First Filter?

Which filter for a rural area of Nebraska?
Orion SkyGlow, UltraBlock or Lumicon ???

Interests are deep sky and this may include CCD soon, if this makes a difference. I hate to buy and buy and buy...

Thanks

// Jerry

Hi Jerry --

I have no side by side experience with the filters you mention but recently bought a Lumicon UHC filter based on Dave Knisely's reports. He's a member of the Prairie Astronomy Club (http://www.4w.com/pac) and did a side be side not of different manufacturer's filters but of UHC vs OIII, Deep Sky and H-Beta on 80 some od nebulae.
My still early experience with the UHC filter has been very good. I'd recommend some kind of filter slide arrangement (I bought a Van Slyke unit) so that comparisons can be made between the view with and without a filter etc.
Clear skies.

Bob Polcyn (rural South Dakota)

I had a similar question late last year and ended up with the Meade narrowband. It is very similar to the Orion Ultrablock, but I think it had one more line (I forget which) that made it slightly better for smaller appertures according to someones review. I have been very pleased with the results and can recommend it. But then again, I have no experience with the others. I have pretty dark skies, so was advised against the skyglow type broadband filters.

Charlie

I've got most of the visual filters, and I can only comment on visual use.
Deep Sky - a broad broadband, works best at a dark site. It enhances nebula, while hardly diminishing the stars. But I don't use it much.

SkyGlow - a broadband, I often use my 2" one in low power eyepieces at a dark site.

Celestron LPR - a narrow broadband, darkens stars more than the previous two, but is better on planetary nebulas - I've found 80% of the harder planetary nebulas using this one. It has also been the cheapest filter for a while.

Ultrablock - it darkens more than the Celestron LPR, and is probably the best for detail in most large nebula. It gives a more pleasing view than the O111.

O111 - The best for finding the difficult planetary nebulas.

If you're only going to get one, and you want to see planetary nebulas, you should consider the Celestron LPR. The only problem is that it becomes fairly redundant if you later decide to also get an Ultrablock or UHC. Getting two filters, a broad and narrow band, is the better way to go.
Renato