|
Hi Grant.
It looks like you've done your research, which is great to see.
Do you plan to use the scope for purely visual or imaging as well?
How portable does it need to be?
Do you have a backyard where you can set it up and leave it?
Do you have to transport it in and out of the house each time you want to use it?
Do you need to transport it via your car to a dark site?
Answers to some of those questions might help you decide if you want a dob mount or an EQ mount. The dobs are much easier to transport and quicker to setup, but if you get a driven EQ mount then it's better for imaging or even visual use as the object stays in the eyepiece view.
There's tradeoff's whichever you choose.
Since it's going to be your starting scope for about a year, I'd lean towards recommending a dob, because it's cheaper ($399 for the 8") and will leave you room for the accessories, which you'll be able to take with you when you move to the new scope in a years time. Including eyepieces, barlows, filters, red light, collimation tools (assuming you get a reflector next time as well), etc.
The Guan Sheng scopes are the pick of the bunch, whether you go for dob or EQ. They're cheaper than any other brand, but the optical quality is just as good, since they're made in the same factory anyway. The Celestron and SkyWatcher, as well as Southern Cross and most other brands you can buy in Australia, are all made by GS in Taiwan and re-badged depending on where you buy it.
There's a bunch of mods you can do to the 8" newts, especially if you choose the dob.
Regarding hopping/navigation, it's really going to be personal preference. I suppose the dob is more suitable to find things by starhopping but I'm sure you can do it the other way if you're so inclined.. once you get used to the backwards inverted view. You can use manual or digital setting circles to help you find what you want, in addition to star charts or planetarium software.
Anyway I hope i've given you some food for thought.
Ask any questions you like and I hope you come back often!
btw how did you hear about us?
|