Imaging & the Moon

Hey guys,

How does moon light effect our images? Can you image at all with it out? I know we can filter some light pollution.
Sonya

Sonya Ward said:

Hey guys,

How does moon light effect our images? Can you image at all with it out? I know we can filter some light pollution.
Sonya

Hi Sonya:

Deep sky images taken when the moon is bright will have a background light gradient toward the moon. Strong gradients are really hard to deal with. Also, the brightness of the general sky background on a bright moon night can get to the point where the faint target of your image is pretty much washed out. I think most people avoid full spectrum imaging when the moon is bright, I know I do.

Narrow band imaging (e.g. Hydrogen Alpha) works well when the moon is out. The extremely narrow pass-band of this type of filter blocks moon glare and light pollution both really well. A regular light pollution filter might help some on a bright moon-lit night, but I doubt it would help much. The reflected moonlight is full spectrum and will cause a gradient even if the selected frequencies the light pollution filter is designed for are blocked.

Good luck. Jim