UHC or OIII ? - Help me decide please

Dear All,

I need some advice and recommendations.

I am seriously considering buying a narrow band deep sky filter but I don't
know a UHC or an OIII will be most useful.

I use a 10" F4.8 scope and enjoy both observing and imaging deep sky
objects. I obviously want the filter to enhance the contrast on planetary
nebula and other emission nebula both visually, and maybe for CCD work too.

Does a UHC filter which passes H-alpha, H-beta, and the two OIII lines give
noticeably different results compared to an OIII filter alone? I'm thinking
all emission objects, not just the veil nebula. Would a UHC still show
H-beta nebula like B33, i.e. be more use on a greater number of objects? I
can only afford one or the other.

Your thoughts, experience and advice is greatly appreciated.

Best wishes and clear, dark skies.

--

/Paul B, York, UK.
www.buglassweb.btinternet.co.uk/astrohome.htm

Go to

http://pages.sbcglobal.net/raycash/filters.htm

for a comprehensive comparison. I've seen B33 with a UHC however, it is
nowhere near as clear as with an H beta. I used a UHC with a 5.5 inch
Mak-Cass but tend to use the OIII with my larger scope.
Paul
"P B" wrote in message
...
Dear All,

I need some advice and recommendations.

I am seriously considering buying a narrow band deep sky filter but I
don't
know a UHC or an OIII will be most useful.

I use a 10" F4.8 scope and enjoy both observing and imaging deep sky
objects. I obviously want the filter to enhance the contrast on planetary
nebula and other emission nebula both visually, and maybe for CCD work
too.

Does a UHC filter which passes H-alpha, H-beta, and the two OIII lines
give
noticeably different results compared to an OIII filter alone? I'm
thinking
all emission objects, not just the veil nebula. Would a UHC still show
H-beta nebula like B33, i.e. be more use on a greater number of objects?
I
can only afford one or the other.

Your thoughts, experience and advice is greatly appreciated.

Best wishes and clear, dark skies.

--

/Paul B, York, UK.
www.buglassweb.btinternet.co.uk/astrohome.htm

Go to

http://pages.sbcglobal.net/raycash/filters.htm

for a comprehensive comparison. I've seen B33 with a UHC however, it is
nowhere near as clear as with an H beta. I used a UHC with a 5.5 inch
Mak-Cass but tend to use the OIII with my larger scope.
Paul
"P B" wrote in message
...
Dear All,

I need some advice and recommendations.

I am seriously considering buying a narrow band deep sky filter but I
don't
know a UHC or an OIII will be most useful.

I use a 10" F4.8 scope and enjoy both observing and imaging deep sky
objects. I obviously want the filter to enhance the contrast on planetary
nebula and other emission nebula both visually, and maybe for CCD work
too.

Does a UHC filter which passes H-alpha, H-beta, and the two OIII lines
give
noticeably different results compared to an OIII filter alone? I'm
thinking
all emission objects, not just the veil nebula. Would a UHC still show
H-beta nebula like B33, i.e. be more use on a greater number of objects?
I
can only afford one or the other.

Your thoughts, experience and advice is greatly appreciated.

Best wishes and clear, dark skies.

--

/Paul B, York, UK.
www.buglassweb.btinternet.co.uk/astrohome.htm

"P B" wrote in message ...
Dear All,

I need some advice and recommendations.

I am seriously considering buying a narrow band deep sky filter but I don't
know a UHC or an OIII will be most useful.

I use a 10" F4.8 scope and enjoy both observing and imaging deep sky
objects. I obviously want the filter to enhance the contrast on planetary
nebula and other emission nebula both visually, and maybe for CCD work too.

Does a UHC filter which passes H-alpha, H-beta, and the two OIII lines give
noticeably different results compared to an OIII filter alone? I'm thinking
all emission objects, not just the veil nebula. Would a UHC still show
H-beta nebula like B33, i.e. be more use on a greater number of objects? I
can only afford one or the other.

Your thoughts, experience and advice is greatly appreciated.

Best wishes and clear, dark skies.

Hi Paul,

I have both filters and, were I you, I would buy the UHC over the OIII
anytime. There are situations where an OIII would offer substantial
benefits over the UHC but IMO, not many unless you're a devotee to
blinking planetaries. The UHC is more useful for a wider range of
nebulae than the OIII and the passband is nicely higher too. For pure
H-beta nebulae I think you would want a proper H-beta filter but in my
experience the UHC helps there too (but not greatly). Note however
that they're only *really* useful for visual use although the OIII of
the 2 is the one that *could* be potentially best used with a CCD. For
CCD imaging the best one is the H-alfa with a passband of 10nm.

Andrea T.

My Astronomy Pages at:
http://www.geocities.com/andreatax/index.htm

"P B" wrote in message ...
Dear All,

I need some advice and recommendations.

I am seriously considering buying a narrow band deep sky filter but I don't
know a UHC or an OIII will be most useful.

I use a 10" F4.8 scope and enjoy both observing and imaging deep sky
objects. I obviously want the filter to enhance the contrast on planetary
nebula and other emission nebula both visually, and maybe for CCD work too.

Does a UHC filter which passes H-alpha, H-beta, and the two OIII lines give
noticeably different results compared to an OIII filter alone? I'm thinking
all emission objects, not just the veil nebula. Would a UHC still show
H-beta nebula like B33, i.e. be more use on a greater number of objects? I
can only afford one or the other.

Your thoughts, experience and advice is greatly appreciated.

Best wishes and clear, dark skies.

Hi Paul,

I have both filters and, were I you, I would buy the UHC over the OIII
anytime. There are situations where an OIII would offer substantial
benefits over the UHC but IMO, not many unless you're a devotee to
blinking planetaries. The UHC is more useful for a wider range of
nebulae than the OIII and the passband is nicely higher too. For pure
H-beta nebulae I think you would want a proper H-beta filter but in my
experience the UHC helps there too (but not greatly). Note however
that they're only *really* useful for visual use although the OIII of
the 2 is the one that *could* be potentially best used with a CCD. For
CCD imaging the best one is the H-alfa with a passband of 10nm.

Andrea T.

My Astronomy Pages at:
http://www.geocities.com/andreatax/index.htm

I'm with Andrea on this. I got an O-III about 4 years ago, and it really
is a fantastic filter on some objects. A few months ago I got a UHC and
I've not used the O-III since. It is useful on a much wider range of
objects and, on my small (5") scope is better than the O-III on all but
a very few objects.

I now understand the advice (which I ignored) I got 4 years ago, which
was to get the UHC first if I could only get one. But, I'd used the
O-III on a 12" on things like the Veil and some faint planetaries, was
impressed and so, of course, I had to know better....

Best,
Stephen

--
+ + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + +
+ Stephen Tonkin | ATM Resources; Astro-Tutorials; Astro Books +
+ (N51.162 E0.995) | http://www.astunit.com +
+ + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + +

I'm with Andrea on this. I got an O-III about 4 years ago, and it really
is a fantastic filter on some objects. A few months ago I got a UHC and
I've not used the O-III since. It is useful on a much wider range of
objects and, on my small (5") scope is better than the O-III on all but
a very few objects.

I now understand the advice (which I ignored) I got 4 years ago, which
was to get the UHC first if I could only get one. But, I'd used the
O-III on a 12" on things like the Veil and some faint planetaries, was
impressed and so, of course, I had to know better....

Best,
Stephen

--
+ + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + +
+ Stephen Tonkin | ATM Resources; Astro-Tutorials; Astro Books +
+ (N51.162 E0.995) | http://www.astunit.com +
+ + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + +

Hi Paul,

I would go for the UHC. You will use it more often, though I have to
admit that a few weeks ago I've seen the Veil nebula for the first time
ever from my light polluted backyard. thanks to ...... the OIII. But
then again, start with the UHC. See also the filter pages on my site:

http://www.backyard-astro.com/equipm...s/filters.html

For the observing session of the Veil nebula with the OIII have a look
at the observing report of that night:

http://www.backyard-astro.com/deepsk...20/report.html

Best regards,

Math
http://www.backyard-astro.com

Hi Paul,

I would go for the UHC. You will use it more often, though I have to
admit that a few weeks ago I've seen the Veil nebula for the first time
ever from my light polluted backyard. thanks to ...... the OIII. But
then again, start with the UHC. See also the filter pages on my site:

http://www.backyard-astro.com/equipm...s/filters.html

For the observing session of the Veil nebula with the OIII have a look
at the observing report of that night:

http://www.backyard-astro.com/deepsk...20/report.html

Best regards,

Math
http://www.backyard-astro.com