Mr Q

   Facebook? As far as I'm concerned, its the largest internet rubbish dump in the world. Taking anything from this group and thinking its true/accurate makes as much sense as learning something from a rock. This (post, not the poster) is just an example of what's happening in this group - the blind leading the blind

   And don't bother to respond to this reply - I'll be busy for some time taking some lessons from a rock in my back yard (garden)

For a starter scope for imaging, I would go for the 200mm scope that comes with its EQ (motorized tracking) mount.

As for the other questions, I'll let others give you their advice.

Blackheart and Earl - Though a very remote possibility, I would say this is the only answer, since during most of the year there are several major and minor showers (with different radiants) that overlap and perhaps this was the answer that I even failed to come up with

But turned 90 degrees during its trajectory? Sounds like a craft to me, and meteors don't do that

My first DSO image taken with ETX-90, Nikon D60, 30 sec exposure @ ISO 1600.

Nice image Josh, specially for your first one. You'll be an expert imager in no time

Here are two links for those thinking about getting a telescope. The first is about choosing what type/size while the second is about what you can expect to see with each type/size.

CHOOSING

WHAT TO EXPECT