Tell me what to buy .... please

[scuffer]

Hello , Looking at getting my first telescope , started with a budget up to £200 and have now upped this to £300 , I have to make a decision soon before it gets to £400 and beyond. Have basically got it down to Skywatcher Explorer 150p on EQ3-2 or the Explorer 130s synscan az goto . Can anyone give me any pointers on which way to go and why or any other ideas , have ruled out a dobsonian due to storage . I would mostly be using it in the back garden in the middle of suburbia but would hope to have a couple of trips out a year to somewhere dark. Don't have any preference between DSO or planets ....I want both. Thanks for your help .

[Stephen]

Why do you think you will have storage problems with a Dob?

I think you may find an EQ mounted scope actually takes up more

Get the 200P Skyliner

[Caldwell 14]

Skywatcher Explorer 150p on EQ3 IHMO is your best option if you don't want to go down the dob route. Again IMHO I would also give goto a miss and spend the extra few quid on the larger Newton

[bigbox]

+1 for the 150p Eq3-2 cracking piece of kit...

[scuffer]

regards the dob - with the 150p that could go in the house and leave the mount in the garage folded up . Guess I could do the same with the dob will have to see one in the flesh , they look enormous in the pictures

[rowan46]

150p on eq3 why? because it's bigger apparture. The mount is more solid and the scope can be stuck on a better mount and used for imaging (not the best scope for imaging but better than the 130p) of course the same holds true for the 150p dob which has a smaller footprint than the eq3 and is cheaper

[Stephen]

regards the dob - with the 150p that could go in the house and leave the mount in the garage folded up . Guess I could do the same with the dob will have to see one in the flesh , they look enormous in the pictures

The dob version of any OTA takes up next to no additional space than the OTA itself. The base actually HELPS storage as you can put it in a corner, under the stairs, in a cupboard standing up

A 150 standing on its end (tipping hazard) is about 1M tall. A 200 Dob (non hazard) is about 1.5M tall.

This scope is the same size-ish (not the same one) as a 200 Dob

However this point aside, given your suggestions, go for the 150 and the extra aperture.

[LukeSkywatcher]

The dob version of any OTA takes up next to no additional space than the OTA itself. The base actually HELPS storage as you can put it in a corner, under the stairs, in a cupboard standing up

A 150 standing on its end (tipping hazard) is about 1M tall. A 200 Dob (non hazard) is about 1.5M tall.

This scope is the same size-ish (not the same one) as a 200 Dob

However this point aside, given your suggestions, go for the 150 and the extra aperture.

That really is about the size of a 200mm Dob (8"). Not the biggest beast in the world to handle or store.

[paul schofield]

+ one for the 200p Skyliner Dob. Relatively large scope, small footprint.

[Catweazel]

Out of the 2 scopes, I would go for 150P. For a beginning astronomer, the Dob is a great scope, as it's so simple to use, and as others have said, will take up no more room than a EQ3-2 mount + tripod

[Sam]

I agree with the 200p. It's a good sized scope and will give you plenty of enjoyment.

[twotter]

A 200P dob makes you more attractive and intelligent....true story

[Ian123]

You will find the Dob easier to use from the start, i purchased the SW Explorer 150 2 years ago and sold it not long after as the EQ mount was doing my head in.

Recently bought a Dob and it's a doddle to use, wish i'd bought it first time round.

A 200P dob makes you more attractive and intelligent....true story

twotter is right but i'm slightly more attractive and intelligent with having the 250px

[Gra]

+1 for the dob. Much easier to use and an 8" is a great size.

[acey]

Unless you're thinking about imaging, a dob is the way to go. Store the whole thing in the garage (that's what I've always done). With anything up to 8" you can carry the tube and base together in one go.

[runoffshed]

Like many others have already said, I would go for the dob. I belong to a club and we have had a fair number of people approach us for help with their recently purchased GE or, heaven forbid, "Go To" mounted scopes.....not that they are not great mounts, just not great for starter scopes.

I would go for the dob and stick a Telrad on it.

[scuffer]

Thanks for all your thoughts .... think I've ruled out the synscan so back down to 2 scopes now , will have a gander at a dob this weekend. I've measured up and without the mount it should fit on top of a kitchen cupboard so how heavy is it and how quick & easy is it to set up once in pieces ... the 200p dob that is. Don't really want to store it in the garage .

[Stephen]

Thanks for all your thoughts .... think I've ruled out the synscan so back down to 2 scopes now , will have a gander at a dob this weekend. I've measured up and without the mount it should fit on top of a kitchen cupboard so how heavy is it and how quick & easy is it to set up once in pieces ... the 200p dob that is. Don't really want to store it in the garage .

9KG and about 30 seconds to put the OTA on the mount. It's only two pieces.

However kitchen cupboard? I'd be scared ...

Do you not have a 50cm square area you can stand it in as is?

[acey]

The mount is the obvious place on which to store the tube: remember it will be pointing upright when not in use. Stick it in a corner of the living room and put a table lamp on it: call it a "feature".

[scuffer]

When I first mentioned getting a scope ... did she encourage me ...no , was she happy I would spend my time wisely and be learning something new ... no , she wanted to know where I would put the damn thing !! , I had to call my tropical fish tank a 'feature' ... might work again.

[lamby]

if you want to see dso's without electrical interference i would recomend an eq mount. If its set up well it is so much easier to track objects through the sky. It may be slighly harder at 1st but it makes sense in the long run!

[SHUTTLE ATLANTIS]

i have also got a skywatcher liner 200p dob, so easy to put up and not at all heavy.

i looked around for ages and went to astronimia in dorking good shop loads of scopes

and dobs to look at and touch . so im pleased with my choice

just waiting for clear sky to try her out cant wait.

[tombulgin]

dob, undoubtedly the way to go. don't forget about the 'truss-tube' (aka. flex-tube) option if storage is a concern. the trusses bring my 10" down to about 70cm height for storage. apart from collimation, it's ready to go in less than a minute (plus cooling time). unbelievably simple.

[scuffer]

Looks like a dob is favourite , as I started looking at a 130p then moved to a 150p , can you tell me why I should spend an extra £80 to get the 200p ? Also as I'll be mostly viewing in the back garden will I not see a wider angle of the sky using a mounted telescope as it will be up in the air and point over the houses and fences better ?

[Damo636]

You will find the Dob easier to use from the start, i purchased the SW Explorer 150 2 years ago and sold it not long after as the EQ mount was doing my head in.

Recently bought a Dob and it's a doddle to use, wish i'd bought it first time round.

twotter is right but i'm slightly more attractive and intelligent with having the 250px

Since upgrading to the 12" scope i have had offers of work from various modeling agencys across the globe!!