Baader Filters C2 Swan-Band 15nm 2″

The Baader C2 SWAN-Band-Filter isolates the two C2 lines at 511 and 514nm.

These two emission lines, named Swan bands after their discoverer, dominate the spectrum of a comet’s gas tail in the visible range. The filter allows only the light from the two carbon bands to pass through and, among other things, blocks the ubiquitous stray light, similar to a nebula filter in deep-sky observation. Structures in the gas tail thus become clearer even under good observing conditions.

At the same time, it completely blocks the OIII line at 501nm and below, which other Swan-Band filters allow to pass. This allows for even higher contrast, and comets with gas tails can be distinguished even better from those dominated by a dust tail (and where a SWAN filter provides only a small contrast enhancement).

For ambitious comet observers, a SWAN filter is part of the basic equipment.