Light Polution Filter?

[crmcg]

I do most of my observing from my back yard with a 127mm Mak Cas and have a problem with light pollution a business park across the street from me washing out some objects. I understand that I have a slow scope; however, bright DSO's should be well within its grasp. Can anyone recommend a light pollution filter to deal with those bright white parking lot lights (the mercury vapor street lights aren't as much of an issue as whatever those bright white lights are; however, they could use some reducing as well)

[Stu]

Because they are white light, and so across the whole spectrum there is little you can do to filter them. You could try a filter like a Baader Neodymium which may help a little by darkening the sky background. Possibly your best bet though might be something like a UHC or UHC-S Filter which work well for emission nebulae such as M57 and M27 but not on galaxies or clusters.

Galaxies get washed out very easily by light pollution and don't respond well to filtering so dark skies are the best option there. Globular clusters have relatively high surface brightness so may make a more rewarding target.

Stu

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[chiltonstar]

I also use a Mak 127mm scope; my garden is light polluted in one direction by sodium lighting (high pressure), which like white lighting is not amenable to an LP filter as the light emission is across the spectrum. The most effective solution I've found is a deep dewshield (rolled-up campers mat) on the corrector end of the scope, which stops peripheral light entering the optics and bouncing around, a cloth over my head and the scope to improve dark adaption, and you then just have to wait  for those nights with good transparency, when there's less light reflected back towards you from your neighbourhood - clear skies!

Chris