Best first scope on a budget?

[sxinias]

A 6 inch telescope is where details of deep space objects start coming into view. The Skywatcher 150p on any mount (Dobsonian or German Equatorial) will be very good for solar system and deep space objects. The Dobsonian mount will be more portable than a German equatorial mount and easier to use.

[helicon64]

I'd vote for the Dob as well and not just because I own one. A 6" f/5 Dob i built a few years back was extremely portable and could be set on a low table - that's how portable it was with a 30" focal length. Try to get at least a six-inch so you can pull in more faint objects than a 4.5" - a six incher has almost double the light-gathering power of a 4.5 inch scope - should be available for a price slighty higher than a 4 inch and you can carry it all as one piece to your observing place...Good Luck!

[Cyclops]

Thanks guys. I remember years ago reading somewhere that a 6" should be the minimum aperture for a reflector.

[jerryTheC]

Yes - years back, when I was growing up, a 6" reflector was the recommended scope for a "serious" amateur. Nowadays the availability of cheap dobs has probably pushed the typical size up a bit, but a 6" remains a good starting point if you're on a tight budget. Smaller scopes are still usable (my first reflector was around 4") but a 6" gathers enough light to let you see fainter objects with more detail

[Cyclops]

Ive run into another problem-where to put it when its not being used! This house is tiny and space is at a premium! I really dont want to get a small scope just for the sake of having one, but I also dont want to go thru life never having looked through a proper astro scope. Seriously Ive been interested in astronomy since I was about 11, I'm now 45 and Ive never looked through the eyepiece of a big scope!!

[Zedd]

Hi, I have the orion xt6 and am very happy with it. I met some guy about 3 weeks ago at a star party and he had a sky watcher 8" that extends on a truss system. This seamed to me a very good idea as his 8" folded smaller than my 6".

here is the link. Skywatcher Dobsonian Telescopes - Dobsonian Telescopes by OVL

[Cyclops]

Hi, I have the orion xt6 and am very happy with it. I met some guy about 3 weeks ago at a star party and he had a sky watcher 8" that extends on a truss system. This seamed to me a very good idea as his 8" folded smaller than my 6".

here is the link. Skywatcher Dobsonian Telescopes - Dobsonian Telescopes by OVL

Wow I like the sound of that!
and...

HERITAGE-130P FlexTube ™ Dobsonian

10213

SRP £ 155.00

Amazing deal!
I think I want this:
653.jpg

[sada]

Mate don't buy from argos.see if you can save up about £150 more you could get a mak-cass goto scope for about £350.scopes for any less are crap.they are ok for the moon.

[Cyclops]

Mate don't buy from argos.see if you can save up about £150 more you could get a mak-cass goto scope for about £350.scopes for any less are crap.they are ok for the moon.

£200 is the max, and it may not happen at all yet! Not really interested in goto, i want to find the stars myself using my phone app.

[Zedd]

Don't know whether you intend on observing from a high LP area, if so you might want one with a little more aperture. If you have very dark sky the 130 might be sufficient. It all depends. Aperture vs size vs $$.