Help needed- What scope to buy?? :-)

[**stormrider]

Hello everyone! Since watching the new documentry ' Wonders of the solar system'

something has triggered inside me to buy a telescope. I have always had a fassination with the night sky but until now I've decided to take a step and see it a little closer. I'm looking at spending about £100-£150 new or second hand. Thanks, I hope to here from you soon :-)

[John]

Hi - welcome to SGL !.

I think you will need to go to to the upper end of your budget to get a decent scope. Something like this 5" newtonian would provide a good introduction to observing:

Reflectors - Skywatcher Explorer 130

I'm sure other suggestions will follow soon !.

[coxie]

Reflectors - Skywatcher Explorer 130P

the 130p has a better mirror than just the 130 at £162 you cant go wrong

[Cornelius Varley]

Dobsonian mounted reflectors are the best value for your money Skywatcher skyliner 150P. Just a little over your budget but great value.

Peter

[gfletcher]

I have pm'd you

Graham

[Astro_Baby]

Hi and welcome from me too

[brantuk]

Hi Storm and welcome to the group

[mcgillalex]

'Wonders of the solar system' is amazing! it has also inspired me to buy my first telescope

[**stormrider]

Hi everyone. Thanks for making me feel welcome :-) I wasnt really sure what sort of response i was going too get.

Does anybody no of the Celestron Astromaster 130EQ??

[Casus belli]

Celestron AstroMaster 130EQ Review - Astronomy Forums

It does seem to get a decent enough review. However the skywatcher scopes are generally considered to be the best starter scopes.

[**stormrider]

Thanks. I'm really glad I become a member of SGL! Please keep your comments coming :-)

[Casus belli]

What you can see with any scope depends a lot on how good you sky is. If you are in the middle of a city you are going to be limited to the moon, planets and a few of the brighter dso's

If you can get a scope that is portable enough to load into a car and take it away from light pollution well the universe is your oyster

[**stormrider]

I live in paignton, in sunny Devon (not)!! I guess the light pollution i'snt that bad in my garden compared to living in the city ( im assuming )

How would the light pollution effect the type of scope i should buy?? :-)

[Casus belli]

Size mostly. Transporting and setting up a big scope can be a bit of a pain, especially given the changeable weather in the UK.

I wanted a big dob. I was very tempted by the 16" lightbridge but as I live in a first floor flat and would be storing it inside would I be fit enough to carry it up and down stairs? I settled on the 10" and Im glad I did as its heavy enough for me.

My own back garden was sheilded from direct lighting. The amount of faint fuzzies I could see was only limited by my knowledge of where they were. Now, due to a new housing development I have 2 street lights shining directly onto my observing site. My eyes cannot get dark adapted and Im suffering badly as a result.

I could see over a hundred galaxies in the ursa major/virgo/leo area last year. Now I can see 8.

[**stormrider]

Right ok thanks ;-) I have a lot to learn!!!! no dout I will be on here a lot when I get my gear lol.....

[starhunter]

Welcome Storm:::looks like everyone pretty well covered it , keep in mind, ease of use ,portability , weather or not you will ever take pics with it, eq tripod are nice but , more work setting them up, motors or no motors, but it looks like 6 inch eq or 4 inch refractor non Apo.

Have fun, let us know what you choose...

RCFMitch

[**stormrider]

Thanks to all!!!!

I have bought a celestron astromaster 130eq!!

Just cant wait to get it and pray for clear skies...

will probably need help soon so watch this space :-)

woooooooooohhhhhhhhhooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo

[skywatcher2]

hello guys im like in the same boat, not sure wich scope to buy got a couple hundred quid to spend. just need advise on wich scope, i live in a city and pretty dificult for me to get around, but i got some good ppl who will help get me out a liverpool city start star watching wich has been my passion for years, but now i want to get in the know how and start looking at planets and the soler skys. thanks john here....