Hello everyone,
I used to have a friend that would would introduce himself with "Well, I'm a bit of a d---head, but I'm ---- "(name deleted). It's like brain poison - everytime I have to introduce myself, this phrase runs through my head and I have to struggle not to smirk.
Anyway, I have had a cheap (and irritating) telescope for a few months and due to a recent improvement in my finances I am looking to get a new telescope. After much thought I have (sort of) come to a decision based on the following premises:
- My car doesn't work and I have a new mortgage (can't afford/ don't want to get another car), so I'm stuck with the light polluted Brisbane skies. Conclusion - small(ish) aperture
- The henceforth mentioned mortgage is on a flat with no backyard so I need to take this to the park. And I'm lazy. Conclusion - (very) portable
- I am a bit of sociophobe that simply cannot turn up to a bunch of people who are enjoying themselves and start asking questions (unless I'm drunk, and I get the feeling that would be frowned upon). So learning from people at star parties and astronomy clubs would not be sustainable even in the short term. I know where to find the bigger planets but nothing else. Plus, I get much more pleasure from the hobby through observing than 'hunting'. Conclusion - Goto mount.
- I currently have a 90mm refractor on an eq2 mount that is too shaky past around 100x. It gets pretty annoying when a stranger would ask for a go (I'm in a park & everyone loves telescopes) and touch the eyepiece, knocking Mars completely out of view. Conclusion - small size tube/ sturdy mount.
From the above, I am fairly sure I want something from the Celestron Nexstar SE series. The only thing I am having trouble deciding on is whether or not I get the 4" or 5" aperture. I have spent the last few weeks on various forums, but still feel like that donkey that starved to death between the two bales of hay.
Any advice or opinions would be appreciated.
Any at all. If you think my dot points are misguided, please let me know. But the answer I'm really after (unless there is a spectacular logical fallacy in my reasoning and you point it out) is whether it will make enough of a difference to be worth the extra $400 to go from the 4 inch to 5 inch aperture.
Thanks!
P.S. Any ideas what I could do with the refractor once I get my new scope?