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You will never regret buying 2” format filters. The same can’t be said for 1.25” filters as they are a lot more limiting in their use. I would bite the bullet and pay the extra if you can.
The Horsehead is not a difficult target provided, you have access to some impressively dark skies. It does become very easy to see with experience. I do tend to check in on it a lot during the season.
In the 32” it’s an impressive showpiece object, with dark and light mottling in the Horsehead and bright streaks of nebulosity running through IC434 in the background.
Under Bortle 5 it’s not too difficult in the 16”. I never tried under Bortle 5 with my 12”, but it would be just out of reach. Under Bortle 1, 21 Ethos, Lumicon H-beta and the 12” it’s pretty easy to see. But like I said, I look at it a lot, and that helps. Just get yourself somewhere really dark and keep trying and practicing until you get it. Take someone else along who has seen it if you can, that’s probably your best asset.
My astro property gets into the SQM 22.0 range and I could see the Horsehead in my TV76 at that site. So it’s not a tough object once you’ve got a lot of experience with it.
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