[Topher]

Hi there!

I am posting this tread to get some advice from those in the know. This post is about my idea/plan for myself in the hobby. I will start with a quick outline of what I want to do/get out of the hobby, and then ask a few questions.

My goal is like most who aspire in this wonderful hobby is to have my own observatory. Nothing new there. My plan is to work up to it stages (poeple who know me would be asking "Right, what have you done with the real Chris?".) I normally want the Rolls Royce of everything and tend to go for the best and usually the most complex. This then leads to deflation when I can't achieve my goal and disinterest sets in, culminating with packing everything in a box and shoving it away in some dark corner. I don't want that to happen with this hobby.

So here is my plan:
1. Buy my first reflector and use it for visual veiwings of the heavens.
2. Buy a CCD camera and take a few (or a million) photos of some of the heavens.
3. Buy another telescope for mounting in the observatory.
4. Rig this telescope for CCD viewing. (That is, display on a computer screen what is live at the mirrors of the scope).
5. Put it all in the observatory by next week-end. Just kidding, two or three weeks would be acceptable.

What I would like to know is point 4 feasible? Can I get a CCD system that will let me look at the sky without having to take a photo?
What threads should I be looking at? (I have been looking at some on this forum and they have been helpful, but there are so many.)

In conclusion, I don't want to put myself off by attempting too much too soon, which I have a tendency to do. So any help I can get is most appreciated.

Thanks and I look forward to your responses.