[Gareth (Gareth)]

Great, thanks! I'm still in the reading stage right now, so those are really helpful. I haven't read about light pollution filters at all, will have a look into them. The concept isn't new to me but I really didn't know what I had when I was back in NZ - such good quality skies even in the city compared.

What sort of price do the LP filters go for? Are there any downsides to them?

Originally Posted by rcheshire

Gareth. You may need to invest in a light pollution filter, although you can get by without one. Exposure time is an important factor dealing with sky gradients and optimizing signal to noise ratio (SNR).

Once you have the hardware, or while you're waiting the reading below is a good start getting to grips with the nuts and bolts of AP.

http://www.ayton.id.au/gary/Science/...graphy_DSO.htm

This is a basic guide
http://www.pbase.com/samirkharusi/beginners

Really good for understanding sub exposures
http://www.samirkharusi.net/sub-exposures.html

Jerry sells a couple of CD's - personally I think the advanced guide is the one to get. Lots of great info.
http://www.astropix.com/