help need advice on buying a portable telescope

[pat 1951]

just joined and just taken up this hobby.it was my wife who wanted to take up  this hobby and i said i would go along with her and and get a better telescope and pool our cash .we my wife and i have now decided we need a decent telescope thht needs to be portable and rests on a computer desk in a room.no tripod type. my budget ranges between £100-£399 .can anybody help

[alhiggs]

dobsonian telescope probalybbest alot people go 8-10 inches here are some good telescope makes orion celestron meade 

[Cosmic Geoff]

2 hours ago, pat 1951 said:

 my wife and i have now decided we need a decent telescope thht needs to be portable and rests on a computer desk in a room.no tripod type. my budget ranges between £100-£399 .can anybody help

Please explain this unusual requirement. Then we can talk you through the practical options in the light of our experience.  There are telescope kits that sit on a table but they are not necessarily the best choice for you as obviously they need to be put on a table outdoors.

What is your definition of 'portable'? Some might define that as 'no component weighting more than 22Kg' others as something that will all fit in a back-pack. 

£100 will restrict your choices. £399 is more likely to provide you with serious kit.

[ronin]

You say "better", what is it that you have?

Also in general terms what is it that you want?

Want can be as simple as "bigger" = more aperture, or as complicated as "better" = ED or APO in place of achro, also better can be goto so that you can put objects in view easier.

Really it is the what have you, but also what do you knid of not want. Thinking of the dobsonian, you get a bigger mirror but there are aspects that maybe you do not want in them. You have to learn to use them, worst case for 2 people is one finds it OK the other never gets the hang of one.

For better I cannot see anything that sits on a computer desk being greatly "better" as in general size comes into it.