Quote:
Originally Posted by gregbradley
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Thanks Greg, I appreciate the heads up, however, I did see that ad, but I am not really interested in the Tak mount.
I am planning a 6-8 week trip to the US next year, centred around going to Stellafane, which I have wanted to go to for years. If it wasn't for this trip, my budget wouldn't have been an issue. This is the problem with a limited bank account and conflicting priorities.
I have thought long and hard that if I cancelled this trip, I could easily afford that Tak 150, however, this trip just trumps a new scope, barely; it has been in the planning for a couple of years. It is my dream trip, as I will be visiting some observatories, particularly Lowell Observatory at Flagstaff, as I did some work for them through Perth Observatory, over a decade ago.
Since I have decided that a smaller aperture would be better anyway, and given my US trip, I am going to look out for some second hand gear, just prior to leaving. Who knows, I may even be able to pick something up at Stellafane, since it is one of the biggest star parties in the US. Also, I am intending to now go to Astrophysics, along with a few other astro stores, to have a look at the Mach 1 mount. I am also going to look at the Paramount MX, although I think this may be a bit beefy for my needs.
It's not like I don't have a telescope and need one desperately, so waiting a little bit longer won't matter in the grand scheme of things. I only work casual, so I just hope I can get enough work this year to add to my scope account. I only need a few more grand to put a good mount and scope into the realms of possibilities, particularly since I am aiming for a smaller size scope now.
I am very appreciative and thankful to IIS members for your help, as I have now got something clear in mind.
Cheers Peter