How a Moon filter can improve your observations of the Moon

What does a telescope Moon filter do, and why should you use one?

Published: August 2, 2023 at 7:47 am

There are many telescope filters available to amateur astronomers to help with all aspects of observing the night sky.

One of the most popular is the Moon filter.

This is a ‘neutral density’ filter, which means it is a dark grey coloured filter designed to dim the amount of light passing through it.

Read our guide on how to observe the Moon with the naked eye, binoculars and a telescope.

Supermoon Halo by Steve Brown, Stokesley, North Yorkshire, UK. Equipment: Canon 600D, 10-18mm lens, static tripod.Supermoon Halo by Steve Brown, Stokesley, North Yorkshire, UK. Equipment: Canon 600D, 10-18mm lens, static tripod.

You should find that viewing a bright object, such as the Moon, is more comfortable with one of these filters.

It also helps to maintain dark adaptation after studying the Moon through a telescope.

As with many other filters, these can be bought in 1.25- or 2-inch fittings and simply screwed into the barrel of your telescope eyepiece.

They are relatively cheap, at around £15–20 depending on size and quality.

They also come in different densities, which are useful for observing different phases – and therefore different light intensities – of the Moon.

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