A 10 inch dob mounted newtonian with settings circles (DIY) and a digital protractor coupled with a planetarium program like Stellarium will give you masses of viewing pleasure. this is what i started out with (after first el cheapo) and i loved it and still do.
Nobody mentioned waiting 15 mins for your mirror to cool being a problem, the fact is pyrex glass which is a volcanic mineral has been proven countless times as a better glass for astronomy, ultimately the combination of a good coating and pyrex glass as a base makes for this to be a moot conversation as BK7 glass just doesn't stack up.
P.S. on the evening in question the 16'' and 12'' scopes were collimated with a cat's eye laser, so we can rule that out.
GSO just don't come close to being as bright as the skywatcher tubes , unless my eyes vary from moment to moment it's been proven to me many times over in comparisons back to back.
Below is taken from a professor at Cambridge University discussing different glass for telescopes.
I'd believe him over some taiwan company any day
"The substrate is important. Cervit, Zerodur, Astrosital and Quartz are better than Pyrex. Pyrex is better than BK7. BK7 is better way than plate glass".
Going by your logic being around longer IBM must make better computers and have branched into Mobile technology and be currently considered still better than APPLE?
Seriously perhaps putting a thermal fan on the base of your scope might be something you'd consider but the whole point of this thread was to provide Anne a good starting point for astronomy, with the best product , not confuse people with cooling down a mirror? ( why would i have to cool a mirror)" i just wanna see planets and pretty stars not be bombarded with too much useless information./
P.S.
NEW TECHNOLOGY ROCKS!!
And Go Skywatcher for selling what other companies have failed to achieve and interesting people in what is such a beautiful hobby,
Im thinking less time on this forum and more time outside
