Advice please for a wheelchair user.

[Tribal-Wolf]

Incidentally I don't know where abouts you are but if you're anywhere near me you're welcome to come and try my scope.

[michael.h.f.wilkinson]

Always a good idea to have a look and try it for yourself.

[LukeSkywatcher]

Hi.

I would like to get into astronomy and would like to know what you recommend i know to do so.

Unfortunately i made the mistake of buying without properly researching whether or not it was suitable. Turns out a 200P HEQ5 is not. Fortunately this is a mistake easily rectified, but what do you recommend i get instead.

I have a £1000 budget and would like it to be GOTO. I have been told a Celestron 6SE is the best for me in this price range, is this a good choice or do you have other ideas?

For me getting to the EP is more important than for example the weight of it, but are there other obstacles you can foresee that i haven't?

Thanks for any help and advice.

I am a wheelchair user also and my new scope is the Celestron 8SE. Its simply brilliant for using in a wheelchair. The EP is right there infront of you and it moves very little as you pan and tilt the scope.

I think the 6SE will suit you and your needs extremely well.

Paul

p.s.~~~the tripod legs on the SE range are wide enough to park your wheelchair between without knocking or bumping. You can also rotate the diagonal/EP 90 degrees so that you are looking "into it" rather then "down into it". I use my tripod on the lowest height. Its just perfect position for me. The whole scope is easily moved to observing location in 3 small parts (scope tube/mount/tripod). None of which are heavy at all. You will also need a power pack for this range of scope. They are not very heavy if you shop around for the right one.

[ScubaMike]

A Lithium Ion power pack (read battery) would likely be the best bet, as they are the lightweights of the battery world.

[Tribal-Wolf]

I made a small power pack using the battery from a broken 12v drill............then dropped it and cried as I swept up all the broken bits lol

[JM2K]

Thanks to your recommendations i will be buying the 8SE.

I chose this over the dob because it is smaller (i only have a small bungalow) easier to carry and as it is my first i don't want anything too heavy putting me off at the start, but as i get more experienced and when the opportunity arises i will definitely consider it.

Hopefully soon i will be posting more, and a nice review when it arrives (FLO have been so good to me with this matter.)

I will be buying the 3 in 1 car starter from maplins, im no good at diy stuff when it comes to electricity, last time i tried anything electrical i dropped the soldering iron, and that isnt a good idea when you have a lap for it to land on!

[Grunthos]

Have you read this thread?

http://stargazerslounge.com/primers-tutorials/57066-practical-astronomy-disabled.html

+1

I hadn't noticed this thread before.

What an informative and fascinating perspective...