"O"
When I first became interested in buying a scope, I looked at all the options like you - refractor? reflector? Goto? tracking? different mounts?
In the end "bang-for-buck" won the day, and I bought a 10" dobsonian mounted reflector (a "dob"). A got a 250GSO deluxe version from Andrews Communications which came with 4 eyepieces. The lot cost me just under $800 (I think it is $900 now). I have an old Toyota Corolla. The main tube (OTA) fits nicely across the back seat, and the base goes in the boot. An 8" would obviously cost less, and fit in virtually any small car
. Assembly is just putting the tube onto the base - quicker than putting a basic refractor on a basic tripod. I will be buying some better eyepieces as I become more experienced, but it will be a LONG time before I grow out of my 10" DOB.
So far I haven't had the need for a Goto as the friendly guys at Astroron's parties just point out places for me to look at and I'm set. It's a bit different at home, and I have to struggle with my star charts and my limited knowledge of the sky. But that's half the fun. And it makes it far more satisfying when you actually locate what your looking for, or stumble across something else you weren't looking for
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