/fpart/1

[Profiler (Profiler)]

I have been told that the celestron filters such as the O-III are simply the Baader filters rebadged. Can anyone confirm/deny or offer some insight into this point?

[warpsl (Jason)]

hi.i have the astronomik cls.and it works great on bright nebulae like eta carina and orion.but is still no substitute for a dark sky.regards,jason.

[Astro_Bot]

I have recently been doing the necessary background reading toward the selection and use of filters. It's still a work in progress, but I have started amassing a list of resources/pages/threads that may be of use here, some no doubt more than others. You may as well get the benefit of my hours of searching.

Some of the pages/threads below are aimed at astrophotography, but still useful (and you might have to read the whole thread to find that one really useful post). At this stage, I was mostly aiming at understanding the uses of broadband (a.k.a. "light pollution") vs narrowband (a.k.a. "nebula") filters, although it appears some would say that a "nebula" filter makes a better "light pollution" filter and that a "light pollution" filter isn't worth the bother; I've yet to make up my mind.

You should start here:
http://www.iceinspace.com.au/63-680-0-0-1-0.html

And then continue:
http://www.karmalimbo.com/aro/filters/filters-intro.htm
http://www.karmalimbo.com/aro/filters/filters-findD.htm
http://www.karmalimbo.com/aro/filters/filters-useD.htm
http://www.samirkharusi.net/filters.html
http://www.cloudynights.com/item.php...d=63&pr=2x9x42
http://www.cloudynights.com/ubbarchi...t=1&PHPSESSID=
http://www.cloudynights.com/ubbarchi...7/Main/1176970
http://stargazerslounge.com/topic/40...-transmission/
http://stargazerslounge.com/topic/56...ters-the-same/
http://stargazerslounge.com/topic/50...-2-lpr-filter/
http://stargazerslounge.com/topic/15...hc-v-cls-clip/

That was only one night's worth of searching, so there'll be more at some stage.

[RobF (Rob)]

I've seen a thread on Cloudy Nights where the "next gen" street lighting over there is pure "daylight" white. Let's hope that doesn't catch on everywhere - will begin to negate any anti-pollution benefit from filtering Na and Hg lines with anti-pollution filters.

[Profiler (Profiler)]

Well - I took the plunge to try and answer this question for myself and although I can't offer any formal analysis my simple observing experiences over three different nights now is that the Astronomik CLS filter certainly s***'s all over my old baader moon & skyglow. This is not to say the baader ain't a bad filter at all and I won't be parting with it either but the astronomik simply changed everything in my backgrounds from a light-polluted grey or on a darkish night -dark grey (with the baader) - to a solid black with the CLS. Whereas before vague hints of nebula were slightly visible (with the Baader) the CLS makes them clearly prominent (in terms of LPR). My biggest worry was perhaps the filter was cutting down light pass too much for such things as planetary observing but tonight was my best clearest night and I was able to compare with and without the CLS and it made no difference to clarity with magnification but contrast was certainly improved.