Decisions....decisions...decisions

[Ivor52]

Hello to all you experts - from a humble indecisive beginner.

OK, so I bought a Skywatcher 130 (not the "p" or any other suffix....just a plain old Explorer 130 on a EQ2 mount). It was a sort of an impulse buy, having seen it in the window of the well-known photographic chain that vanished from the U.K. High Street a few years ago, but is now making a come-back. I say an impulse, I've always been interested in the night sky, but never bothered to buy any scopes until now.

So...the bug has bitten...including some planetary AP....I carry the rig out to the garden on the few clear sky nights we've had...tonight saw the crescent moon with the 25mm EP and said something along the lines of "flamin' 'eck...that's *$%"*&&!@@ good"

Now.....I HATE the EQ2, and so my eyes wandered off (online) to an Az-Alt mount which happened to carry a Nexstar 8se with the controller. Yum yum I said (...I just LURVE technology), and the thought of this scope moving around all by itself...can't wait to see what the dog makes of it all....made me think "I WANT ONE".

But then I start to read about the 5se versus the 8 (or even 6) se (because of the "built-in wedge, and because of the cost and because of the lighter weight), so just as I thought I'd decided, I'm now prevaricating over the choice of scope, and have wasted a good week wondering which way I should turn.

I'm 50/50 over deciding whether I'm more interested in visual as opposed to AP, and if its AP, whether I'd be happy to stick to planetary, or go for DSO. Or will it all change and I'll go back to Amateur Radio??

Help!!! Someone make (or help) the decision for me....my brain hurts.

Ivor - in darkest Devon...VERY little pollution here!

[estwing]

I'd sell the lot and get a 6" or a 8" dob...if that doesn't blow you away visual isn't your bag....and second-hand you aint gonna lose a lot of money....if your skies are nice and dark you'll be mighty impressed!

[Putaendo Patrick]

There are plenty of Go-to computerised options available with different types and sizes of telescopes at different price levels.

Estwing's advice is a very good suggestion - but Dobsonian mounts are rather limited for astrophotography. Be warned, if you want to get serious about photography, you're going to spend some serious money.

I suggest you take a look at the range of telescopes offered by a specialist dealer, for example First Light Optics (link at top of page). Unfortunately there are no simple solutions, but the more research you do in advance, the more likely you are to get a telescope which will keep you satisfied for a longer time!

[Darkstar_1]

Hello to all you experts - from a humble indecisive beginner.

OK, so I bought a Skywatcher 130 (not the "p" or any other suffix....just a plain old Explorer 130 on a EQ2 mount). It was a sort of an impulse buy, having seen it in the window of the well-known photographic chain that vanished from the U.K. High Street a few years ago, but is now making a come-back. I say an impulse, I've always been interested in the night sky, but never bothered to buy any scopes until now.

So...the bug has bitten...including some planetary AP....I carry the rig out to the garden on the few clear sky nights we've had...tonight saw the crescent moon with the 25mm EP and said something along the lines of "flamin' 'eck...that's *$%"*&&!@@ good"

Now.....I HATE the EQ2, and so my eyes wandered off (online) to an Az-Alt mount which happened to carry a Nexstar 8se with the controller. Yum yum I said (...I just LURVE technology), and the thought of this scope moving around all by itself...can't wait to see what the dog makes of it all....made me think "I WANT ONE".

But then I start to read about the 5se versus the 8 (or even 6) se (because of the "built-in wedge, and because of the cost and because of the lighter weight), so just as I thought I'd decided, I'm now prevaricating over the choice of scope, and have wasted a good week wondering which way I should turn.

I'm 50/50 over deciding whether I'm more interested in visual as opposed to AP, and if its AP, whether I'd be happy to stick to planetary, or go for DSO. Or will it all change and I'll go back to Amateur Radio??

Help!!! Someone make (or help) the decision for me....my brain hurts.

Ivor - in darkest Devon...VERY little pollution here!

Hi referring to your going back to amateur radio, i do both. It works for me

              73's M0WOW. Den.

[Putaendo Patrick]

Maybe Radio Telescope is the way to go?

73 from CD2PIH in Chile

[Ivor52]

Hi referring to your going back to amateur radio, i do both. It works for me

              73's M0WOW. Den.

LOL

Ivor G6ATJ

[Alan64]

Get an alt-azimuth for the 130mm f/5 OTA...

http://www.rothervalleyoptics.co.uk/skywatcher-az4-1-alt-az-mount-with-aluminium-tripod.html

Have you ever collimated the Newtonian?  Under dark skies, it should be quite the performer.  In any event, the revamped kit would make for a great grab-and-go...

...and whilst you dream of seeing and photographing the "Medusa" with something larger, in future.