Filters, filters and yet more filters

[the lemming]

I noticed that you can get one for light pollution, is it worth buying one seeing as I live in a small town?

How about one for the sun?

Or best to stay well clear of such tomfoolery, for the moment?

[coffee_prince]

I'd not worry about filters or spending any other money until you have had a good time to use your telescope and the stock eyepieces included.

If anything get a telrad, I have one of those on order too. Using a finderscope can be difficult, as the image is too zoomed in and it is also the wrong way around.

I've got some really bad light pollution so I have a neodymium on order right now, but I odn't think they can remedy bad light pollution, you just need to get to a darker place.

The Baader gets a lot of positives, but from what I read on here, filters tend to be hit and miss depending onthe kind of lights you have in your area.

[JamesM]

I have found that the Neodymium filter is also useful in helping to view planetary detail and is also useful for cutting down a little of the glare when observing the moon. I found the Baader one helps a little with light pollution, yet I know of many who choose not to use filters at all. There are no magic bullets and as coffee prince above has said, travelling to a dark site will make the biggest difference to your viewing.

Proper solar 'film' is great and completely safe for observing the sun providing you use it safely and in full accordance with the instructions. Ebay has in the past sold solar filters which are very dangerous to use and I have witnessed on several occasions forum members actively emailing Ebay/seller to have them removed - please don't use these.

If you are going to spend money, I too would second getting a Telrad finder which in my view is essential. Straight through optical finders that are supplied with a scope provide an inverted AND back to front image and make finding objects from star maps more difficult than it ought to be. I would also recommend at some future point, ordering a right angled finder (...not cheap I'm afraid) which like a refractor, provides only a back to front image which will mean one less thing to think about and together with the Telrad, will help you find anything!

James