Which Filters?

If you could only choose three filters, for both visual and webcam use on a 4" refractor, what would you choose ?
I am looking at the TS range of filters that allow combinations, so I am thinking of purchasing the Light Yellow, Light Blue and Light Red.

Can anyone with a bit of experience advise?

I got the Meade Series 4000 colour filter set #1 recently, which includes a no. 80A light blue filter that I find excellent for viewing Saturn. It make the planet's cloud bands a lovely butterscotch colour, contrasting nicely with the atmospheric background, which comes up a sort of egg-shell blue colour. The set also comes with a #23A Light Red filter, which I found excellent for enhancing surface detail on Mars when it was at opposition last year. For more information on the Meade range of colour filters and what each one is best suited for viewing, click here .

Another point: you're right in going for light coloured filters for use with a 4" refractor; the darker ones filter out most of the incoming light, so you'd need to be using a larger scope with more light-gathering power (e.g. an 8" Newtonian) to get the full benefit of these.

Another point: you're right in going for light coloured filters for use with a 4" refractor; the darker ones filter out most of the incoming light, so you'd need to be using a larger scope with more light-gathering power (e.g. an 8" Newtonian) to get the full benefit of these.

Thanks Paul, that's pretty much what I thought when choosing the light colour, and also the TS filters allow you to combine two filters - blue and yellow to make green etc.

Back to the original question though, if you could only choose 3 filters, which would they be? And if you're webcam imaging do you need an IR filter also?

Back to the original question though, if you could only choose 3 filters, which would they be? And if you're webcam imaging do you need an IR filter also?

Well, I guess I'd choose the #80A light blue, the #23A light red, and either the #11 yellow-green or the #12 yellow. I don't know the answer to your IR filter question, as I don't have a web cam.

John - personally I don't use an IR filter for astrophotography, but most folks do. Certainly, my stars do end up being overbloated, sopmething an IR filter will reduce. The filter I was using was poor quality and just added loads of crud to the images, so I stopped using it.

It might be real hard to get a set of 3 filters that suit both astrophotography and visual observing. I know you can get RGB filters for photography that include an IR blocking element. But I suspect these filters are not going to do anything for visual work.

Likewise, the filters you mention above (other thyan the IR one) will do little if anything for your webcam (in terms of correct colour balance etc).

HTH

Cheers

Dave