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I am still looking to buy my first scope.

I have almost talked myself away from a dob and will probably go for a Skywatcher 150 or 200 explorer.

My question is. As a beginner who will want to look at pretty much everything thats up there will I notice much difference? I am skint and really find the lower price of the 6" more attractive but would rather pay the extra if over the next year or so I will be better off with the 8".

I will want to take some pics of planets and stars but nothing serious at first.

Also can anyone recommend or not the Meade lightbridge?

Thanks

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The difference between going from 6" to 8" is quite subtle to the untrained eye. Going from a say a 4" scope to an 8" is definitely a noticable improvement. If you are on a tight budget, I would recommend that you go for a 6" scope and spend some money on a couple of decent eyepieces.

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people have different views although the above is sensible getting as much appature as you can afford is key if you in light polluted area so you can pick out fainter objects. i have just sold everything so i can get 16inch dob (picking up thursday!) the eyepieces that come with the 200p are not great but would do for a few weeks/months till you had enough for better ones and the BST explorer eyepieces are very well priced at £40 a go not to bad and they are very good value for money as most will tell you here there the ones to get if your on a budget

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Most people say on here go for the bigger apperture but then a lot of people get fantastic results with a 6" Newtonian.

If it's a bigger mirror you're after, depending on your interests then go for a 10" or 12" Dob as they will be far cheaper than a Newt on a GoTo mount.

I'm looking for a scope at the moment too and I'm torn between a 6" Newt with a GoTo mount or a big lightbucket Dob.

There are many pro's and con's depending on where your interests will take you.

I'm a keen photographer having worked for a major high street magazine so I can see this featuring as a big part of my astronomy in the future. My head says 'get something with the best mount you can afford i.e HEQ5' but after reading another thread on SGL that will be achievable with a full set-up under £1000.

See this thread if you wish to do AP in the future http://stargazerslounge.com/imaging-deep-sky/179722-budget-dso-showcase.html

If it's only visual you are interested in then go for a big Dob and buy 'Turn Left At Orion' if you don't already have it. Fantastic book and will teach you the night sky plus the Dob will give fantastic views and you'll just love the simplicity of it and discovering the delights of the night sky.

Then if the Dobs not for you it will sell fast as they are very popular scopes.

I visited an astro shop yesterday and thought I'd made up my mind on what to buy, I was all set to make a purchase but after seeing all the different scopes I came away empty handed.

Talk to people on here and ask questions, nobody will scorn you for being new. I am returning to this hobby after a 15 year break and so far everyone who I have come into contact with here have been so welcoming and they really are a nice group of people who are only too happy to hepl out.

Hope this helps. Let me know what you decide to get.

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If money is no object, get a 200-inch reflector and put it on several thousand tons of concrete on your own private mountain. Otherwise get the 6" and enjoy it.

A 6" can show a lot of planetary/lunar detail, and at a dark site will potentially show several hundred DSOs. At a light polluted site it might show a few dozen (the same that you'd see with an 8").

An 8" will be heavier, more effort to set up, and is more demanding in terms of mount strength and stability.

It's your first scope and you've got nothing to compare it with so whether you get 6" or 8" you won't know what you would have seen through the other. If you were to put them side by side, then at this stage you wouldn't see a great deal of difference. If you were to use a 6" for a year or two then look through an 8", you'd see a difference.

So use the 6" for a few years, then upgrade.

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Ditto the 6"

You can get some good plantary view with a 6" and good EP's

Get use to it, enjoy most of all, and learn the basic's, keep checking out the forum

After a while, you will understand more, and be better informed, as to your next scope

I have a 4.5 and a 6" the difference is sutble

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Thanks for the advice so far.

Just to point out my budget will only stretch to the non auto or goto versions £400. So if I go for the dob it will be 8" max as the 10" jump in price!

I will certainly post a thread in this section when I get one. Hopefully be able to let others learn from me!

Thanks

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I love my 200mm SCT. Portable but they dont come cheap.

As was said earlier.................this is your 1st scope so you have nothing to compare it with YET so you will LOVE the 6" (who wouldn't love it). The views will be stunning. You may never even want to upgrade (dont look through a 16" scope ever).

Then in the future if you want to upgrade.......................you can skip from 6" to 10".

Whatever you decide, the main thing is to enjoy it and have fun.

Paul

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Listening to all the advice I am now swaying towards a skyliner 8" dob. Although this is my first scope I regularly go to our local stargazing sessions every month and have got into the hobby because of my young son who got a fantastic skywatcher mini dob for xmas.

I have used all the scopes mentioned and agree they are all fantastic.

I think I am right in saying the dob will probably be a little quicker and easier to set up? My 7 year old can reach the eyepiece too! Lol

This is as cheap as the 150p but larger. I understand I will probably want to change in a couple of years, my son will probably end up with the dob lol!

I seem to change my mind every day! I suppose things can't be that bad if thats all I have to worry about!

Mind still not made up. I will certainly post a thread when I get one!

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If you have never looked through a newtonian I would recommend you pop along to a local astronomy club or a star party. Newts are often demanding on eyepieces and you may soon be asking the question what eyepieces can you get on a budget that will improve the views. The truth is you can expect to pay at least £47 (new) for an eyepiece to show any significant improvement over supplied ones. If most of your already tight budget is spent getting the larger scope you may find you limit your choice of accessories further down the line.

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