2000 euros to spend

[Ags]

I have a budget of 2000 euros. Great, but the other side of the coin is I can't do much spending afterwards. The choices are driving me mad. My current shopping list is an EQ5 Pro, Skymax 150, a small achro refractor and a cheap DSLR. I'll squeeze in a webcam as well.

My goals are prmarily planetary viewing plus a few of the brighter DSOs. The refractor will be used for some messing about with monochrome and narrowband imaging.

But, maybe I should just blow it all on a C9.25... :-) I could still squeeze in a refractor and power tank. I could buy the camera when I sell my nexstar.

I'm sure the skymax will be great on planets, but I'm already planning on the next upgrade, so maybe I should just bite the bullet now.

Hurty head.

[ollypenrice]

I think you need to be clearer about your objectives, really.

Olly

[Ags]

At work I have clear objectives. In my leisure time I tend to be a bit more defocussed. I suppose it is a fair point though.

In my experience, I find my objectives snap into focus 5 minutes after I've bought something!

[ollypenrice]

Trouble is, the do it all scope doesn't exist. I can see the case for a C9.25 but not on anything less than an NEQ6 or the Celestron equivalent. Certainly not the little one they do sell it on sometimes.

Olly

[Ags]

I've come to my senses again after a brief bout of aperture fever. The C9.25 is too big for me, especially after a suitable mount is factored in. I'll stick with my original plan.

[Macavity]

I'll stick with my original plan.

Heheh. But I feel that the MAK150 will deliver good planetary and (more than anecdotal) DSO views. The EQ5 can doubtless bear the weight. A fast achromatic refractor seems a "good thing" - Some sort of imaging, FUN too...

Despite the "fixed budget", you mention the possibility of future upgrading. Maybe a greater degree of "future-proofing" on a subset of the above? The "industry-standard" HEQ5 seems to be an obvious and useful "quantum leap" - Even at the expense of the refractor, DSLR imaging... for the moment.

[Ags]

It's a case of regrets - if I had bought the skymax 127 instead of the nexstar I would be able to afford a HEQ5 Syntrek and swap in the handset.

[Ags]

Teleskop Service seem to do a very cheap HEQ5 Pro - two weeks to go and I can start spending! I hope the global financial system doesn't collapse before then! Feeling pretty excited...