£400 for an new scope....help!

[theteaman]

Hi, I have been reading so many of the threads on here and have learnt a lot, but I am also becoming baffled!!

I have been using a Helios scope, D114/ f900 that i got second hand a while ago, I’ve actually decided it's not that good a scope after I bought a set of fancy eye pieces and filters and was still left feeling slightly under-whelmed!

But has taught me to navigate the sky fairly well. I have had fun trying to make out the rings on Saturn and see something other than a fuzzy blob in Andromeda, but to no, or little, avail!

So it's time to get something decent, I am erring towards a scope for mainly non planetary objects, I figure there are so many more of them to see, but then I’ve loved seeing Saturn and Jupiter recently.

I'd like to get the best visuals for my money and for that reason I am thinking of a manually operated as opposed to a GOTO, as i say I’m reasonably good at finding my way around and actually get quite excited when I find what I am looking for!

Any advice would be very much appreciated!

Here’s hoping for a Draconid storm and some clear skies!!

Cheers

[swamp thing]

TBH if your interest lies in visual deep sky observing then you would be hard pushed to beat a Dob.

Dobs are much easier to point than any Equatorial.

The 8" sky liner is the UK's best selling scope for a reason.

This particular scope is well within you budget so allows you to purchase some accessories like a good star atlas and a comfortable stool to observe from.

Regards Steve

[Revs]

The biggest Dob you can afford Can't go wrong with a Skyliner.

[saturn4me]

Skywatcher Skyliner 200p Dob:)

[onesmallstep]

Hi and welcome to SGL.

Skywatcher Skyliner 200P Dobsonian, £271. Leaves £130 approx for some choice accessories.

HTH!

[theteaman]

you see i'd have never thought about those!

...so more reading to do, cheers guys!

[theteaman]

i've had a look online and they really interest me , don't know why i hadn't considered them before.

I have found a relatively local society who are having an open evening in Solihull, so I am hoping to go along and have a look at one.

They do look like they can be quite big, I saw one for 450 or something, it looked huge?! ...not sure the wife will be happy!!

Out of interest, anyone know a good 'high-street' shop near Birmingham / Warwickshire that i could go and have a look?

cheers