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Yes, if intending for visual use, get a dobsonion, brand is probably not that important, Skywatcher, GSO, Saxon, Bintel all do the job. Look for aperture per dollar as your main criteria. Don't get sucked in by lots of eyepieces, you will see deals with 5 or 4 eyepieces, most of the time only the 2 longest ones will be the ones you use. Also, don't get sucked into the Computerised GoTo scope, unless thats really where you want to go, you end up payiong way more for less aperture, and in visual observing, aperturew always comes up trumps. It's no accident that at any star party, the visual guys almost always, and I mean almost always, have big scopes, and for most of them that means a dob.
As for dealers I have used Bintel and Andrews without any hassles, can only speak from personal experience though.
Best advice, before you buy, get along to a star party, club observing night or similar and try out a scope or two then make a decision. Snake Valley is on 12-15 of March I beleive and the Astro Soc. of Vic have a night at Heathcote on the 13th March also. Both are worth checking out!
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