Spent $80 on a 'moon filter' that was basically a piece of tinted plastic wrap

I got excited for the lunar eclipse last month and ordered this fancy 'premium' filter online. It showed up in a flimsy envelope, just a thin plastic square in a cardboard sleeve. Tried it on my telescope and it made the moon look like a dim, weirdly orange blob, totally ruining the view. Took it off after like two minutes and just used my regular eyepiece. Anyone know a real brand that doesn't suck, or should I just skip filters for the moon?

3 comments

3 Comments

jade471mo ago

Wait, they charged you eighty bucks for a piece of plastic wrap? That's insane! I've seen cheap ones that are bad, but that's just a scam. For the moon, I've had good luck with a simple neutral density filter from a real astronomy shop.

thompson.christopher1mo ago

Yeah, a real astronomy shop is the way to go, @jade47. Those cheap filters just ruin the whole shot.

lily5111mo ago

Oh man, @jade47 is totally right. That price is a crime! I saw a "premium" filter once that was literally just tinted cellophane in a fancy ring. Made the moon look like a smudgy orange blob. You're better off using a welder's glass from a hardware store. Some of these sellers just bank on new folks not knowing any better. It's wild.