Need Help to decide on scope

[Quack24 (Guy)]

Hi, i'm new to this so go easy please . i have no idea what telescope is right for me. My dad bought me a beginners 60mm refracting telescope from Dick Smiths about a year or 2 ago and i have decided to buy a new one i am looking to view the planets and deep sky objects for around $500 to about $800 AUD. i also don't know where to buy any scopes in Western Australia. i know it is possible to buy them in the eastern states but wouldn't that be expensive to post over?

[ballaratdragons (Ken)]

Hi Quack and welcome.

With $500 - $800 to spend you will be able to get yourself a good quality Dobsonian Reflector (Dob).

The bigger the better, but beware, the bigger they get (10" +) the harder they are to transport if you want to get to dark sky sites.

Delivery to the west isn't too bad, but there may be a dealer over there.

Anyway, welcome, have fun and learn lots from the intelligent knowledgable folk in here (I ain't one of them ).

[Quack24 (Guy)]

Tanks for the EX-Fast reply. Sorry i forgot to mention, i want something that is also somewhat easy to move around so i can take it from one place to another.

[janoskiss (Steve H)]

8 or 10" Dobsonian is by far the best you can buy with the funds you have available. You will also need some basic accessories (planisphere, charts/guides, red torch, few more eyepieces and/or barlow, low power binos, table & chair) so I'd recommend an 8" GSO with the works (crayford focuser, mirror fan, right-angle finder, 1x finder). It will show you heaps and will be a revelation after the 60mm DSE. Sorry I don't know of any dealers in WA, but Bintel and Andrews will ship if all else fails.

"easy to move around" is a relative concept. The 8" can be moved around, and up and down stairs, easily in one piece by one person. The 10" can also be but it's a bit more of a struggle. The 12" you need to move base and optical tube separately. Once plonked it cannot be easily unplonked so watch out for those trees in the way of your fave objects.

[Quack24 (Guy)]

Tanks, what about any that are not Dobsonian? are they still good like the Skywatcher SW500? or some thing like that.

[Geoff45 (Geoff)]

The Skywatcher SW500 comes with an eq3 mount, which in my opinion is totally inadequate for a scope of this size. For the same money you can get a bigger and steadier Dob.
Geoff