"n3crius" wrote in message
...
Hello fellow astronomers,

I'm based in Bristol. I am seriously considering a scope (my first)
after wanting one for some years. I only just graduated and landed a
job so my budget is pretty modest. However, I think I can grab a Meade
ETX 105 without a problem. I'm looking for something that's going to be
a bit portable and something I can use to start checking out deep space
objects, nebs and galaxies (damn that is exciting), is it a good choice?
Will I look back and be happy I purchased it?

I have one, and the 105 is certainly (trans)portable. BUT, it's an f14
aperture, (1470mm focal length), so in brightness terms it's a bit slow and deep
space objects in this light polluted island of ours will not be easy. You could
take it into mid-Wales which is much darker than most of England, and you might
be lucky to see DSOs. Even with a 40mm eyepiece the field of view is still
quite narrow, and because of the 1470mm focal length, star clusters may extend
more than the field of view.
Try visiting an astronomy club (on a viewing night) and get their help on
viewing DSOs. The ETX series is good for some easy planets, and the moon.
Mounted 7x50 binocs might be better for DSOs! I've been impressed by the
comparison!
The ETX GoTo works, and at least I've learnt many more star names since having
mine.
--
M Stewart
Milton Keynes, UK
www.megalith.freeserve.co.uk/oddimage.htm
http://myweb.tiscali.co.uk/ms1938/