That $40 moon filter I bought was a complete waste of clear skies

I was out last Saturday with my 8 inch Dobsonian, trying to get a decent look at the terminator. I spent $40 on a cheap variable polarizing moon filter from Amazon a few months back, figured it would cut the glare during the full moon. Instead it just made everything look like I was viewing through a dirty fish tank, no detail at all. I finally just took it off and the craters popped way clearer, even with the brightness. Anyone else had better luck with a specific brand of moon filter or am I just wasting money altogether?

2 comments

2 Comments

theawest2d ago

I swear my $40 filter just turned the moon into a blurry egg yolk.

richardfox2d ago

You mentioned it being a 'complete waste of clear skies' and I get that frustration, but is a $40 moon filter really the hill we want to die on? In my experience, a lot of those cheap variable filters are built for looking at the moon through a pair of binoculars, not a big Dob. I'd say take a step back and ask yourself if you'd notice the difference on a night with a half moon versus a full one. Your mileage may vary, but a lot of the glow is just your eye adjusting anyway. I'd personally try turning down the brightness by looking earlier or later in the lunar cycle before blaming the hardware.