Color filter question RE: night photography

[quiddity]

If I wanted to enhance reds and yellows in the night (after sunset) sky which filter would I use.

I tried a FL-W last night trying to enhance some colors in the milky way but that didn't work so well.

Which filter to try/buy? Would a general color enhancer work?

Thanks!

 

[Gaerek]

I'm not sure why you would use that filter. I understand it's a color filter that could change the colors of the image, but that particular one is designed to be used under florescent lighting, while shooting tungsten balanced film. I guess I should ask, are you shooting film or digital? If you're shooting digital, just shoot RAW and adjust the colors with whatever post processing software you prefer to use. If you shoot film, you could always scan the negatives and do the same. If that's not something you want to do with film, then this question is out of my realm to answer.

 

[KmH]

Looking at his profile he uses a D90.

The problem with DSLR cameras is that they almost all have a low-pass, long-wavelength filter in front of the image sensor that makes them very poor at recording hydrogen-alpha light, particularly in red emission nebulae. H-alpha - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

You have 2 options for a solution:

1. get a camera specifically designed for astrophotgraphy.
2. have someone, or DIY, replace the manufacturer's long-wavelength filter that is in front of the image sensor. LifePixel Digital Camera Infrared IR Conversion Services. DIY IR Tutorials | LifePixel Digital Infrared Photography IR Conversion, Modification & Scratched Sensor Repair

Check out this CD-ROM: A Beginner's Guide to DSLR Astrophotography

 

[Gaerek]

And there's Keith, giving a far better answer than just about anyone.