Do broadband interference filters have any non solar applications Ray?

 

Yeah, I meant can they be used for night time observing as well? It's just that I'm sure I've read or heard the term 'broadband interference' in regards to optical filters but I'm not sure what it refers to and it's a bit over my head.

I found this on Wikipedia:

'The broadband, or light pollution reduction (LPR), filters are nebular filters that block the light pollution in the sky and transmit the H-alpha, H-beta, and O III spectral lines, which makes observing nebulae from the city and light polluted skies possible.[1] These filters block the Sodium and Mercury vapour light, and also block the natural skyglow such as the auroral light.[8] The broadband filters differ from the narrowband with the range of wavelengths transmission. LED lighting is more broadband so this is not blocked although white LEDs have from themselves a considerably lower output around 480 nm which is close to O III and H-beta wavelength. The broadband filters have a wider range because the narrower transmission range causes a fainter image of sky objects, and since the work of these filters is revealing the details of nebulae from light polluted skies, it has a wider transmission for more brightness.[4] These filters are particularly designed for nebulae observing, are not useful with other deep sky objects. However, it can improve the contrast between the DSOs and the background sky, which may clarify the image.'

My head hurts now lol.

 

Also found this: http://www.optometrics.com/optical-filters

 

It probably works well. I don't know anything about solar observing though. I'm normally out observing with the owls and the bats lol.

 

Thanks, Ray.

I'll go hunt for more data on this critter.

I assume you intend to try this WITH a proper front-end Solar-Filter - such as Baader-Foil - installed first?

When it comes to solar-observation, there is no such thing as being TOO careful. Unless one wants a fried-egg in place of an eye on one side of their face.....

Dave

 

Okay Ray -

The only one of these Comar filters was in an already sold eBay ad. Other than that - which had zero info on what it was and did - I've found zilch. Could you please post a link to it from where you found it?

The thing is now officially an enigma, and I'm a certified Filter-Nut!

Oh my aching neurons...

Dave

 

Well, if it's stumped Dave it must be a bit rare as Dave's got a lot of filters lol. I got to observe Saturn a bit last night. After a while I had a low power sweep to look for a few globulars inter alios. It was a relatively decent night and I viewed a few things. I had a really nice view of the binary Cor Caroli at 60x and 90x (15mm Antares M.C. & 10mm Baader Eudiascopic).

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cor_Caroli



I'm very close to getting the Big Cat operational. This would have been a perfect night for the Cat!


Above: Cor Caroli from Earth (Celestia).

 

It's looking a bit pants here at the moment. They say better weather is on the way. They often lie though lol. We've recently had a mini heatwave. It's around 20° (Celsius) here at the moment, which isn't bad. The trolley is very close to being finished. If I'm lucky I'll get a few decent nights with the Cat before the weather turns. With my ever increasing mobility I'm doing pretty well with the Bazooka though. I was standing last night to observe in the west and north west and I didn't fall over once! lol

 

Although it's often difficult to sit and operate the RA and Dec slo mo controls with the Bazooka facing north west I managed to see M51 around midnight before the clouds rolled in. Transparency wasn't brilliant but it's an easy enough target. Obviously with a 13cm aperture you're not going to see any real detail but it always looks good. I even tried the Baader UHC-S on it just for fun.



I used the Antares 15mm M.C. on its own and with a TV 2x Barlow for 60x and 120x.

 

Thanks Ray, I think wrestling with the Bazooka is good physiotherapy lol. Sorry to hear you are in more pain. I've been overdoing it a bit myself but it's been worth it. The Bazooka is good for anything in or near the plane of the ecliptic, or sufficiently low enough for me to observe seated mostly. Looking up at the zenith is well nigh impossible though but it will always be useful. I managed to sit whilst observing M51 last night although I had to stand and waltz with the OTA and EQ clutches to find the bloody thing in the RACI. The whole Canes Venatici region is chockablock full of galaxies although the seeing hasn't been as good as it could the past couple of years on account of the jet stream or the Gulf Stream or something streaming lol. You can't miss M51 though as it's so blue! I was impressed with my X-Cel 2x Barlow, it's nicely ergonomic to handle in the dark with cold hands and sturdily built. I can't knock the optical quality either. The undercut, like the X-Cel eyepieces is no problem either.

 

I wonder what it would cost me to ship my idiot brother's Barbar's-Chair to the UK..... ? That beast would keep you in position, and it's hydraulic mechanism is easy to use.

I just installed and set-up the new major-changes edition of Stellarium, 1.15.0. It's looking very good! I'll leave a screenshot of my edition with the tentative set-up. And a screenshat of my rather expensive edition of TheSkyX Serious Edition:





Have fun all -

Dave

 

I'd probably still fall out of it Dave lol.