Long time lurker, first time poster. 👋

[Basementboy]

Hi all, just wanted to wave and introduce myself.

I'm a beginner in Camberwell, south London – still looking for my first scope but I've had some good advice from others on this forum (debating Evostar 102 v 120 here: 

But if anyone has any great suggestions in the £500 range for a very portable, versatile scope (no Dobs) – even secondhand? –  that I can take to the park without too much hassle I'd be all ears.

Otherwise it seems like a great site and I look forward to being around!

All the best

Chris

[Stu1smartcookie]

So i have a 102 Evostar and an eq3 mount ... the mount is very lightweight compared even to an eq5 ... but i also have an AZ5  and the 102 sits on that really comfortably . I tend to use the EQ3 tripod with the AZ5 mount head . 

Both mounts can hold 5kgs ( the evostar 102 is around 3.5 ) .

[Mr Spock]

Hi Chris, welcome to SGL 

[PXR-5]

Welcome to SGL thanks for joining us 🐱

[Dave Lloyd]

Hi Chris, welcome. 

[Sunshine]

Welcome to SGL!

[banjaxed]

Hi Chris, welcome to SGL.

[sloz1664]

Hi Chris, and a very warm welcome to the Lounge

Steve

[mikemarotta]

On 15/02/2021 at 09:52, Basementboy said:

Hi all, just wanted to wave and introduce myself.

But if anyone has any great suggestions in the £500 range for a very portable, versatile scope (no Dobs) – even secondhand? –  that I can take to the park without too much hassle I'd be all ears.

Chris

Makers are all pretty much competitive for price. You get what you pay for regardless of company. I agree with the size of your instrument for portability and useability. I bought an Explore Scientific First Light 102 mm refractor because it only weights 17 lbs total. The mount is a simple tilt-pan, not an EQ. I can lift it with one hand and carry it with two, out my office, through the living room, through the kitchen and out the back door without hitting anything. Can't do that with a dob. On another forum, one of the posters mentioned splitting Castor A1 and A2 with a 90mm refractor and good skies.  You can see a lot just by looking.

Edited February 20, 2021 by mikemarotta
fix

[Basementboy]

7 hours ago, mikemarotta said:

Makers are all pretty much competitive for price. You get what you pay for regardless of company. I agree with the size of your instrument for portability and useability. I bought an Explore Scientific First Light 102 mm refractor because it only weights 17 lbs total. The mount is a simple tilt-pan, not an EQ. I can lift it with one hand and carry it with two, out my office, through the living room, through the kitchen and out the back door without hitting anything. Can't do that with a dob. On another forum, one of the posters mentioned splitting Castor A1 and A2 with a 90mm refractor and good skies.  You can see a lot just by looking.

Thanks Mike, that's reassuring. After some great (if slightly overwhelming) advice on other threads, I've decided to hold off buying a scope for a while and I'm just going to use my binoculars for a bit to familiarise myself with the sky – to see what I can see by looking.   And then buy something decent when it comes up, probably secondhand: and probably a 102mm refractor that I can carry. Great minds etc!

[PeterCPC]

Hello and welcome.

[wookie1965]

A warm welcome to SGL 

[Pete Presland]

Hi welcome to SGL from Pete in Bedfordshire 🙂