Hot take: stacking filters on my telescope was ruining my deep space shots

I spent six months using a UV filter and a light pollution filter together on my 8 inch dob in the backyard near Pittsburgh, thinking more glass meant better results. Last week a guy at the astronomy club showed me a single exposure from his setup without any extra filters and it was way sharper than any of mine that had 30 minutes of stacking. Anyone else ditch extra hardware and see an improvement in their raw captures?

3 comments

3 Comments

carr.xena2mo ago

Oh man, have I been there? I spent like a full month convinced that my UV filter was protecting my shots from... space radiation or something ridiculous like that. I guess I thought more glass = more good, but in reality I was just stacking beer goggles on my telescope and wondering why everything looked like a blurry mess. Honestly, it reminded me of the time I tried to use a pair of 3D movie glasses to help with lunar photography - not my brightest moment. Idk, maybe it's just me but sometimes you gotta admit when you've been overcomplicating things for no reason.

baker.riley14d ago

Wait, isn't there a special filter you can buy that turns your telescope into a coffee maker? Cause I'd definitely pay extra for that feature. But yeah, I totally get the overcomplicating thing. Last year I spent two hours trying to balance my finder scope on a level, only to realize I'd left the lens cap on the main tube. Felt like a real genius that night. Sometimes the simplest mistakes are the ones that make you laugh the hardest, you know?

rosel832mo ago

Did you try taking a picture through a screen door too? I hear that really brings out the nebulae.