scope advice

[Hootsitabernacle]

Good evening all once again. Earlier last week i had asked for advice about a scope and the 8inch Dob got the vote from most of you..however i am thinking i may have problems regarding size...then again maybe not.

i am almost 100% sure that i have whittled my scope choice down to these three scopes. What would be the difference for say planetary viewing within these 3 scopes?

http://www.firstlightoptics.com/reflectors/skywatcher-explorer-150p-eq3-2.html

http://www.firstlightoptics.com/reflectors/skywatcher-explorer-200p-eq5.html this is £100 over budget but i would go the extra if i thought it was money well spent

http://www.firstlightoptics.com/dobsonians/skywatcher-skyliner-200p-dobsonian.html i think its the mount that may be putting me off with this...i know everyone says this is the best all rounder but what s the general view on the other 2?

like i said before..my head is a swirling raging torrent!!

[swamp thing]

Hi

For visual use the Dob is your best bet. Although a Dob mount is basic (no tracking). The benefits outweigh anything else.

Dob mounts are:

1/ Vibration resistant. Wood dampens vibration far quicker than metal.

2/ Stable. A Dob carries the scope "inboard"on its bearings rather than cantilevered like an GEM (German equatorial)

3/ Very quick to set up. Plonk, observe. No polar alignment.

4/ Intuitive in use. The scope moves in whatever direction you push it, not along axis.

5/ Portable. A Dob mount is far smaller to store/transport and use than its equatorial equivalent.

6/ Best bang for buck. You get more aperture for your money than any other type of scope, as the simple mount allows most of your budget to be used on optics rather than an expensive metal mount.

[Hootsitabernacle]

Cheers swampy...im hoping i can stick to that idea...hopwfully