Could do with some help spending my long service voucher!

[SussexRob]

Hi all,

My work has given me a voucher to spend for my 10 year long service award. It's for use on a site where they have a collection of various things, valued in points, and I have been given 750 to spend.

Now, I wan't particularly looking for a new set of binos, as I am using a set of 10 x 50s I am happy with. However, on the site are a set of Celestron skywather 15 x 17s for 713 points.

are they worth a punt or will I end up regretting not using my points for something else?

I'm currently torn between these binos, or spending some cash to supplement my points and getting anew set of golf irons!

I did look to see if they had any scopes, but theonly one they have is the celestron 130EQ and I'd have to suppliment the points with £100, or they do the travelscop 70, for 585 points.

Scope wise, I think I'd rather stick to my current game plan and save for the heriage 130P flex to be honest.

any thoughts and ideas greatly appreciated!

Rob

[Peter Drew]

I would stick to your current game plan.

[LeeB]

Hi 15x70 revelation (they look like the same beast) are available at telescope house for only £55 ish so its not a great deal the 130 celestron is a nice little scope and costs £160 from green witch , so it looks like the 750 points is worth about £60 ish retail.

Its a very personal choice but I would go with the 130 celestron its only going to cost a ton and the skywatcher 130 heritage is great but no better than the celestron and the celestrons got got a better focus arrangement.

Like i say it a tough one but as the heritage is £138 anyway your are getting a slightly better scope and not wasting money. Hope that helps.

[SussexRob]

I would stick to your current game plan.

I can't decide my game plan!!

Hi 15x70 revelation (they look like the same beast) are available at telescope house for only £55 ish so its not a great deal the 130 celestron is a nice little scope and costs £160 from green witch , so it looks like the 750 points is worth about £60 ish retail.

Its a very personal choice but I would go with the 130 celestron its only going to cost a ton and the skywatcher 130 heritage is great but no better than the celestron and the celestrons got got a better focus arrangement.

Like i say it a tough one but as the heritage is £138 anyway your are getting a slightly better scope and not wasting money. Hope that helps.

I should have mentioned that one of the reasons that I like the idea of the skywatcher heritage is the flextube design. I don't have masses of storage space, and so the size it packs down to is a big plus. Apart from the flextube vs solid tube, arent they similar optics? I thought the heritage had the parabolic mirror.

[LeeB]

Sorry didny realise about the space, the heritage is a great scope and is a very easy to use. A friend has one and I have adapted it to have a removeable fully height tripod as well, it gets round the need to have it on a chair or table.

[SeedyF]

10 years!! that's not long service.....when I was a lad........ oh never mind

This time last year I invested my long service award to purchase the 10" Dob, sadly the cash reward was enough to cover it but it was the the best investment I ever made.

BUt if I was you with these choices I would get the golf irons and wait for the heritage. Golf is a hobby you can do while you save and it works in the cloud

[SussexRob]

Haha! Cheers Chris, interesting view point and a tempting one.

You're quite right in that 10 years is hardy a long time, but my company to 10, 25 and 40 awards, so I'm not going to complain!

[brantuk]

After ten years they give you £50/£60 quid for long service - if that doesn't tell you to get a new job and buy a whole scope with the raise I don't know what does lol.

I'd go with the golf stuff and save for a good scope - the Heritage is a nice little starter scope if storage space is at a premium - and at least you can get out on the course while you wait for it.

[valleyman]

Go with the golf, you should get about 320 days of playing each year where as with astronomy you are lucky to get 30 days if you live in the UK.

But the 130 heritage is a great little scope so do both

Pat