Returning gazer scope help

[Koje]

Hi all, I have been on the forums for a long time but first post  . After some basic gazing back when I was a teen (I am now mid 30's!) I have always had an itch to get back into astronomy but a career and two children had put the brakes on but I really want to get going again.

Long story short after lots of facetube, lots of reading, and buying Turn left at Orion I have narrowed my first scope to the following list. I still class myself a beginner so is there another scope I have missed and should consider?

I live in Dorset so even my back garden is ok but a few times a year I want to join a club and go viewing in darker places so portability is a bonus. My budget is around £1k ( I have lots of overtime over crimbo). I would like to view planets as well as DSO and may add a webcam in the future. I would also like to find objects manually first with the option of goto once I have found them.

Skywatcher 200PDS HEQ5 Pro Reflector - Quite heavy, will need collimation, cool down and set up can take a while, great mix for planets and DSO, powerful scope for beginner with lots of upgrade options for the future. Currently my No.1 choice.

Skywatcher Skyliner 250PX Flextube Goto Dob - Big and heavy, will need collimation, cool down and set up can take a while, fantastic aperture size especially for DSO, not so many upgrade options as the 200/HEQ5. Cheapest.

Celestron Nextar 8SE Schmidt - Compact and easy to move/transport, no collimation, reduced cool down/set up time?, light gathering not as high as other two, not as good for DSO but good for planets, greater connectivity for a laptop. Limited upgrade potential. Most expensive.

Any feedback or thoughts greatly appreciated.

[Tinker1947]

I have your first 2 option and sold the third option, so the first option( PDS/EQ Mount) its main drawback is the set-up time, if your not doing AP then its not so bad just drop it on premarked spots and do a 2 star align, its better to have a permanent set-up as it will get to be a pain setting up and taking down. second option a GoTo Dob splits in to 2 sections, place the base facing north, attach the tube and do a 2 star align takes a minute or 2 and your up and running, low power viewing until its cooled down (applies to both options) also check collimation on both options, the Dob GoTo i find extremely accurate, the PDS on a EQ mount needs a bit more love if its not permanently set-up. both option can run EQMod which is nice but adds to the set-up time, use a Telrad on both options makes for faster alignment.

[Scooot]

How about this,

http://www.scsastro.co.uk/catalogue/orion-skyquest-xt10-intelliscope.htm

You'll be able to find things easily if you want to, just push the scope to the target like a normal dob. It has no tracking if you wanted that.

[Astro Imp]

I have the SW 150P on an EQ3-2 mount and am currently looking to upgrade.

For purely visual I definitely would not think of a Newtonian on an equatorial mount having experience with the comparatively small 150 so mounted. It is just too much hassle with odd eyepiece positions and messing with set up.

From your selection and what you want to achieve the 250 GOTO dob. to me is a no brainer. You will have near instant set up, enough aperture for some good DSO viewing given your local skies and the possibility of using a web-cam on the planets and moon. Remember to factor in the cost of a power pack with any GOTO scope, they just don't cut it with batteries.

Good luck and Seasons greetings.

[Koje]

Thanks for all comments guys. Looks like the Dob goto may be the best option, as much as I keep telling myself setup wont be an issue I know it will be once I am settled into it.

I can keep it set up in the garage so using in the garden should be quick as the garage is cold. What is it like breaking these down to get into the car? I will also look into power packs, good shout.

[Dave In Vermont]

Breaking it down to fit easily in a car should be easy. The only drawback is the need for collimation - and only if collimation presents a problem. There is so much press given to the woes and pain of collimating one's scope that we never hear the flip-side of the coin: Some people actually find collimating a scope to be fun! I know - I'm one of them. But tales of disasters and explosions sell newspapers.

Usually people run into problems doing this due to confusing, poorly-written How-To guides out there. Nothing beats having a seasoned pro run you through it in person. Or someone on-line to point you to a good, well-written guide. There are many such folks right here. The tools I recommend are either a well-collimated red laser, or a sight-tube / Cheshire eyepiece. I use both. That and a good star of arounf Mag. 2. Polaris is a good candidate. The last analysis is that once your aversion to collimation has been conquered, that 250mm Skywatcher - with it's aperture - will reward you with a lifetime of great viewing.

Clear & Collimated Skies,

Dave

[Tinker1947]

On the Skywatcher 300P, there is one large plastic screw, drop the tube collapsed into the drive slot, the other side has 2 round supports, tighten up the screw, stretch the tube out check collimation, that's it, take apart is just the reverse, it quick and simple....