Telescope help please :-)

[Rose]

Hi all, first time poster here. I have seen how helpful you have been to other members who have posted asking for advice on choosing a telescope so hopefully you might be able to point me in the right direction:)

I have been using my binoculars for stargazing for a few weeks now, and feel it is time to look at buying a telescope.

My requirements/restrictions are:

Budget - £300 max, ideally £200 - £300. I realise I won't get everything in one telescope for this price so will have to decide whats really important.

Storage - The telescope will have to be stored upstairs, so I don't want anything thats too heavy/cumbersome for going up and down the stairs. I have seen the Skyliner 200 Dobsonian recommended so many times, it is obviously a good scope but is it going to be too big for me?

Location - I am in town with quite a lot of light pollution and don't drive so I won't be able to get out to dark sites very often. I think this means most of the DSOs will be out of my reach so wonder if I should go for something that is especially good for the moon and planets?

GOTO/Tracking - I understand this cuts in to the money that goes on the optics so I am better discarding this idea altogether? On the other hand maybe it could take me to DSOs that I wouldn't otherwise find. Or will the light pollution mean that I won't see them even if I am lookin in the right place?

Thanks for reading - any help anyone can provide would be most appreciated.

[Tribal-Wolf]

Something like this could suit as it is light, easy to set up and not a bad little scope.

[DOBBY]

Hi Rose... & welcome to the forum

as above...some sort of Mak would be light weight...don't forget...most things do come apart..if you don't mind doing a few trips up your stairs

[mikemph]

I have the skywatcher skyliner 150p.

Just dismantled and carried up and down 2 flights of stairs to test if feasable.

the tube is light and easy to carry.

The base is o.k. not light but I had no problems, there is a handle to hold, so if of average fitness strengh then i would say the 150p is fine. I doubt that the 200p would be o.k.

I carry the 150p into my garden complete, holding the 2 handles and walk like a penguin. The 150p is a good uncomplecated scope. takes seconds to dismantle and put together.

Bought mine from Sky-Watcher Skyliner-150P Classic Parabolic Dobsonian Telescope (10716) - wex photographic but FLO sell them also.

mike

[Tribal-Wolf]

If you had a shed to keep it in a dob would be a great scope but I am not sure I would want to carry things up and down stairs a lot and risk an accident, the base is quite heavy if you're not fit or strong or even ill like me.

[knobby]

Try to find a star party near you. You'll get to see loads of Scopes and chat to peeps about them... some might even let you carry their Scopes back to the car for them!

good luck

[Stu]

What about one of these?

http://www.firstlightoptics.com/dobsonians/skywatcher-heritage-130p-flextube.html

Light and compact, easy to set up and carry and would leave you some money for eye pieces.

My view is a scope its only any good if you get to use it frequently, no good having a 200p which is just too much effort to use

Stu

[Rose]

I have the skywatcher skyliner 150p.

Just dismantled and carried up and down 2 flights of stairs to test if feasable.

the tube is light and easy to carry.

The base is o.k. not light but I had no problems, there is a handle to hold, so if of average fitness strengh then i would say the 150p is fine. I doubt that the 200p would be o.k.

I carry the 150p into my garden complete, holding the 2 handles and walk like a penguin. The 150p is a good uncomplecated scope. takes seconds to dismantle and put together.

Bought mine from Sky-Watcher Skyliner-150P Classic Parabolic Dobsonian Telescope (10716) - wex photographic but FLO sell them also.

mike

Thanks very much everyone...particularly Mike for doing the stair test!

Maybe I have been overestimating how heavy the telescopes are. I am in relatively good shape and don't mind doing a few trips up and down the stairs but have it in mind that the easier something is to use the more likely you are to use it.

Thanks again for all your help. I am going to think about it for a few more days...don't want to rush in to anything!