My questions are mostly regarding visual, not imaging.
I'd like to sweep the milky way band, enjoying star fields, hover over a cluster if I find one.
If possible with this scope, maybe shooting MOV of a planet and the sun. Not really interested to "see" grey-ish smudges of DSO, although saying Hello to the Andromeda galaxy via averted seeing would be a nice moment.
I'm awaiting my SW 102/500 simple refractor with different focuser and 2" to 1,25" zenith prism, and the Arcturus binoviewer with 30mm eyepieces and 1.7 and 2.5 correctors.
1. Should I get 2 simple moon filters or rather one (or 2) which hides 25% transmission? I thought maybe looking at the sun (through ND 5 solar foil of course. Got that here from a DIY hood for my 500mm lens) the 25%-filter could be beneficial on the sun, as well?
I'm not sure at all how the binoviewer on the fast refractor will impact the light path and focal ratio. It surely must make the scope slower? Some say 2 f-stops, even. Making the scope a planetary one? That'd be grand. And in spring/summer here on 54th latitude, the sun will be all I can see, astronomy wise. It'll be too bright for stars during the "night" at comfortable hours, I assume. For both, planets and the sun, the 25%-filter seems a better investment than a cheap moon filter, isn't it?
2. And what about light pollution, filter, and fast-ish refractor with binoviewer? I'll be using the system directly in a big city, although looking out on Western skies which get a little less direct light from below than my own location. I can't tell the Mag-number for light pollution...(how can I tell?) - population is 210,000. Looking through a 7x50 at the milky way band IS a real pleasure. But I know I "should" be seeing many, may more stars, really, if it weren't for the light pollution. Would a "moon and skyglow" filter improve the star count?
3. Eyepiece. Is it a good choice to get 2x15mm? I understand the binoviewer plus possible light path corrector act as ~2x barlow. So in this imitated 2xbarlow on 102/500 (or 102/600 as the bino adds 100mm to the light path), 15mm eyepieces would be enough sensible magnification?
Thanks heaps for your input!
