Okay, Atmos, I'll be forgoing the filters for now. Thanks. Since pondering going visual, I read a few observation reports online. But none were done with (my) binoviewer or from city lights. So I'll wait and see how grey washed-out or black contrasty the background will actually be.
@Hodges, Good advice about the dust cap, - and I’ll consider the 2nd 102/500 if someone feels the urge to donate 2 EMS
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Thank you both!
Astro744, man, great teaching, very much appreciated. I'm glad I don't own a printer. So, because I wanted to have your info available on paper, I wrote it down by hand. Which, in the process of writing, edged the info into my brain circuity much deeper than e-reading or typing ever can. Handling pen and paper triggers more brain areas for me, it improves storing stuff in memory. Thank you very much for your time and the info.
And you’re right about the warning re sun observation. I’d have thought about fitting the main scope with ND5-foil - but I guess I would have indeed forgotten about the finder scope. The ones I made for my 7x50 should fit. I’ll remember using them.
Re the Nebula filters you recommend: I might get tempted to look at DSO. But I'm spoiled from all the colour DSO images so I can't imagine I'd be enjoying looking at them in b/w ... with averted viewing even ... as much that I feel like I'd have to spend money on getting a slightly better image.
I really only want to have back what I experienced under New Zealand skies. Feeling myself connected with the vast starfields and beyond, getting drunk on the cocktail of black velvet and diamonds and the emotionally overwhelming promise that there's so much more to know.