Ok, here goes. First ever question asked online... basically I’ve read up on telescopes and looked at a lot of potential first purchases and to cut a long story short, I’ve decided on the Skywatcher Skyliner 150p or the 200p. Primarily I want to use it in my front and back garden but also travel to dark sites on occasion... I imagine 90% of the time, I’d use it at home.
The first thing that concerns me is that while I live in fairly rural area, looking at light pollution maps, I’m still in a fairly ‘bright’ area. I can tell you that on clear nights it’s easy to see plenty of stars and constellations and I can definitely see some planets shining even with the naked eye... So, I’d like to know if any other ‘garden observers’ have any issues with observing when their property is relatively close to bright street lights?
(If street lights nearby ruin it, I can’t be on with carting a bulky telescope over the back field, especially when all the wine and toilet facilities are at home!)
I’ll add a picture of my front garden/driveway from the position I’d like to use the telescope and hopefully that’ll help you to inform me as to whether it’ll be too bright or perhaps just what effect it might have in general... Any and all info on this issue would be gratefully received. Obviously I wouldn’t be pointing the telescope directly at the street light and I won’t include the back garden as it’s definitely darker than the front.
Basically, I don’t want to buy a good beginners telescope to find that my garden is too ‘polluted’ and I’m always disappointed with what I’m looking at and effectively not seeing. Furthermore, I’d hate for the telescope to become an ornament or clothes horse.
Thanks in advance.
Christian.