[g__day (Matthew)]

Guys and gals hello, this is my first post here. I searching for someone in the know to offer a informed point of view on my 3rd telescope purchase.

Basically I'm planning on getting my next telescope in the new year to do astrophotography, and I'm pondering which of three scopes is the better investment. The choices are fairly similar in price around the $5.5K mark, but its a trade off of light gathering ability (aperature) vs the ability of the mount to really point with accuracy.

So its a choice of a $300 - $600 CCD + either

Meade 10" LX200GPS $5,195 - brilliant mount, smallest aperature

Celestron 11" CPC $5,500 - excellent mount, bigger aperature

Meade 12" LX90-LNT $5,599 - decent mount, biggest aperature

So basically its a light gathering vs mount tracking decision. Unfortunately nearly all high end astronomy shops sell only Meade or Celestron - so there is no good unbiased advice.

Also I live in light polluted Sydney, so not sure if this affects my decision.

Could anyone recommend an informed point of view or a source of information online to get a good sense of how to make this new hobby decision go right.

Many thanks!