SkyWatcher 130PM vs 130P SupaTrak vs Explorer-150PDS

[LucyintheSky]

Hello stargazers.

I am new to the forum and in astronomy itself. I am looking for a good beginner's telescope.

I am thinking of buying one of the 3 telescopes mentioned in the thread's title but which one is best?!

Any help would be appreciated.

Ta! Lucy.

[Capricorn]

Cannot see the 130PM scope.

I am guessing that it is a 130 Parabolic, f/5 on an equitorial mount something like an EQ2 with a single motor drive?

The 130P supatrak is a similar scope I would guess on an Alt/Az mount, seems to be about £200.

The 150PDS is bigger and the one I see is on an EQ3-2 equitorial but no motors.

For ease of initial use and if you know close to nothing the Supatrak is probably the easiest. (May also be the cheapest.) I guess the set up is stand tripod on ground, get tripod level, point scope at Polaris, go.

For future use and best performance then the 150PDS. Bigger, decent equitorial mount, will need to add motors £80 probably sooner rather then later. Cost is £320 ish without motors. Need to do a simple polar alignment, suspect what I said on the Supatrak would just about suffice. EQ mounts look more scary then they actually are.

Really depends on where you expect to continue after the first foray into astronomy.

I bought a cheaper option first to find out, then added the expensive options later. Probably a fair approach. In which case the 130 Supatrak. Ignored the 130PM as I do not know what it specifically is, more relevent not sure of the cost.

If you put an approximate location in then it is easier to offer help. As in try this club or meeting or even SGL group.