hi everybody assistance required please

[bugswisher]

firstly I would like to say hello as i am a newbie on this site

I have a very cheap atlas explorer as im sure many of you started with.

I am looking to upgrade to a celestron 4.7" omni xlt 120,

has anybody had one or used one at some time if so did you find it poor, good, excellent,

I would very much appreciate any advice you could give I have around 500 to spend

thank you

bugswisher

[DOBBY]

Hi Bugs... & welcome to the forum

what are you hoping to view ?

[todd8137]

hi and welcome to sgl,thats a nice amount of cash for a great scope do you plan on take in the scope here there and every where ,or will you be just leaving it to back yard viewing like most people ?

can not comment on the said scope

[glowjet]

Hi Bugswisher and welcome to SGL, from what I have read the Xlt 120 is quite a good size achro refractor with reasonable optics, giving nice views of Planets, Moon and stars, as in most cases improvements can be made with the addition of better quality ep`s than those supplied, its always nice to think that Charles Messier observed most of his catalogue with a scope of this aperture, but with knowhere near the quality of the optics that we have today

John.

[John]

Hi and welcome to the forum !

The Omni 120mm refractors are nice scopes but an 8" dobsonian costs less and will show you more. In the UK the Skywatcher Skyliner 200P is a great scope and it's equivalent in the US would be the Orion XT8.

The dobsonians are scopes for visual astronomy though. If you have, or may have in the future, an interest in imaging then you need to look at other options.

[bugswisher]

firstly thank you for all your advice

dobby, I would like to view moon planets stars clusters nebulas and use a camera as well

todd 8137 I will be taking it here there and everywhere

glowjet thanks I may go for the xlt120 with better quality ep,s

john thanks i think i will be using a camera if that is what imaging is

[Charon]

Hi and welcome to the forum.

[Catweazel]

Welcome bugswisher

I am in the same predicament and currently deciding between the 200p dob and a 120mm refractor; general opinion seems to greatly favour the dob, but I must admit that I keep being lured back to the refractor. I understand that the apperture is much bigger on the dob, but the simplicity of the refractor may be too tempting, and give it the edge.

[bugswisher]

hi catweazle

i feel exactly the same spent the last 4 hours checking out the pros and cons of the dob and the xlt120.

still not convinced either way but i do like the more traditional refractor and not sure about if camera can be used with dob.

will carry on checking out both scopes let me know how it is going and i will do the same.

[John]

I've seen many folks face a similar decision over the years I've been on the forum. I've also noticed that many who opt for the refractor to start with end up switching over to, or adding, a newtonain, or a scope with more aperture at least, quite quickly. Not everybody, but the majority I would say.

[bugswisher]

thanks for your input John i think im going towards a Omni XLT 150N can you advice on this