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Many thanks for the welcome and for everyone's advice on the 'astrology telescope', with a special hello to those who thought I was serious!
I do have a good theoretical knowledge of astronomy, having been interested since I was 8. Before leaving the UK (in the 70's) I was a member of the BAA and I've subscribed to 'Sky and Telescope' on and off for decades. I'm also a professional photographer of the S&T (scientific and technical) variety, so I'm not about to invest in that ridiculous eBay telescope or anything like it. You can now all breathe a sigh of relief!
Despite all of this, I've never actually owned a decent astro telescope (that's Janoskiss' question answered) so I don't have any real experience of observational work. As I'm going to become a grey nomad next year, it seems the ideal time to make a start.
I'm thinking of an 80ED or 100ED which should suit bumpy motorhome life and the relatively non-demanding visual observations I'd be doing. I'd like an equatorial mount so I can find things without starhopping and keep them in the field of view.
However, this does lead to a 'real' question. If I just want to have a quick look at something bright and obvious, does an equatorial mount make this difficult? Is there a sort of de-clutching mechanism in mounts like the EQ5 (?) or they as easy to 'quick point' as an alt-az? I'm really confused ... any clarification will be gratefully received.
(I hope this is the correct thread to continue this topic.)
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