Telescope Filters Guide
If you love the Universe as we do, and already own a telescope, perhaps with the time you have lost some of your enthusiasm. Most likely that’s because you’ve seen all what you have ever dreamed of. If you still didn’t try various filters, then we have good news for you. You can forget everything you have seen until now and rediscover the night sky again. And now – from very new perspective. This time with much more colors, sharpness and contrast. Whether this will be the polar caps of Mars, or some distant nebula, looking through telescopic filters will definitely enhance your midnight experience.
Like photographic filters, these for telescope increase detail and improve contrast. They do it by removing unwanted color of the wavelength of light. let’s have a look to the most popular ones:
Telescope Filters Guide: Light Pollution Filters
The most common “junk” light is the one comes from the city lights. If you are an amateur astronomer and live in a city you probably know what I mean. Unfortunately, light pollution can kill your enthusiasm even if you’re miles away from the downtown.
Fortunately, there are filters that magically will clear the image from light pollution do not cost a fortune, and they gonna make you love your telescope much more!
Order now, and while you are waiting the little thing to get delivered, start getting out the Telescope from the closet. We did research and here are the top five filters removing light pollution on the market today:
- UHC filters or light pollution reduction filters are designed to selectively reduce the transmission of certain wavelengths of light;especially those produced by artificial light
- Sky background is darker;and contrast of emission nebulae are noticeably improved;the perfect filter for viewing nebula from light polluted skies;or for boosting the contrast of nebula from dark sky sites
- Due to its ability to produce exceptionally sharp and clear images;this UHC filter is considered one of the most popular astronomy accessories;it can be used not only for celestial observations but also for astrophotography
- 1.25'' barrel diameter simply attach to eyepiece cased in a sturdy transparent case;standard filter thread for 1.25" eyepieces and other accessories
- Optical glass lens;aluminum frame;significantly reduces light pollution;great for city and suburban observation
- Electron beam gun evaporation with Ion-assisted deposition coating technology for durability and resistance to scratching;as well as stability on CWL (central wavelength) no deviation affected by temperature change
- Planetary rotation system offers precision and homogeneity of coatings ensuring high value on transmission of pass band and Optical density of off-band
- 90% transmission of main nebula emission lines;such as Ha 656nm;OIII 496nm;500nm;SII672nm and H-beta 486nm
- 0.1% transmission of off-band;specifically the major emission lines of artificial light pollution;such as Na 589nm;Hg 435nmand 578nm
- Suitable for color CCD cameras and unmodified DSLR Urban optical filter can effectively suppress urban harmful light and improve the contrast of shooting target
- Our 1-1/4" Light Pollution Reduction (LPR) Filters are designed to selectively reduce the transmission of certain wavelengths of light, specifically those produced by artificial light
- Double Strength. Reduces Light Pollution for Crystal Clear Night Skies
- Blocks out skyglow without changing the entire color spectrum
- Optical Glass Filter
- Fits any telescope with a 2" eyepiece, including Celestron, Orion, Meade etc
- Includes Plastic Storage Case
- SVBONY 2 inch OIII-CCD 7nm Narrow-Band Filter for Deep Sky 2" Mounted; can enhances the contrast between the target and the sky; allowing you to capture high-quality images even under the urban sky; Suitable for lightly polluted urban areas and relatively dim launch nebulae
- 7nm Extra Narrowband Filter;The Oxygen III 7nm Extra Narrowband Filter transmits a 7nm bandwidth of light that is centered at 500nm and drastically reduces other transmissions; including wavelengths of light that are responsible for light pollution
- High-quality materials; The SVBONY 2" Filters are made glass import from Germany that has been multi-coated with an ion-assisted deposition technology to ensure scratch resistance and stability on the central wavelength; or CWL
- High-level manufacturing process;The filter cell is made of lightweight; strong metal and is CNC machined; sand-blasted; black anodized; and then laser engraved; The result is a super thin filter cell that will produce a clear aperture of 45mm
- Powerful functionality; Like all SVBONY filters that are designated as "CCD"; this OIII also blocks infrared wavelengths from 700nm to 1100nm so you don't need a separate IR-Cut filter; make your use more convenient
Telescope Filters Guide: Moon Filters
Moon – the closest object to Earth, and why not the most frequently observed is also looking far more beautiful if you see it in details with Polarizing Filters for Observing the Moon. Did’t try yet? Well, believe me, you’ll be surprised how much you missed. Due to the brightness, your pupil shrinks, the less light reaches your eyes. And you know best – less light, less detail!
Information about what makes this type filters can be found in the video below:
Here are top 5 Moon Filters Selling by Amazon
- 【5 Planetary Color Filters】 5 planetary filters in red, orange, yellow, green, and blue reveal details, emphasize features, and sharpen the contrast of Mercury, Mars, Venus, Jupiter, Saturn, Moon, and other celestial objects
- 【Variable Polarizing Filters】 Two rotating variable polarizing filters change light transmission from 40% to 1%. They reduce reflection and glare, darken the sky background, and boost visual contrasts to make planets and stars stand out. No chromatic aberration.
- 【Combine to Get a Variable ND Filter】Stacking two polarizing filters together will give you a variable ND2-2000 ND filter, which can be used freely on the telescope without affecting the focal length at all, helping you to capture more brilliant star rivers. Note: The thinner polarizing filter needs to be mounted underneath the ringed polarizing filter.
- 【UHC Filter & Lunar Filters】 UHC (Ultra High Contrast) filter minimizes manmade light pollution like streetlights for sharp nebular viewing in urban and rural areas. The 13% transmission lunar filter allows only 13% light transmission to boost contrast and emphasize lunar features like craters, mountains, and valleys. The lunar & starglow filter can block unwanted 589nm wavelengths of light, and improve observation of the night sky in urban and rural areas.
- 【10PCS Telescope Filter Set】 This telescope eyepiece filter set includes 5 x Planetary Color Filter, 2 x Variable Polarizing Filter, 1 x UHC Filter, 1 x Lunar & Starglow Filter, and 1 x 13% Transmission Lunar Filter to enhance astronomical observation & photography
- Reduce glare and increase contrast of the Moon with the Celestron 1.25” Moon Filter
- Also useful for extra bright planets as well as terrestrial viewing over sand or snow
- Threads onto most 1.25” eyepieces in seconds
- Model Number : 94119-A
- Neutral Density ND Filter; Giving great versatility in changing light. Reduces the amount of light without effecting color balance; Perfectly neutral color will not alter the natural color of the Moon
- High-quality optical lenses;Made by completed professional optical glasses; Multi-layer coating;ND8 filter transmits only 12.5% of the incoming light;It has outstanding image sharpness and perfect colour neutrality
- 1.25'' barrel diameter;Metal filter cell threads directly into the 1.25 inch barrel of your telescope eyepiece;Useful for different caliber astronomical telescopes through which the light of the Moon can be extremely overwhelming
- Great Filter Frames;Filter Frames made by aluminum alloy; the serrated design of the edge of the frame makes it easy to install;Increase surface durability
- Extend shooting time;such as wanting to shoot misty flowing water in very bright places; Exposure time can be greatly extended to blur pedestrians or even completely
- ✅【Standard-sized】- The moon filter will fit all standard-sized 1.25-inch eyepieces and accessories. It's compatible with Celestron, Orion, Skywatcher, Meade, William, and more. Also, you can stack it with other filters to get a lot of fun. Both sides are universal standard 1.25 " threaded interface, it's easy to install.
- ✅【 High-Quality Material】- This moon filter is made of aluminum alloy and optical glass. It’s a durable, rust-proof surface, that can be used for a long time.
- ✅【Optical Glass】- Adopt optical glass can reduce moon brightness, and enhance contrast and ability to discern moon surface details.
- ✅【Function】- This moon filter can reduce glare and improve definition so that you can see the moon's features. It’s a nice accessory for every astronomer.
- ✅【Provide Great After-sales Service】 If you have any questions about the product, please feel free to contact us, it’s our pleasure to help you. Your satisfaction is our priority.
- The 1.25" Neutral Density Moon filter kit;Reduces glare so you can see more lunar detail and surface features with your telescope;Will not alter the natural color of the Moon
- Use ND4 filter with 25% transmission when Waxing Crescent Moon;As the Moon moves around the Earth; you get to see more and more of the illuminated half;It's very good effect to use the ND4 filter at this time
- Use ND8 filter with 12.5% transmission when Last and First Quarter Moon;It's very good effect to use the ND8 filter In last quarter and the first quarter phase
- Use ND16 filter with 6.25% transmission when Gibbous Moon;the illuminated part of the Moon that you can see decreases, and we say it's waning; The first week after full;It's very good effect to use the ND16 filter at this time
- Use ND1000 filter with 0.10% transmission when Full Moon; you can see a full disk;It's very good effect to use the ND1000 filter at this time at the brightest time of the moon
Telescope Filters Guide: Planetary Filters
An important role plays the filters for observations Planets and objects in Deep Space. You might argue about filtering of light – you gave a lot of money for large aperture exactly to gather more light. But in Astronomy not every light is helpful.
Certain wavelengths of light coming from, for example, a nebula, do not contribute to detail. If you remove them, the image that remains is much sharper and have better contrast.
Telescope filters do just that: eliminate light that does not add any detail to the object. What remains is a much cleaner image, that lets you see the finer details with better contrast.
Different objects require different types of filter to see them best. Jupiter’s Great Red Spot needs a different filter than this for polar regions of Mars or Venus’s clouds. In the chart below you can find the appropriate filters for the various objects and the top 5 Planetary Filter Sets on the market today.
- 【5 Planetary Color Filters】 5 planetary filters in red, orange, yellow, green, and blue reveal details, emphasize features, and sharpen the contrast of Mercury, Mars, Venus, Jupiter, Saturn, Moon, and other celestial objects
- 【Variable Polarizing Filters】 Two rotating variable polarizing filters change light transmission from 40% to 1%. They reduce reflection and glare, darken the sky background, and boost visual contrasts to make planets and stars stand out. No chromatic aberration.
- 【Combine to Get a Variable ND Filter】Stacking two polarizing filters together will give you a variable ND2-2000 ND filter, which can be used freely on the telescope without affecting the focal length at all, helping you to capture more brilliant star rivers. Note: The thinner polarizing filter needs to be mounted underneath the ringed polarizing filter.
- 【UHC Filter & Lunar Filters】 UHC (Ultra High Contrast) filter minimizes manmade light pollution like streetlights for sharp nebular viewing in urban and rural areas. The 13% transmission lunar filter allows only 13% light transmission to boost contrast and emphasize lunar features like craters, mountains, and valleys. The lunar & starglow filter can block unwanted 589nm wavelengths of light, and improve observation of the night sky in urban and rural areas.
- 【10PCS Telescope Filter Set】 This telescope eyepiece filter set includes 5 x Planetary Color Filter, 2 x Variable Polarizing Filter, 1 x UHC Filter, 1 x Lunar & Starglow Filter, and 1 x 13% Transmission Lunar Filter to enhance astronomical observation & photography
- The 1.25 inch telescope filters set includes 7pcs filters: (1) moon filter , (2) light pollution filter, (3) 5pcs planetary filters. Standard threads for 1.25" Telescope Eyepieces. Perfect for moon and planetary viewing
- Moon Filter with 13% Transmission: neutral density optical glass which transmits 13 percent of the incoming light, greatly cut down glare, and increase contrast of lunar features
- Light Pollution Filter: It helps to block specific wavelengths of light emitted from common streetlights. Bring you pleasant viewing experience whether you live in a light-polluted city, or from a suburban backyard
- 5pcs Planetary Filters: No.12 Yellow, No.21 Orange, No.23A Red, No.56 Green, No.82A Blue. The color filters enhance your visual and photographic observation , allowing you to see greater contrast between planetary details of differing colors
- Metal Frame with Threads: Each filter is optical glass with metal frame, and threaded on both sides, can be screwed to standard 1.25 inch eyepieces and other accessories. Also, you can stack filters to get a lot of fun
- Filter set includes #12 Deep Yellow, #21 Orange, #80A Blue and #ND-96-0.3 Neutral Density Filter, 50% transmission
- Perfect for lunar and planetary observation
- Reduce glare and light scattering
- High-quality, solid plane parallel glass
- Stackable filters for various combinations
- SVBONY SV127 1.25 Inch four color eyepiece filter with M28.5*0.6 thread standard; you can use color filters to accentuate subtle details on planets, comets, and the Moon by selectively increasing contrast between features and markings of different hues
- #15 Deep Yellow Planetary Filter; Boosts contrast of lunar features;accentuates red and orange features on Saturn; Jupiter;and Mars; reveals low-contrast cloud detail on Venus
- #25 Red Planetary Filter; Enhances Martian surface details in large telescopes; reveals cloud definition on Venus;accentuates bluish cloud regions on Jupiter and Saturn
- #58 Green Planetary Filter; Enhances contrast of blue and red structures on Jupiter (including Red Spot);melt lines around Martian polar ice caps, accentuates Saturn's cloud belts
- #80A Medium Blue Planetary Filter; Enhances details in Jupiter's belts and Red Spot; high clouds and polar caps on Mars; lunar surface details; Venus cloud features
- Premium assortment includes 20 of the best 1.25 inch color filters for planetary viewing
- Color filters make it easier to see planetary and lunar details
- Improve contrast of specific planetary and lunar features
- Includes sturdy metal case with die-cut foam interior for safe storage and transport
- Quick-reference guide indicates benefits of each filter at-a-glance
Solar Filters for Telescopes
If you are looking to buy a solar filter for your telescope, then let me tell you that it is almost impossible to find the right one for you. The reason is that unlike other filters, solar one does not apply into a standard 1.25 inch eyepiece, but should be put front of the tube, where all light gets in. Now days there is countless types of telescopes in the market with different sizes and solar filter should fit perfectly on your telescope.
Something very important !!!! Never Ever point your telescope to the Sun without sun filter and never look through the eyepiece. You risk losing your eyesight, and damage the telescope.
So, after it became clear that it is difficult to find a ready solar filter for your telescope model, the next thing you can do is to create one. Idid it, and that means everybody can do it too!
If you are from those who are not very handy, it means we are much alike. I’m not that “always creating something” person, but my desire to look at the Sun was so big that I couldn’t resist.
For my big surprise making a Sun filter was not only easy but also very enjoyable work.
After a thorough study on youtube videos I chose the one that most clearly and accurately explain what is needed and what should be done. There it is:
What you need is:
- Solar Filter Sheet for Telescopes
- Pensil
- Cardboard
- Scissors
- Scotch tape
- Enthusiasm
The solar sheet can be ordered by the review further down in this page. For my 6 inch telescope, 10 inch square perfectly matched the filter which I made.
Follow the steps in the video and you will succeed. Here are some pictures from my personal experience with the preparation of the filter. And the prize? Well, you will have to look at the Sun with the telescope.
- Silver - Black polymer is the most common filtering material for observing sunspots and granulation, through telescopes and binoculars.
- These sheets are a quality product of Thousand Oaks Optical, Arizona, a manufacturer of safe solar filters for over 30 years. "Stronger than Mylar with the filtering properties protected within the substrate. Guaranteed five years."
- Make a filter on your own for any telescope / binoculars / camera, and for a fraction of what factory made filters cost.
- The sun will appear in a natural orange color when viewed through your telescope using this filter.
- WARNING: ALWAYS MAKE SURE THE FILTER IS WELL ATTACHED TO THE TELESCOPE/BINOCULARS, USING STICKY TAPE, TO KEEP IT FROM FALLING WHILE OBSERVING!
- Safe and affordable Solar filter lets you use your 8" aperture Orion reflector telescope to observe the sun
- See sunspots, eclipses, and planetary transits of the Sun safely with your telescope and this filter
- Made with high-quality, streak-free and blister-free Safety Solar Film
- Designed for use with Orion 8" aperture reflector telescopes
- Package includes 14 sheets in 7 different colors, including red, purple, yellow, pink, green, blue and orange; Each color for 2 pieces; Note: Please don't attach the gel filters to modeling lamp, or it will be melted and the strobe light is not included
- This gels filter kit is used for changing lighting effect and color correction, such as add color or subtract color, color mixing, color transmission, absorb and filter the different wavelengths of the light
- Made of high light transmission material with steady color temperature and low loss. Solid color without thin spots; Thickness provides a good saturation of color; It won't overly diminish the brightness of the lights
- Dimension: 11 x 8.6 inches/28 x 22 centimeters; Perfect for Photo Studio Strobe Flash Light
- Widely-used with lighting in film, stage, theater, party, video or photo shooting, and even holiday decoration
I would love to own a telescope myself. Living in Norway, means not as much light polution as in other places in the world.
I suppose there is not a one-filter-fits-all-planets filter, but the complete set for different views sounds pretty awesome.
I am not a handyman either when it comes down making sunlight filters. I am not sure if I would even dare to attempt making such, but it was a clear manual at least.
Thanks for your review of the lenses. I will bookmark this site, for I should find out more about telescopes before I buy one. I’m not most interested in the sun, but very interested in everything else visible here. Every night I can clearly see the milkyway.
Got any recommendations regarding a good beginner telescope?
Hello Steven.
Norway is a wonderful country in which, besides the endless night sky, you can also see the northern glow for which I noblely envy you. Unfortunately, light pollution does not depend on the geographical location, but on the size of the city you live in. Larger city – more pollution.
If you want to get a Тelescope, then here on the site there is a pretty detailed information what you need to know to make a purchase. I have also looked at my favorites of every kind. If you have any questions – I am always here to help.
Thanks for the comment and good luck!
Great post on filters. I love astronomy and do a bit of stargazing myself. I will certainly look to buy a filter after reading your post. I really like the table where it shows what filters to use for what planet. Very informative. I loved your video of polarised light and your images are great. I look forward to more posts from you
Hey Harjit 🙂
Yup, you should definitely try to look with some filter. It’s totally different experience! You can start with that for the Moon. Your eye will appreciate it most and you will be able to see much more details.
Cheers
I’ve just gone through your post on filters. Though I’m not astronomy student, yet I love Telescope. And definitely I want to own one. Your write-up is really helpful for mes as I have come to know about filters that are used to observe different planets. Also the video ‘polarised light’ is very impressive.
Thank you for such great post.
Hey Himbru,
Thanks for the comment! If you have some free time and looking for a new hobby – try Astronomy! Get a Telescope and be inspired every day (actually night, if we have to be more precisely) You gonna Love It. Everyone will!
Cheers 🙂