Hoshii

Agree. I'm looking at an item now that is only 4 months old. The price is at 85% of new, hence I'm thinking I might as well buy new and have the peace of mind warranty provides. The other thing I see is optimistic pricing where it's way beyond market value and any realistic offer seems like a lowball.

Thanks. I would also pay a little more for an exceptional item.

Thanks both.

I know this is a how long is a piece of string type question but... are there any guidelines for pricing used equipment for sale vs new prices? I appreciate that price might vary depending on the rarity and quality of the item, but in general terms - let's say for mainstream equipment - what metrics can be applied?

Thanks. I'll check that out too.

Thank you, that's very helpful and will provide the information needed.

I'm returning to the hobby and thinking that at some time in future an obsy would aid with equipment usage as well as help with comfort from the elements (I can't spend a lot of time out in the cold) and reduce impact from neighbourly light pollution. It's not a big garden but small trees, shrubs, etc. would need to be relocated (and I think I can get approval to do this under cover of garden redesign/improvements ...). The viewing is OK north and south (over fences), west (over rooftops), but not much at all east (except for some limited points NNE and then a little access SSE in winter as tall trees drop leaves). The garden lies east/west and I think a location at the east side of the garden would optimise available sky. If I went toward the west side of the garden to be able to cover NNE and SSE it would be nearer the property and likely to raise more objections on the view from the kitchen window, etc. Another consideration is noise from the mount slewing, etc. possibly raising objections (or increasing light pollution) from neighbours. How can I go about optimising the actual position of a potential site for the obsy (is there some way to calculate the view, angles, etc.)?

Thanks both for the suggestions, which seem to meet our needs very well. I'd thought to buy a Star Adventurer or SkyGuider Pro, which would be great for mobility. Adding up costs including a tripod is getting close to the cost of HEQ5Pro. Will need to give that further thought in consideration of weather conditions, need to travel (neighbourhood light pollution, etc.), and expected time in use. Once things get back to normal an occasional camp/star party could be a possibility too. Incidentally, is there a good protective case to use with HEQ5 pro and a bag that fits the tripod?

Thanks all for the warm welcome.

At this stage no more than £1200 to spend.

To get started my partner has been using an old DSLR with a zoom lens on a cheap tripod to take some wide field images. We're at an urban location so facing the usual challenges of light pollution from street lamps and garden lights, etc. I'm quite keen on visual but cannot run to the expense of a mount, telescope, and imaging equipment all at once. Therefore, thinking to proceed firstly with improvements in imaging capability (also staying with wide field initially) to encourage my partners interest in the hobby. I'm wondering if the Skywatcher Star Adventurer Pro might be a good way forward at this time. That is under £300 and only needs a better tripod. Earlier I've used Manfrotto tripods for photography. Is there anything out there worth considering (bang for the buck) compared to the e.g. Manfrotto 055? Would you suggest 4 leg or 3 leg versions? Not sure how the camera performs as I've not used it myself but guessing that at least a fixed focal length lens - and probably a new (used) DSLR (possibly modded) would be the next step. The other route would be to get a mount, which my partner insists must be a goto. When funds permit I'd like to invest in a mount such as a HEQ5 Pro, thinking that it is semi-portable and could be taken on holiday or to dark sites and would have the capacity for telescope equipment I am likely to buy. Next step would be a better DSLR (used) and a small refractor (used). So this is the more expensive route to take. The other thing with the former option is it's possibly going to get more use due to portability and ease of setup for my partner (in case of the HEQ5 Pro - or whatever mount - I'd have to set it up myself). Your thoughts and suggestions are most welcome.

Hello all. I'm helping someone start up in astronomy so it's a joint effort and most of my questions, etc. will reflect this.