Reccommend a telescope for a beginner

[workingclasshero]

Hi,

I am pretty new and i am lookin to purchase a telescope and i need some advice for what i should be looking for. I would like to see the following, jupiter and it moons (also its surface if possible within my budget), Saturns rings and its Casinni Gaps, and Mars along with its polar caps.

I have a budget of around £150-£200.

Any advice would be appreciated. Thanks in advance.

[Carlos_dfc]

In UK, best balance of quality, at a good price, is the 'SkyWatcher' range.
Also worth checking out Celestron, Konus, and Meade.
Avoid e-bay - there are A FEW gems on there, but are VASTLY outnumbered by garbage - the optics market place is a minefield to the uninitiated, especially e-bay
Stick with reputable dealers

In your price range, I'd go for the Explorer 150, which will do all you are asking, and much more - a very versatile scope - it was my first 'serious' telescope.
[Registered users can see links. ]

If you want to save a few quid, and are prepared to forego the tracking capabilities of the Explorer's equatorial mount...
Then SkyWatcher's 150mm Dobsonian would be a good choice
[Registered users can see links. ]

The longer focal length of the Dobsonian, means it would have the edge (optically) on Moon and planets.
The shorter, faster, Explorer 150 would have the edge (optically) for deep sky viewing (mebulae, star clusters, galaxies, etc) - and coupled with the EQ mount, would be more versatile.