New and looking to buy

[Dreckly]

Hi, I'm sure you get these questions all the time, so I'm sorry if this topic is a little stale. I'm wanting to get my first telescope as my partner and I have moved to a house with little light pollution (joys of living in Cornwall I guess :-)). I like the idea of getting a reflector. My windows in the house have a very poor view so I'm guessing I would need a tripod scope for the garden (to be honest I think I would prefer that). Unfortunately I don't have a lot of spare income so can only afford up to about £200. I have found these so far:

Celestron power seeker 127 EQ.

Feldstein 130 EQ astromaster.

Skywatcher explorer 130M Newtonion.

Are any of these any good, or does anyone have any suggestions.

Thankyou for taking the time to read this.

[laudropb]

I would go for the 150mm skywatchers Dob. A simple mount, so more money goes towards the larger aperture.

[Fozzie]

I'd agree with the 150mm dob... Or even a second hand 200mm dob should be in budget..  Both very popular choices!

The issue with the tripod scopes you have looked at would be a under performing mount, leading to vibration and frustration.. the dobs have a sturdy but simple mount so more money goes in to the important stuff like optics.  You also have a stable eyepiece location on a dob, with a mounted option you can be left with a eyepiece position a contortionist wouldn't thank you for, so you end up adjusting the telescope in its tube rings so you can get to the eyepiece... 

Welcome to the forum too BTW.

Ta

Fozzie

[LukeSkywatcher]

The 150mm SW fits your budget and will serve you very well. Just be sure that you can manage to move it about and its not too heavy for you.

[carastro]

Yes I agree with all the above comments, having used a very nice reflector on a manual EQ Mount I know how difficult it is to find and follow a moving target.  A dobsonian however is so much easier and as stated they are a decent price as the money goes into the optics and not the simple mount.

Carole 

[Dreckly]

You guys have definitely swayed me :-). Thankyou for your help but may I be cheeky one last time and ask where one of the best places to buy it is?

[Dave Lloyd]

Our sponsor, welcome.

[Floater]

+1 for FLO.

[inedible_hulk]

+2 for FLO [emoji4]

Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk

[JamesF]

Another vote for FLO, particularly as they're down our end of the country.

James

[Dreckly]

Thankyou everybody, you have all been a great help.