Color filters are an essential tool of the lunar and planetary observer, for filters permit the observation and photography of surface detail that is often virtually invisible without filtration. 

Price $25 each or sets of 4 for $90

If you observe from highly light-polluted sites, or if you want the maximum contrast enhancement for observing faint emission nebulas from areas of moderate light pollution, an Orion UltraBlock filter is for you. With an UltraBlock, emission and planetary nebulas are even visible from urban areas, where they are completely invisible without a filter! In darker-sky locations with only moderate light pollution, many objects will appear significantly enhanced over unfiltered and wideband-filtered views.

UltraBlock filters block all forms of light pollution. They reject wavelengths from incandescent and fluorescent lighting, which wideband filters can’t stop. Extremely high (99.9%) blocking of critical mercury and sodium emission bands and very high transmission of hydrogen-beta and ionized oxygen wavelengths result in the highest contrast gain of any competing light-pollution filter.

Price 1.25" $155

Price 2"      $219

The Lumicon Deep Sky filter is a wide bandpass filter which has been optimized for astrophotography. The gain in photographic contrast is approximately 3-fold, which means you can use up to three times longer photos before reaching the sky-fog limit when using the Deep Sky filter. Since transmission for the nebula emission lines is over 90%, emission nebulae gain 3-fold in contrast! Galaxies gain only modestly in contrast (1-1.5 fold). Since the Lumicon Deep-Sky filter transmits in blue, green, and red bands, relatively good color balance is maintained, and this filter yields great color astrophotos

Price 1.25"  $155

Price 2" (48mm) $310

The Lumicon UHC filter is simply the best filter made in the world at combining efficiency (high visual transmission) with visual contrast (narrow bandpass). The Lumicon UHC filter typically has 92-97% transmission on all three visible nebula emission lines combined with a narrow 24nm bandpass.

Price 1.25"  $155

Price 2" (48mm) $310

For about 80-90% of all diffuse nebulae, the Lumicon Oxygen-III filter will give the best view. It is an ultra high contrast nebula filter with a bandpass of only 10nm and 90-97% transmission on the two Oxygen-III nebulae emission lines at 496nm and 501nm.

Price 1.25"  $155

Price 2" (48mm) $310

"Lumicon's H-Beta filter can't be beat for the elusive Horsehead and California nebulae, favorite challenge objects for die-hard deep-sky observers."

Sky & Telescope, July 1995

Price 1.25"  $155

Price 2" (48mm) $310