Something smaller than a 200mm EQ5

[Stargazer_00]

C8 on AZ4. Lightweight, basically grab and go! Go aperture, not too long and (I believe) can be focally reduced to F6.3

I use a 150p on a AZ4. It's awesome fun standing or seated. Seated its basically an F5, 6" dob. I had it as my main scope (on EQ3-2) and it wasn't enough aperture for me being urban, but as a grab and go its hard to beat.

[eifionglyn]

How are they "in the way", as it were? What part of the shed construction do they obstruct?

James

All of it pretty much. They're in the only practical place for a shed in my garden, assuming I don't want it on the veggie patch (weed cultivation centre), or the lawn (moss sanctuary). If I leave the stumps there and put the shed up against them I'll be loosing near enough 2 feet off the end of my garden. It's small enough to start with! I've already filled in the small pond and gravelled over the area so that we actually have somewhere to sit out and enjoy when the sun comes out. Half regretting that as I often get frogs and newts turning up, presumably looking for the pond.

Anyway the Heritage 130 arrived today. It's not dark yet but I'm very impressed with it so far. It's sturdy, the focuser is a little different as others have commented, but is perfectly adequate. The instructions are absolutely excellent, Skywatcher have really paid attention to them, lots of useful information, clearly presented, in easily understandable clear plain English. Exactly what a beginner needs. If the night time views are the same quality as the rest of the package feels I'll have no hesitancy in recommending it when I get asked at work "I want to buy a telescope for my husband / boyfriend / father what should I get...."

[JamesF]

So if you could remove the trees you'd put a concrete slab down for the obsy to go on?

James

[eifionglyn]

So if you could remove the trees you'd put a concrete slab down for the obsy to go on?

James

Maybe. I'd put some kind of base down for a shed. Maybe not a dedicated observatory but it would help a lot if I could at least store the tripod and mount in the shed, and only have the OTA to carry outside. As it is the stumps have endured the last seven years of somewhat sporadic attempts to remove them.

[JamesF]

You could build some dwarf walls (or even just pads) that don't go anywhere near the tree stumps and if necessary cantilever a suspended floor over the top of them?

James