The Moon and SkyGlow Neodymium Filter - size 1.25-Inch by Baader Planetarium:

This filter goes back upon a development of Carl Zeiss Jena... If you have never seen the GRS (Great Red Spot) on Jupiter or surface features on Mars with this filter you will!

The Baader Planetarium Moon and SkyGlow (Neodymium) filter brings an entirely unique approach to contrast enhancement and light pollution reduction. Based on earlier research at Carl Zeiss, Baader has developed a new filter that uses Neodymium glass which filters out a few specific wavelengths from streetlights as well as skyglow from the Moon. The unique spectral characteristics of Neodymium also boost color contrasts by isolating the Red, Green, and Blue regions (RGB enhancement). The result is a filter that leaves natural colors mostly intact, but enhanced.

Lunar and Planetary views are improved in all scopes, reflectors, refractors (APO or Achro). Jupiter's Great Red Spot and ruddy hues of the bands are noticeably enhanced, and contrast of Martian surface features are significantly boosted. The background sky is darkened, and subtle details improved. The filter's high efficiency preserves image brightness, and many Galaxies, Nebulae and Globular Star Clusters are improved due to the reduction of skyglow from artificial lighting.

The high quality of Baader Planetarium filters permits stacking with no image degradation. Achromat design telescope owners will find the combination of Moon & skyglow and the new Fringe Killer filter to be ideal for planetary viewing. The high light throughput and natural coloration will make achromats perform more like an apochromat.

The filter substrate is a special custom melt of Neodymium-doped glass, designed for specific transmission characteristics, and made only for Baader Planetarium. In addition to its unique spectral characteristics, the Baader Moon and SkyGlow filter delivers the best possible image sharpness, contrast, and real-world durability.

Baader Planetarium Moon and SkyGlow Neodymium Filter Features.

True Optical Quality: Baader glass substrates are of true optical quality. Most other filters are merely made from raw flame-polished, optically flat, or sometimes a top quality commercially polished filter glass (fine for camera filters), resulting in wavefront deformations that damage image sharpness and contrast when used with telescopes. Baader Planetarium filters are made from striae-free substrates, and actually fine optically polished flat to within 1/4 wave p-v over the entire surface, plane parallel to within 30 seconds of arc! This important and unique custom step adds cost - but the result is a filter that maintains the full wavefront quality of the telescope without double images or ghosting, even at high magnifications. Critical to maintaining this level of flatness are Baader's carefully balanced coating designs, which prevent coating surface stresses from warping the substrate. Such high flatness enables Baader filters to be used far in front of the focal plane, ahead of star diagonals and digital cameras. They are particularly well suited for attachment to the nosepiece of the Maxbright Binocular Viewer (other manufacturer's filters must be used in pairs, attached to the eyepieces).

Filter Durability: Filter durability has always been a hallmark of Baader Planetarium. The multi-layer dielectric coatings are plasma-assisted and Ion beam-hardened using the latest technology (the coatings are harder than the glass substrate itself!). Baader filters withstand repeated real-world exposure to the elements and physical cleaning. Users need not leave their precious filters dull and dust encrusted to avoid cleaning - Baader filters may be used and cleaned without fear. We have heard sad stories from owners of other simpler soft-coated dielectric filters, who have seen their coatings degrade from normal exposure to moisture, or wiped away from routine cleaning. Some manufacturers even resort to sandwiching their delicate coatings in between two layers of glass (and risking blurred double images as well as eventual degradation from the edges inward). Baader Filters will truly last a lifetime.

Stackability: Unlike other filters, Baader Planetarium filters are truly designed to be stacked and combined. This is possible due to the high optical quality and highly efficient anti-reflection multi-coatings. The ability to combine filters opens up many exciting possibilities, permitting unique spectral characteristics unachievable with any single filter.

Special Filter Cell: Baader's special filter cell design offers unique features that enhance their reliability and usability. Though difficult to produce, the ultra-thin filter cell results in the maximum possible clear aperture, in order to minimize vignetting (1.25-inch Filter clear aperture is 27mm, 2-inch Filter aperture is 45mm). The special threading has been designed to fit a wide variety of eyepieces and accessories (there is significant variation between the 1.25-inch filter threading used by eyepiece and accessory manufacturers). The front 'crown' of the filter incorporates milled notches which make handling and threading the filter a more secure operation in the dark.

Low cost: Despite high-quality and advanced technology, Baader Planetarium filters are affordable. By leveraging high volumes across all filters in the Baader family, these filters can be offered at very reasonable prices.

OPT Product Number: BA-FMS-1