Andrew Ray

Thanks for the further input and welcome messages, most appreciated. There is certainly a danger of overload as there is so much choice and everyone has a favourite. I did think when I wrote my second post that getting a basic setup would be the answer. Not so, it is just as difficult to decide and I guess you have all been there. Must admit I am leaning very strongly to the Esprit 100...

Ok, even more to take in, firstly thank you for the replies and help. I want to get the best value (don't we all?) and find something that I will be happy with so it has much to do with affordability, another compromise. As I have delved deeper into this I have realised that the £1,000 that I thought I would spend has risen to £2,000-£2,500, I think £2,500 is the maximum I want to spend, I am drawn to the Esprit ED 100 Pro. Although to start I am beginning to think that maybe a simple manual set up for a few hundred pounds makes sense until I find my feet, such as the set up that Grumpy Martian suggested. As regards a camera, I have a Canon EOS 500D that I plan to use, eventually.

I thought I had better say hi 😀 I have been interested in space from an early age, the Apollo missions inspired me so much (I was allowed to stay up to watch Apollo 8), I wrote to NASA telling them I wanted to be an astronaut , they actually replied and sent me a pack with pictures etc. Bless! I remember watching the Apollo 13 mission unfold and James Burke showing us what was available to the crew to deal with the carbon dioxide problem, some tape, polythene and binders that held the manuals together, they had to adapt these to fit the filters. But despite my fascination with the night sky I have never had a telescope. And it finally it looks like I am going to get my first telescope! But...which telescope? And it is all a compromise. Probably like all beginners I am going round in circles right now trying to decide what is best for me, visiting a supplier would be a help to narrow down my choices but that is not to be for a little while. I am more drawn to the deep sky rather than the planets, I would like to try my hand at astrophotography but equally use the scope for visual observations on the night. I want something that will not be too onerous to move around (I have mixed 23 bags of gravel by hand into concrete recently so I know how heavy some of these mounts can be, a 25kg bag of gravel is heavy, an EQ6 is almost that, isn't it?). So, for a mount I am looking at an EQ5/HEQ5 to meet my needs but I just cannot make my mind up on a scope, refractor or reflector? If a reflector I am leaning toward Orion Optics VX6 or VX8 with the 1/10 pv upgrade. For one thing they are relatively local to me and I like to support local business. If I go for a refractor it is most likely to be an APO, probably a Skywatcher Evostar ED or Esprit. I can only marvel at some of the pictures I see on here, a galaxy far to far away to reach in a lifetime, I can't wait to see these for myself. Any thoughts are much appreciated. Andrew