I don't recall ever seeing an instruction manual that made any sense. The one for the Porta isn't a lot of good. I kinda figured out where the Allen key had to go by just looking for it lol. It had to be there somewhere.

I've just spent about three hours observing Jupiter, Saturn and the Moon. I got to test the Wratten #58A on the very bright Moon. I forgot just how good it is for that.

 

I haven't used a Mean-Green on the Moon in years, either. I've had about enough 'green' after using the Baader Solar-Continuum Filter. Ugh! Never again! But I do like my 'Orangie' - my Thousand Oaks Solar-Filter - and find the color is a nice & neutral one for prolonged solar-observations. Like watching a procession of 'AR's' marching across the Star. I get tired of being told-off by the 'Baader-Purist-League' telling me if I don't fry my retina's using the Baader-Foil, there's something wrong with me...

The Vixen is doing as it should now. Took a bit more tinkering and careful application of about 45 lbs of torque a few times to get it to behave properly for me. Had a nice view of Jupiter before he dove behind the trees. Saturn is still low and hiding behind chimneys, but should rise more in the coming days & weeks. Currently residing at about -18° and quite bright at 0.1 mag.

Must be up early for a doctors' poke & prod. Joy!

evaD

 

I'm glad you've sussed the Porta mount out. I used the UHC-E and the Baader Neodymium for Jupiter and saw the GRS near the eastern limb and slowly disappearing. I got 200x on Saturn and the seeing wasn't bad at all, although the transparency wasn't too good. Swings and roundabouts lol.

The #58A does give a remarkably natural slight 'mushy pea green' colour view to the Moon I think.



It isn't as gaudily bright as the Baader or the #56. It gives a 24% transmission. I thought it helped greatly with rays and other features as you move further from the terminator.

So much so that I have revised my filter list definitions slightly:


1/ Wratten #8 Light Yellow, 83% T, Longpass 465nm:

Enhances the observing of subtle or faint lunar features like graben and rilles. Helps with seeing any detail in Jupiter's polar regions and some belt detail. Works well for Jupiter in twilight as it doesn't tend to wash out any surface features in certain light conditions. Can improve contrast in Saturn's rings and help with surface detail. Darkens some Martian surface features.

2/ Wratten #11 Yellow Green, 78% T:

Can show as much, if not more, surface detail on Mars as a Baader Neodymium filter and can darken maria. Exceptionally improves Saturn's rings and emphasises the Cassini Division, definitely improves colours and contrast in Saturn's surface features. Can enhance Jupiter immensely, especially red and brown features.

3/ Wratten #12 Deep Yellow, 74% T, Longpass 500nm/Baader Yellow Longpass 495nm:

Emphasises lunar features, especially maria and mountain detail. Enhances belt detail and polar regions on Jupiter. Darkens maria in contrast to lighter desert regions on Mars. Helps with Saturn surface detail. Can be good for observing any detail in the clouds of Venus. Useful for viewing planets in twilight as it darkens the surrounding sky.

4/ Wratten #15 Dark Yellow, 67% T, Longpass 510nm:

Good for twilight viewing and can work similar to orange filters in twilight and helps to darken a daylight or twilight sky. Helps with Venusian cloud detail and can help darken maria on Mars.

5/ Wratten #21 Orange, 46% T, Longpass 530nm/Baader Orange Longpass 570 Longpass:

Can give more contrast than the #15 and works well for daylight or twilight lunar observing. Good for contrast on Jupiter's belts and Saturn's rings. Sharpens Martian surface features slightly.

6/ Wratten #38A Dark Blue, 17% T/Baader Darkblue 435nm Bandpass:

Can drastically sharpen, define and reveal the phase on a bright daylight or twilight Venus, even with telescope apertures as small as 90mm. May reveal cloud detail.

7/ Wratten #56 Light Green, 53% T:

Good with lunar contrast, helps viewing Martian polar caps, reveals red features and the GRS on Jupiter and Saturn. Good for reducing glare on Jupiter and Saturn when they are bright targets and is often useful used on a bright twilight Venus to reveal phase.

8/ Wratten #58A Green Tricolour, 24% T/Baader Green 500nm Bandpass:

Similar to #56 but with much less transmission, useful for reducing glare on Venus and Saturn, especially either at transit or opposition. The #58A, particularly, performs superbly on an extremely bright Moon, revealing detail, especially away from the terminator, without showing an overpowering sense of colour.

9/ Wratten #80A Medium Blue, 30% T/Baader Blue 470nm Bandpass:

Good all round lunar contrast filter. Excels as a contrast filter on a very bright Jupiter and darkens the GRS. Enhances Saturn's surface features and some ring detail. Helps with Martian surface features and especially revealing polar caps. Can show Venusian cloud details that aren't normally well contrasted.

10/ Wratten #82A Light Blue, 73% T:

Very similar to the #80A but can show a lot of subtle and faint lunar features better, especially ray systems, graben and rilles. Superb for Jupiter in twilight and definitely improves belt contrast. Can help with Saturn's rings and surface features. As good, if not better than the #80A, for displaying Martian polar caps.



I also got to see Venus with my 90mm Mak at 04:00. I tried the #58A but the #38A was better for defining the phase.

 

Hey Mak -

Your 'mushy peas' look like my older Orion #11 Yellow-Green which I believe was made by Hoya. I'd post one of my "Lightbulb-Series" of this, but it exceeds 2MB. Anywho - the No.11 is a match to your gastronomical representation.

"How much wood would a Woodchuck chuck if a Woodchuck could chuck wood?"

evaD

 

Those mushy peas are a bit yellow. At one time mushy peas were often enhanced with edible dyes/additives. It must be one of those lol.

You can't get away with those sort of food additives in the UK these days.

 

Welcome, Tareq! The UAE sounds even hotter than where I am in the southeastern US (Georgia). June through September can be a real beast with the humidity.
You'll have lots of fun here, learning and sharing and some good ol' astronomy talk. Glad to have you on board!

Clear skies
Reggie