Phillip Brown wrote:
PS: I know it's not 5", but the 3.1" Nester 80GT seems to be within
my budget and a good beginner's computerized scope. What do you
think of it? Basically I just want to be able to see things like
Andromeda and the rings on Saturn fairly well - enough to give me a
buzz and excite my girlfriend anyway


Hi Phillip,

To be honest, these are hardly the sorts of objects you'll need a
computer to find. Personally I think you'd be better off investing in
aperture than gadgets, considering your budget. Maybe a push-to scope
would be a good compromise.

Your two example objects also nicely illustrate two very different
requirements, namely a large field of view and reasonalbly high
magnification. The latter is usually limited by atmospheric conditions,
but FOV depends on the specifications of the scope itself. Make sure you
consider this when choosing a scope - it's very disappointing to find
out after the fact that the objects you like to view won't fit in the FOV!

Clear skies,

Steve


--
Steve Maddison
Den Haag, The Netherlands
http://www.cosam.org/