A good beginners scope?

[Macavity]

Wot... No Refractors?

I DO understand the idea of going for greatest "light gathering" power
for the dosh, but I cut my "2nd wind" Astro Teeth on an ST102/EQ3-2.

https://www.firstlightoptics.com/startravel/skywatcher-startravel-102-az3.html

Not the "perfect" scope (or mount!) maybe? But, for any beginner, both
scope & observer are looking in approx. the same direction! Reasonable
light gathering, a WIDE field of view? Works straight out of the box etc.

An 8" DOB is still quite a "chunky" beast? OK, if you're young & FIT? 
Then there's "collimation"... Always "easy when you know how" etc.
Finding stuff in a "One degree field" is not always *totally* intuitive?
Perhaps "serious" Astronomers out-grow stuff quickly, but I suspect
many still have a humble wide-field Achromat Refractor somewhere. 

To me the answer is not so obvious as to the majority? I guess we
never hear from newcomers who "give up" Astronomy, though... 

[Rick_It]

We forget another important thing.

watevacoward, Where do you observe from? If you live downtown in London, do NOT get a newton but a Maksutov or a long focus refractor (well, given the crazy prices in London, if you live there you surely can afford a £5000 super APO refractor and a 10Micron mount). If you live in the countryside, get a Dobson. The bigger the better, but a 150mm is a great beginner scope. Not a lot of hassle with collimation and cooling down, also cheap eyepieces work well with it.

[estwing]

He's in staffs so Derbyshire Dales or Shropshire do have reasonable skies...so does North Staffs...eg Longnor and towards winkin man..

[watevacoward]

Wow. Thanks all for the responses/advice. I did not expect this much help!

My main interest is to just observe, although later on as my experience develops I will probably look into photography also but to get my bearings, my intentions are solely to see more than the moon. (although as a complete beginner this is where i will likely to be looking first)

I still haven't purchased a scope, however after reading though all your responses it seems the scope i initially intended on buying (celestron astromaster 130EQ) is't as good as the reviews seem.

On 2/24/2017 at 16:13, estwing said:

He's in staffs so Derbyshire Dales or Shropshire do have reasonable skies...so does North Staffs...eg Longnor and towards winkin man..

For those who have any tips or good viewpoints, I am from the Biddulph Area, in Staffordhire.

[estwing]

Best advice....pop along to PSP (look in star party section)and have a chat

[watevacoward]

1 hour ago, estwing said:

Best advice....pop along to PSP (look in star party section)and have a chat

http://www.peakstarparty.co.uk/index.php/store 

is this the PSP you mention? 

[spillage]

take a look here and see if there is anyone in your area running a club to visit/join. Try out their gear (most clubs and members are more than happy to let you) have a chat.

You can then have a more hands on to what would suit you before handing over any of you hard earned money.

[estwing]

that was the old one....this is it...

 

[Galen Gilmore]

I would get a dobsonian, as many others have said. I have a 4.5" dobsonian and I have never regretted my decision. It's great because I can take it out in one piece, so I'm setup as soon as I take it outside and take of the dust caps. I take it out almost every clear night.

[JOC]

I did this sort of thread in December last year, as a result I got what is in my signature.  The <£300 alternative of my slight slurge is this version https://www.firstlightoptics.com/dobsonians/skywatcher-skyliner-200p-dobsonian.html which I've seen the experienced people on here recommend to many folks - if its as least as good as mine you won't be disappointed.  I could just about 'hoof' this up and down a staircase every so often in two pieces, but I wouldn't want a bigger version if stairs are involved.