Well, you’ve already got the 12”f/10 for planetary, the wide fields must be pretty tempting. I’ve only got 48” f.l., and halving that again isn’t what I’m after, though one of those small refractors might eventually come my way as a guide scope, or finder.
Next stop for me, and this at least a year down the track, is a better planetary scope. So far my thinking, without meaning to diss anyone's favourite design, is: Expensive APOs and boutique Maks are out on cost, a bigger newt is out on handle-ability, a much bigger SCT is out on cost & handle-ability. My current front runners are this Mak, if it turns out to be OK, the 9.25” Celestron and the 10” Meade.
Does anyone know how importing works? Is it just a matter of paying GST on personal imports, or are there duties too? By my reckoning, with GST and about $500 (guess only) on postage I’m still only at c$2300 for the 9.25 with carbon fibre & star bright, which is about $500 better than the best local price I’ve seen. Enough for another nice EP.
Regards, Mike