Photographing with a full Moon with the L-Enhance filter. Recommended? - Forums

Topic starter

Dec 7, 2022

Hi everyone.
Likewise, as you read in the title, I ask you if it is possible to photograph nebulae with the L-Enhance filter on a night with a full or almost full moon.
I know it's not recommended, of course it won't be the same as a night with a new moon, but I want to go out today and I don't know if I'm wasting my time, or if it's possible to achieve something.
I've heard that the filter does cut light reflecting off the moon almost entirely, and as long as you're not that close to the moon, you'll be fine. But I imagine that there must be some other consequence, perhaps less signal to noise ratio or contrast, etc.

Does anyone have experience or has done something like that with that filter or similar? what do you think?

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DanRossi

Dec 7, 2022

You could shoot and only use the HA data to combine with data taken later at some point. The red channel in your data would be HA. Still….shoot well-away from the moon.

Mark Germani

Dec 7, 2022

Like @DanRossi says, stay clear of the moon and maybe choose a really bright nebula. Keep exposure times on the shorter side of normal. If I remember correctly, the L-eNhance has a wider bandpass near OIII and captures H-beta too, which I imagine would let a lot more moonlight through than the L-eXtreme, which is what I use, so I second the recommendation to just use the Ha/red. But try it out and see what you get!

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Jonny Bravo

Dec 7, 2022

Take your gear outside and try. What have you got to lose? Learn what it's like imaging under a nearly full moon. See for yourself what kind of impact it has on your data.

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Tomás Andonie

Topic starter

Dec 7, 2022

Thank you both very much for the answer. And of course @Jonny Bravo , that is what I did. The best way to answer me is to try it myself. We'll see tomorrow what I get!

andrea tasselli

Frequent contributor

Dec 7, 2022

You can shoot even in broadband, let alone in wide-band such as the L-eNhance, with the full moon. Just choose brighter subject or you'll be wasting time. And keep at least 3 hours away for broadband and 1.5 for a filter like the L-eNhance.

Monty Chandler

Dec 7, 2022

Absolutely! That's what that filter excels at.

Marcelloastro

Dec 7, 2022 · Edited: Dec 7, 2022

Do it! You can definitely blame the Moon later… if you get bad results! I use the L-extreme in full moon and in the city and I’m super happy. I guess also the L-enhance could help a lot. Especially in a dark area.

Mark Germani

Dec 7, 2022

I briefly tried the L-eNhance, and imagedNGC 281 in 60-70% full moon with decent (I think) results. Definitely worth it, plus you can also use those full moon nights to put on a broadband filter and grab RGB stars for other projects that you might be using the L-eNhance for.

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Tomás Andonie

Topic starter

Dec 7, 2022

I just processed the resulting image from yesterday! Surprisingly I captured a lot more nebula than I expected. It was quite close to the moon, and therefore had less expectations. This filter amazes me more and more. Although without a doubt I did not get a clean image of noise and with good definition, besides that I had a little blur with the focus. Here is the picture: https://astrob.in/msytt9/0/. It was a good experiment and I am satisfied with the result. In the new moon I will put many hours to this nebula!

Mark Germani

Dec 7, 2022

@Tomás Andonie nice Horsehead! I love the colour. I'm curious, though, how are you using a 2" L-eNhance filter with your DSLR & Lens?

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Tomás Andonie

Topic starter

Dec 7, 2022

Mark Germani:
how are you using a 2" L-eNhance filter with your DSLR & Lens?

I'm using a 58-48mm adapter to fit it to the front of the lens. It's the only method I found to use with a photographic lens. And it does not generate obvious vignetting, or at least with the flats, I do not have any. I'm still saving up to buy a refractor haha I'm attaching a picture for you to see.

Mark Germani

Dec 7, 2022

That is super cool! I bought a similar adapter to attach my L-eXtreme to my 50mm lens, but I've never had the opportunity to test it out. I'll have to give it a shot!

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MikeY_Astro

Dec 7, 2022

I've shot with a number of different DNB filters, and I'll generally shoot targets that are northern (for my location) when the moon is bright. It works, even using the LeNhance! Best way to tell is to just try it and see. Some of the more expensive DNB filters will allow you to shoot just about any part of the sky with a full moon.

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