All that kit, all that terminology, so much to learn...aye aye aye..!
Still, better than being a couch potato.
I'm originally from Oxfordshire but spent quite a few years living north of the Brecons in epic dark sky territory and spent many a happy hour looking at the heavens but through nothing more sophisticated than my trusty Kowa 20-40x50 monoscope which did a half decent job. But having moved to SWFrance several years ago (already decently dark skies) and recently bought an old stone barn deep in the Pyrenees where the night sky is just outstanding, it's time to get some proper kit, especially having tracked Neowise over the last couple of weeks, despite it being little more than a smudge with a tail in the old Kowa!
As a keen photographer I want to do some astro photography and I'm less interested in the moon than I am further away. I'm looking at stuff like the Skywatcher Explorer 150P DS, and then with advice from a friend who has a small observatory here, the mount and tripod, with GoTo thrown into the frame, have gotten sturdier (I think that's french for 'more expensive') and the scope maybe leaked upwards to the 200P version....where will it all end.
Anyway I've looked at a few posts and this looks to be an interesting forum so I'm looking forward to engaging when I finally bite the bullet (preferably when Her Indoors isn't looking) which hopefully won't be too long if supplies pick up again!