thousand oaks narrowband

Hello everyone.
I live in a moderately light polluted town in Denmark, so I have
thoughts about buying a narrowband filter (from Thousand Oaks).

But I have read that a 5", which I have, is too small to be effective
with a narrowband filter. Is this correct??b

Thanks in advance

Magnus

Magnus Edinger wrote:
I live in a moderately light polluted town in Denmark, so I have
thoughts about buying a narrowband filter (from Thousand Oaks).

But I have read that a 5", which I have, is too small to be effective
with a narrowband filter. Is this correct?

Nope. I use one routinely on my C5+, a 5-inch SCT. I've also used one
on my Ranger, a 70 mm refractor, so 5 inches isn't close to a lower limit.

In fact, I'm pretty sure that people have used them with the unaided eye
to spot planetary nebulae.

Brian Tung
The Astronomy Corner at http://astro.isi.edu/
Unofficial C5+ Home Page at http://astro.isi.edu/c5plus/
The PleiadAtlas Home Page at http://astro.isi.edu/pleiadatlas/
My Own Personal FAQ (SAA) at http://astro.isi.edu/reference/faq.txt

"Magnus Edinger" wrote in message
om...
Hello everyone.
I live in a moderately light polluted town in Denmark, so I have
thoughts about buying a narrowband filter (from Thousand Oaks).

I get the feeling that you expect the narrowband filter to help with your
light pollution. If this is so, you may be in for a disapointment. This
kind of filter will help viewing some nebula, but will do little to help
viewing under a light polluted sky. I find that using a bit more power does
as much in darkening the background sky as a norrowband filter. The only
thing that will help light pollution is to drive away from it.


But I have read that a 5", which I have, is too small to be effective
with a narrowband filter. Is this correct??b

A narrowband works with any telescope, even those much smaller than 5".

Al



Thanks in advance

Magnus

Al-

I will have to respectfully disagree with your statement. I have not used
the TO Narrowband, but I routinely use the Lumicon UHC in my 13.1" to
improve the viewing of nebulae, both planetary and diffuse. The problem with
using more power as you sugest is that many larger nebulae will not fit into
the field of view. Using the filter allows for lower power views of extended
targets. However, more power AND the filter really helps out with small
planetary nebulae like M57, Saturn and Helix nebulaes. Just my $.02. What
sort of 5" instrument are you using Magnus?

Matt


"Al" wrote in message
. net...

"Magnus Edinger" wrote in message
om...
Hello everyone.
I live in a moderately light polluted town in Denmark, so I have
thoughts about buying a narrowband filter (from Thousand Oaks).

I get the feeling that you expect the narrowband filter to help with your
light pollution. If this is so, you may be in for a disapointment. This
kind of filter will help viewing some nebula, but will do little to help
viewing under a light polluted sky. I find that using a bit more power
does
as much in darkening the background sky as a norrowband filter. The only
thing that will help light pollution is to drive away from it.


But I have read that a 5", which I have, is too small to be effective
with a narrowband filter. Is this correct??b

A narrowband works with any telescope, even those much smaller than 5".

Al



Thanks in advance

Magnus

How severe is the light pollution where you view? I live very close (25
miles) to NYC, with very severe light pollution. I understand that the
light pollution in Denmark is also very severe. Nevertheless, any nebula
filter is next to useless under such severe light pollution. My only point
in responding to Magnus was to emphasize this issue.

Al


"Matt Simmons" wrote in message
...
Al-

I will have to respectfully disagree with your statement. I have not used
the TO Narrowband, but I routinely use the Lumicon UHC in my 13.1" to
improve the viewing of nebulae, both planetary and diffuse. The problem
with
using more power as you sugest is that many larger nebulae will not fit
into
the field of view. Using the filter allows for lower power views of
extended
targets. However, more power AND the filter really helps out with small
planetary nebulae like M57, Saturn and Helix nebulaes. Just my $.02. What
sort of 5" instrument are you using Magnus?

Matt


"Al" wrote in message
. net...

"Magnus Edinger" wrote in message
om...
Hello everyone.
I live in a moderately light polluted town in Denmark, so I have
thoughts about buying a narrowband filter (from Thousand Oaks).

I get the feeling that you expect the narrowband filter to help with
your
light pollution. If this is so, you may be in for a disapointment.
This
kind of filter will help viewing some nebula, but will do little to help
viewing under a light polluted sky. I find that using a bit more power
does
as much in darkening the background sky as a norrowband filter. The
only
thing that will help light pollution is to drive away from it.


But I have read that a 5", which I have, is too small to be effective
with a narrowband filter. Is this correct??b

A narrowband works with any telescope, even those much smaller than 5".

Al



Thanks in advance

Magnus

"Al" wrote in message
. net...
How severe is the light pollution where you view? I live very close (25
miles) to NYC, with very severe light pollution. I understand that the
light pollution in Denmark is also very severe. Nevertheless, any nebula
filter is next to useless under such severe light pollution. My only
point
in responding to Magnus was to emphasize this issue.

Hi Al,

For me, the problem is not the light pollution as much as it is making sure
I can dark adapt despite the light pollution. If I wear the goggles and
observe with a hood over my head, being careful to protect night vision
despite the brightness of the sky, then I find a narrow band does help. This
is even more true for the OIII.

Clear Skies

Chuck Taylor
Do you observe the moon?
Try the Lunar Observing Group
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/lunar-observing/

Hi everyone

thanks for your replies.
The instrument I use is a celestron c5 - a 5" f/10 SCT.

The light pollution in the town where i live is not severe, but it is
very annoying anyway. There is about 40.000 habitants. On the bortle
scale, it is probably 5-5,5

The veil nebula (eastern part, NGC6992) can faintly be seen with my 5"
under the very best conditions, but it is FAINT. Will a TO narrowband
filter help?



Clear skies

Magnus

Obviously you do not suffer from "severe" light pollution. I live near two
cities with that size of population and on a clear moonless night, I can
just make out the Milky Way in Cygnus. I have found that the UHC is VERY
helpful in my area by enhancing the contrast on many objects. As with any
piece of equipment, try before you buy, or at the very least, be able to
send it back if it doesn't satisfy you. Filters are a personal taste.
Perhaps Al just doesn't like filtered views. I like them sometimes,
sometimes not. Others prefer Au Natural 100% of the time. You will have to
decide for yourself. I would try a broadband and a narrowband on your setup.
The narrowband may be a bit too much filtering for your size instrument.
However, the broadband may not produce a noticable improvement.

Matt
"Magnus Edinger" wrote in message
m...
Hi everyone

thanks for your replies.
The instrument I use is a celestron c5 - a 5" f/10 SCT.

The light pollution in the town where i live is not severe, but it is
very annoying anyway. There is about 40.000 habitants. On the bortle
scale, it is probably 5-5,5

The veil nebula (eastern part, NGC6992) can faintly be seen with my 5"
under the very best conditions, but it is FAINT. Will a TO narrowband
filter help?



Clear skies

Magnus

I'm not familiar with the TO filter in question, but a Lumicon O-III
works wonders on the Veil (and lots of other things). There's no one
filter that's best for everything. The O-III is the most spectacular of
those I've seen or used, and works on many things. The Lumicon UHC is
more versatile, working decently on a wider variety of objects, but just
doesn't have quite as good an effect on those things an O-III excels at.

The Lumicon "Deep Sky" is a very mild filter that works well
photographically, but does little visually (at least with MY light pollution).

The H-Beta filter is VERY specialized, working well on only a few
notoriously difficult objects like the Horsehead.

If I could get ONLY one filter, I'd get the O-III. While it doesn't do
everything, it works well on many nebulae. Often it's the difference
between seeing it and not seeing it. Those few things a UHC does better
often still look pretty decent even without the filter.

Dan Mitchell
==========

Magnus Edinger wrote:

Hi everyone

thanks for your replies.
The instrument I use is a celestron c5 - a 5" f/10 SCT.

The light pollution in the town where i live is not severe, but it is
very annoying anyway. There is about 40.000 habitants. On the bortle
scale, it is probably 5-5,5

The veil nebula (eastern part, NGC6992) can faintly be seen with my 5"
under the very best conditions, but it is FAINT. Will a TO narrowband
filter help?

Clear skies

Magnus