Vausk

@vlaiv: thanks for the feedback! I was recommended the Heritage Virtuoso series (dobsonian mounts) as both good portable options (a Newtonian and a MC types), what is your opinion on them? Skywatcher N 114/500 Heritage Virtuoso Skywatcher MC 90/1250 Heritage Virtuoso

Cheers! Indeed! I'm just starting out and from what i've read/seen I know that if I really want to get into astrophotography (as in longer exposures, etc) I'll need an equatorial tracking mount among other "stuff"; if money was no issue I'd go straight for a apochromatic OTA with a good EQ mount with tracking, etc. I'm leaving the astrophotography option for later. Right now I just want to get a good pick-up-and-go-stargaze setup. Like I said if I had a backyard I'd go for the largest Newtonian on a dobson mount, no question. As it is I'm more inclined towards a refractor that is light, easy to setup and basically the best option within my buget (400€) so I can convince the wife to allow me to get another scope later next year...

Hey everyone! I'll contextualise first: I've always been interested in acquiring a telescope but never really "got to it". More recently I've started watching some "budget astrophotography" videos and I decided to go for it. I've spent the past week reading up on telescope types, basic astronomy concepts and basic gear needed for observation astronomy vs astrophotography; I understand you can start astrophotography with just a DSLR, a kit lens and a sturdy tripod and go from there (tracking mounts for longer exposures, etc). I also understand the almost universal advice for beginners is: go for a dobsonian mount with a newtonian reflector, the bigger the better. With that in mind my goal was to get something like a Skywatcher N 150/1200 Skyliner. My problem is I don't have a backyard, I live in an apartment (3rd floor) and I live in a lightly light polluted half-rural/half-suburban area (which describes almost the entirety of Portugal I guess...) and hauling the dobsonian beast up and down the stairs every time I feel like stargazing doesn't seem feasible. So in short I want something easy to move, quick to setup and with all around good solar system views (Moon, Jupiter and Saturn) and still capable of looking at some DSOs. My reasoning is that the ideal would be either: A) a newtonian on a alt-az (something like this) B.) a refractor on a alt-az (something like this) C.) a catadioptric on a alt-za (not very keen on this option since the field of view seems to be shorter than the other options and I'd like to look at deep sky objects "easily") I'm trying to stay away from equatorial mounts because I just want a quick and easy setup and GOTO mounts seems to detract from push the cost of the whole package. You feedback is appreciated, sorry for any mistake (English is not my first language and I'm absolutely new to astronomy)