Your Opinions would be welcomed

"md" not given to avoid spam wrote in message
...

"Odysseus" wrote in message
...
Tom wrote:

"Listen" wrote in message
...

I have 2 thousand pounds to spend and would welcome your opinions on
what
(and why) I should get next.

If I had 1500 USD, I'd get something like this.
http://www.celestron.com/prod_pgs/tel/nx8i.htm

David's budget is over double that, around US$3750, although I gather
telescopes tend to be more expensive on his side of the Atlantic.

indeed, an example:
LX200 GPS, 8" is about US$2400 as I recall, but in europe you pay EUR
3440, which is roughly
US$3700. In general, scopes are about 1.5 times more expensive in europe
than in the USA :-((

Wow... for that price, one could take a holiday in the USA, pick up a scope,
and still save money. g

"Paul Lawler" wrote in message
k.net...
"md" not given to avoid spam wrote in message
...

"Odysseus" wrote in message
...
Tom wrote:

"Listen" wrote in message
...

I have 2 thousand pounds to spend and would welcome your
opinions on
what
(and why) I should get next.

If I had 1500 USD, I'd get something like this.
http://www.celestron.com/prod_pgs/tel/nx8i.htm

David's budget is over double that, around US$3750, although I
gather
telescopes tend to be more expensive on his side of the Atlantic.

indeed, an example:
LX200 GPS, 8" is about US$2400 as I recall, but in europe you pay EUR
3440, which is roughly
US$3700. In general, scopes are about 1.5 times more expensive in
europe
than in the USA :-((

Wow... for that price, one could take a holiday in the USA, pick up a
scope,
and still save money. g
Potentially yes. However remember that when the scope enters the EU, you
then get 'stung' for 4.5% duty, and 17.5% VAT (if going into the UK), on
top of the purchase price. This gets 'missed' sometimes with personal
imports, but is unlikely to bypass anything this large. This adds just on
23% to the total (the taxes are 'on top' of one another, and technically,
are meant to include the shipping cost!...). The big problem comes if you
have a problem, since the warranty, is then back to the US. :-(
Seriously, it is well worth looking at things like 'ex demo' models. At
present (for instance) BC&F, have a UHTC LX200 GPS 'refurb', going for
£1999, with full UK warranty.

Best Wishes

"Paul Lawler" wrote in message
k.net...
"md" not given to avoid spam wrote in message
...

"Odysseus" wrote in message
...
Tom wrote:

"Listen" wrote in message
...

I have 2 thousand pounds to spend and would welcome your
opinions on
what
(and why) I should get next.

If I had 1500 USD, I'd get something like this.
http://www.celestron.com/prod_pgs/tel/nx8i.htm

David's budget is over double that, around US$3750, although I
gather
telescopes tend to be more expensive on his side of the Atlantic.

indeed, an example:
LX200 GPS, 8" is about US$2400 as I recall, but in europe you pay EUR
3440, which is roughly
US$3700. In general, scopes are about 1.5 times more expensive in
europe
than in the USA :-((

Wow... for that price, one could take a holiday in the USA, pick up a
scope,
and still save money. g
Potentially yes. However remember that when the scope enters the EU, you
then get 'stung' for 4.5% duty, and 17.5% VAT (if going into the UK), on
top of the purchase price. This gets 'missed' sometimes with personal
imports, but is unlikely to bypass anything this large. This adds just on
23% to the total (the taxes are 'on top' of one another, and technically,
are meant to include the shipping cost!...). The big problem comes if you
have a problem, since the warranty, is then back to the US. :-(
Seriously, it is well worth looking at things like 'ex demo' models. At
present (for instance) BC&F, have a UHTC LX200 GPS 'refurb', going for
£1999, with full UK warranty.

Best Wishes

Thanks for the feedback.

Second hand had always put me off, but I will investigate this. My local
supplier does a good line of items http://www.greenwich-observatory.co.uk/.

My preference is spend the money on light gathering, I live in the
countryside so only need to get it out the patio doors at night (onto the
purpose built patio with painted compass points!). So weight/bulk is not an
issue, also apart from a motor to keep track whilst viewing I like the
challenge of tracking objects down - but that could be because I have never
used a more sophisticated system.


David


"Roger Hamlett" wrote in message
...

"Paul Lawler" wrote in message
k.net...
"md" not given to avoid spam wrote in message
...

"Odysseus" wrote in message
...
Tom wrote:

"Listen" wrote in message
...

I have 2 thousand pounds to spend and would welcome your
opinions on
what
(and why) I should get next.

If I had 1500 USD, I'd get something like this.
http://www.celestron.com/prod_pgs/tel/nx8i.htm

David's budget is over double that, around US$3750, although I
gather
telescopes tend to be more expensive on his side of the Atlantic.

indeed, an example:
LX200 GPS, 8" is about US$2400 as I recall, but in europe you pay EUR
3440, which is roughly
US$3700. In general, scopes are about 1.5 times more expensive in
europe
than in the USA :-((

Wow... for that price, one could take a holiday in the USA, pick up a
scope,
and still save money. g
Potentially yes. However remember that when the scope enters the EU, you
then get 'stung' for 4.5% duty, and 17.5% VAT (if going into the UK), on
top of the purchase price. This gets 'missed' sometimes with personal
imports, but is unlikely to bypass anything this large. This adds just on
23% to the total (the taxes are 'on top' of one another, and technically,
are meant to include the shipping cost!...). The big problem comes if you
have a problem, since the warranty, is then back to the US. :-(
Seriously, it is well worth looking at things like 'ex demo' models. At
present (for instance) BC&F, have a UHTC LX200 GPS 'refurb', going for
£1999, with full UK warranty.

Best Wishes

Thanks for the feedback.

Second hand had always put me off, but I will investigate this. My local
supplier does a good line of items http://www.greenwich-observatory.co.uk/.

My preference is spend the money on light gathering, I live in the
countryside so only need to get it out the patio doors at night (onto the
purpose built patio with painted compass points!). So weight/bulk is not an
issue, also apart from a motor to keep track whilst viewing I like the
challenge of tracking objects down - but that could be because I have never
used a more sophisticated system.


David


"Roger Hamlett" wrote in message
...

"Paul Lawler" wrote in message
k.net...
"md" not given to avoid spam wrote in message
...

"Odysseus" wrote in message
...
Tom wrote:

"Listen" wrote in message
...

I have 2 thousand pounds to spend and would welcome your
opinions on
what
(and why) I should get next.

If I had 1500 USD, I'd get something like this.
http://www.celestron.com/prod_pgs/tel/nx8i.htm

David's budget is over double that, around US$3750, although I
gather
telescopes tend to be more expensive on his side of the Atlantic.

indeed, an example:
LX200 GPS, 8" is about US$2400 as I recall, but in europe you pay EUR
3440, which is roughly
US$3700. In general, scopes are about 1.5 times more expensive in
europe
than in the USA :-((

Wow... for that price, one could take a holiday in the USA, pick up a
scope,
and still save money. g
Potentially yes. However remember that when the scope enters the EU, you
then get 'stung' for 4.5% duty, and 17.5% VAT (if going into the UK), on
top of the purchase price. This gets 'missed' sometimes with personal
imports, but is unlikely to bypass anything this large. This adds just on
23% to the total (the taxes are 'on top' of one another, and technically,
are meant to include the shipping cost!...). The big problem comes if you
have a problem, since the warranty, is then back to the US. :-(
Seriously, it is well worth looking at things like 'ex demo' models. At
present (for instance) BC&F, have a UHTC LX200 GPS 'refurb', going for
£1999, with full UK warranty.

Best Wishes

"Listen" wrote in message
...
Thanks for the feedback.

Second hand had always put me off, but I will investigate this. My local
supplier does a good line of items
http://www.greenwich-observatory.co.uk/.

My preference is spend the money on light gathering, I live in the
countryside so only need to get it out the patio doors at night (onto the
purpose built patio with painted compass points!). So weight/bulk is not
an
issue, also apart from a motor to keep track whilst viewing I like the
challenge of tracking objects down - but that could be because I have
never
used a more sophisticated system.

Sounds like you're a perfect candidate for a large Dob. For that kind of
money, you can easily buy yourself around 15" of mirror.

"Listen" wrote in message
...
Thanks for the feedback.

Second hand had always put me off, but I will investigate this. My local
supplier does a good line of items
http://www.greenwich-observatory.co.uk/.

My preference is spend the money on light gathering, I live in the
countryside so only need to get it out the patio doors at night (onto the
purpose built patio with painted compass points!). So weight/bulk is not
an
issue, also apart from a motor to keep track whilst viewing I like the
challenge of tracking objects down - but that could be because I have
never
used a more sophisticated system.

Sounds like you're a perfect candidate for a large Dob. For that kind of
money, you can easily buy yourself around 15" of mirror.

Paul Lawler wrote:

"Listen" wrote in message
...

My preference is spend the money on light gathering, I live in the
countryside so only need to get it out the patio doors at night (onto the
purpose built patio with painted compass points!). So weight/bulk is not
an
issue, also apart from a motor to keep track whilst viewing I like the
challenge of tracking objects down - but that could be because I have
never
used a more sophisticated system.

Sounds like you're a perfect candidate for a large Dob. For that kind of
money, you can easily buy yourself around 15" of mirror.

The "motor" part is tricky with a Dob, though; at least a budgetary
allowance would have to be made for a computerized alt-az drive
system. For long-exposure photography a field derotator will also be
required. OTOH when using digital video I believe the processing
software can realign drifting or rotating frames as it stacks them.

--
Odysseus

Paul Lawler wrote:

"Listen" wrote in message
...

My preference is spend the money on light gathering, I live in the
countryside so only need to get it out the patio doors at night (onto the
purpose built patio with painted compass points!). So weight/bulk is not
an
issue, also apart from a motor to keep track whilst viewing I like the
challenge of tracking objects down - but that could be because I have
never
used a more sophisticated system.

Sounds like you're a perfect candidate for a large Dob. For that kind of
money, you can easily buy yourself around 15" of mirror.

The "motor" part is tricky with a Dob, though; at least a budgetary
allowance would have to be made for a computerized alt-az drive
system. For long-exposure photography a field derotator will also be
required. OTOH when using digital video I believe the processing
software can realign drifting or rotating frames as it stacks them.

--
Odysseus

"Odysseus" wrote in message
...
Paul Lawler wrote:

"Listen" wrote in message
...

My preference is spend the money on light gathering, I live in the
countryside so only need to get it out the patio doors at night (onto
the
purpose built patio with painted compass points!). So weight/bulk is
not
an
issue, also apart from a motor to keep track whilst viewing I like the
challenge of tracking objects down - but that could be because I have
never
used a more sophisticated system.

Sounds like you're a perfect candidate for a large Dob. For that kind of
money, you can easily buy yourself around 15" of mirror.

The "motor" part is tricky with a Dob, though; at least a budgetary
allowance would have to be made for a computerized alt-az drive
system. For long-exposure photography a field derotator will also be
required. OTOH when using digital video I believe the processing
software can realign drifting or rotating frames as it stacks them.

Actually, if he/she want's to go down to a 12.5" mirror, he can add an
equatorial platform, which will allow him/her to do photography.