AOE 1.25" Telescope Filters any good?

[menotthat]

Hi all

Newbie here.

Just got a celestron powerseeker 127 eq (maybe it has been more like a month) and had some ok viewing. ok i mean great of the moon, could see jupiter and its moons as white dots. seen the side of venus as a half ball, and seen saturn small but with no shadows cast on itself. will be better after i have collimated it. too eager to just put it outside and start viewing.

but back to the question

saw these filters here http://www.aoe.com.au/filters.html and wondered if anyone had tried them?
plus is that moon and skyglow filter from baader really any good? trying to save some dollars. might invest more in the future.

thanks guys and gals

simon

[iceman (Mike)]

Hi Simon

Welcome to IceInSpace!

In my experience, filters for visual observing usually sit in your eyepiece case and very very rarely get used. The only filters I'd (personally) recommend are nebula filters such as OIII and UHC, which can increase the contrast of certain nebulas for your deep-space object viewing.

Moon filters are ok in that they cut the glare from the moon, but with 127mm of aperture it's not likely to blast your eyeballs out - not like the view of the moon through my friend Rod's 20" telescope. Increasing magnification is a great way to cut the glare from the moon. Try a shorter focal length eyepiece or stick a barlow in there.

Skyglow filters - I haven't tried any myself so I can't comment. They're supposed to block the wavelengths emitted by sodium street lights. Others who have tried/own them might be able to comment further. In my experience though, there's no substitute to getting out of the city lights and observing at a dark sky location. You should try and get up to Cambroon with the other SEQLD based folk? They have regular observing nights up there and you'll get to look through some great (big) telescopes, as well as make some nice new friends. It's always much more fun when you can share your hobby with someone.

Coloured filters - I don't use them. I own them, but just don't see any need to use them. Certain coloured filters are supposed to highlight certain features on certain objects, by increasing contrast or blocking wavelengths from to reveal structures that may be washed out in the normal white light view. They're reasonably inexpensive so not really a huge investment if you want to try them out for yourself.

Hope that helps.

[janoskiss (Steve H)]

Hi Simon, welcome to IIS! I would not recommend filters for your scope. They offer little if anything in way of improvements to the view and cost a lot. IMO Nebula filters are only really effective on larger scopes 10-12" or bigger. They are very impressive on BIG scopes 18" and larger, but rob too much light from smaller scopes. I have a number of filters, coloured ones, DGM NBP nebula, neutral density, crossed polariser, and almost never use them.

[Rob_K]

Hi Simon. I work with small aperture too (smaller than yours!), and find that a variable polarising filter is very useful for the moon, especially when showing other people. Brings up the darker maria etc, and easier to look at & appreciate detail. I have an OIII filter, but it's not really that useful. However, it does isolate the brighter nebulae at our aperture, but light loss works against it. Forget it for dimmer stuff. I own & have tried various coloured filters. Using them on planets as recommended, I have noted some slight benefits (or did I imagine it? ), but can't say I've been overly impressed. Hope this helps!

Cheers -

[[1ponders] (Paul)]

Hi Simon

I'd say get the filters. That way you will have a starting point when it comes to arguing for a bigger telescope. Something like:

"I've got these great filters, but I just can't use them. I really need an extra 10 - 12 " to really make them work to their best"

Got the idea.

Welcome to the group

[ballaratdragons (Ken)]

Originally Posted by [1ponders]

Hi Simon

I'd say get the filters. That way you will have a starting point when it comes to arguing for a bigger telescope. Something like:

"I've got these great filters, but I just can't use them. I really need an extra 10 - 12 " to really make them work to their best"

Got the idea.

Welcome to the group

and maybe buy a cheap 120mm Refractor as a guidescope which will be far too big for your 127 Powerseeker. Then you'd HAVE TO get a bigger scope!

"but sweetie, this 127mm scope can't carry my very important guidescope"

[erick (Eric)]

Originally Posted by [1ponders]

Hi Simon

I'd say get the filters. That way you will have a starting point when it comes to arguing for a bigger telescope. Something like:

"I've got these great filters, but I just can't use them. I really need an extra 10 - 12 " to really make them work to their best"

Got the idea.

Welcome to the group

I've just written that down! It'll come in handy!