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| I tried the new L-Enhnace filter on my C11" with the hyperstar lens. This filter isolates H-alpha (10nm), H-beta (24nm), and O-III (24nm) emission lines with a maximum transmission up to 90%. This is designed to be sued with a OSC camera. Dean from Starizona put me on to this to try in my LP area (Bortle 5). I was anxious to try it despite poor sky conditions (below average transparency, average seeing) as Orlando weather has not been good for over a month. I used SharpCap to do 60s stacked (about 20) captures using my ASI 385MC cooled camera. To my surprise, I was able to get OK views of M16, M17, and M20 despite the poor conditions. Once I have a good evening, I will post some of them. This is an option for those in LP areas to try, especially if you do not want to buy a mono camera and multiple NB filters. I have both and will compare them to see the difference in my area. |
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| Bruce, that sounds quite interesting so far. I can't wait to see your images :-) |
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| Some of my shots are with the L-eNhanced filter. I love it. I’ll probably be using it whenever I do nebulas now. |
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| This filter does seem promising for EAA. Just posted a couple with just a few stacked exposures over 2 minutes. Need to keep experimenting but it does help in LP skies. |
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This is essentially first light with my Esprit 120. https://www.astrobin.com/full/419776/0/ |
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Very nice, Kevin I've been using it and it works extremely well..... https://www.astrobin.com/full/415685/0/ https://www.astrobin.com/full/415795/0/ Bruce |
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| My last two images I posted here on Astrobin are with the L eNhance filter. I am in a bortle 5 zone as well and I am amazed at how well these pictures came out for such short integration time. |
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I just got mine in the mail today, so of course it’s cloudy.  I have a question for those that have been using it. Is it difficult to focus using it? Are the stars bright enough through the filter? |
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Hi Jeffrey 1- No, it is not hard to focus using it. Just use your standard focusing technique, e.g., Bahtinov mask, auto-focuser, etc. 2- Yes- the stars are bright enough which is also why focusing is not an issue. Of course, not as bright as not using a filter or an IR/UV filter but there is no issue with seeing the stars. Bruce |
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| Thanks, Bruce! |
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| Thoughts about using this filter with the moon out? Seems like the H alpha band pass would be okay, but the Oiii band pass might be a problem. |
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| Thoughts about using this filter with the moon out? Seems like the H alpha band pass would be okay, but the Oiii band pass might be a problem. |
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| I have seen great results with > 80% moon illumination and no reason why it should not work at 100%. I have not tried it myself with a full moon. |
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Thanks for that, Bruce. I’m also curious about exposure times with this filter. I usually use a broadband light pollution filter like the L-Pro or a SkyGlow filter. I’m guessing the exposure times will need to be longer with this filter. I haven’t seen many people going under 300s with the L-enhance. Do do you have any thoughts on this? |
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| Well if you look at my live views and images I took with it, I only use 60s subs- no guiding. I can go 90s with no guiding on my AP mount and have tried 3 mins but some star trails appear. The norm seems to be 300s these but I know others who also get great live views only with 30s sub exposures. A lot depends on your sky conditions, scope, camera, software, etc., etc. I live in a Bortle 5/6 area and I have an observatory I built high off the ground to at least get above the street lights. Unless you are guiding now, I would try 30 s then 60s if your mount can handle it and stack for at least 20 mins and see what you get. I've been doing one hr of 60s stacks and that has also been good enough to post-process and get a decent AP quality image. |
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If have the L-enHance filter to, and I love the results, especially when the moon is out. See here: https://www.astrobin.com/full/417123/0/ https://www.astrobin.com/full/412566/C/ But as a rule of thumb, you need double to three times the exposure time as without filter. Of course a lot of light you loose is light you did not want in the first place... |
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Dirk Schwarze: Could you expand on this? I can’t imagine why you’d use the word “especially” instead of “even”. |
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| When the moon is not out, my Bortle 5 Skies work fine without a dual narrowband filter. |
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| When the moon is not out, my Bortle 5 Skies work fine without a dual narrowband filter. |
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| I live about two miles from Starizona so I have unfettered access to some great resources. I've know those guys for years since my time at Steward Observatory (See article entitled "My Other Telecope is an 8.4 Meter" on CN Home page). Due to medical problems I had to give up my desert observatory and relocate back into town only two blocks from the Mirror Lab from which I retired! I have an Orion EON 130mm Triplet on a CGX mount. I am in the process of moving from a DSLR to an ASI294MC and only knew about the CLS-CCD filter. Dean educated me on both the Optolong L-Pro and L-Enhance filters. Looks like I will be using the L-Pro for galaxies and the L-Enhance for emission nebulae. We are in the middle of monsoon season right now so it will be a month before I can post any images but plan to shoot the same targets with both Optolong filters for comparison. I'll most likely post them on Astrobin under Patrick Stevenson. I've been away for only three years and cannot believe the incredible improvements in our hobby (obsession). |
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It works fairly well even when the moon is out. Similar to traditional narrowband imaging. See this users image below. Taken with 98% full moon. Obviously, it'd be a better shot without the moon out, but it's not bad considering the amount of moon there was. https://www.astrobin.com/411014/?nc=user |
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I started using my Optolong L-eNhance filter with my ASI071MC Pro the first night of the full moon. It's great to have a filter that allows us to do this with our OSCs. Here is my Cocoon from last night: https://astrob.in/421317/B/ And my first attempt (NGC7000) with this filter on the first night of the full moon Wednesday. https://astrob.in/420996/D/ |
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Kevin Hanley: My copy of thr filter has no thread on the front side. How do you mount yours on the Esprit 120? |
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I'm very new to astronomy, EAA, and the use of SharpCap/cameras for observation but I did recently purchase a L-eNhance filter. The two pictures in my gallery both used the filter. The filter effectively cut out the moon and other city lights well. I need to learn how to balance the color better in the picture when using the filter. There is a bit of elongated stars as well as I'm using an Alt-Az mount. EQ mount to be purchased soon and that will help quite a bit. I really do like the filter. Does a great job on emission nebulae. It's like photographing without a moon or light pollution. |
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| I could not get focus using Focusmax with this filter. |
