Best scope for US$500-ish ?

"ETX_Astro_Boy" wrote in
message . net...
You will probably hear this a lot, but I say go for the DOB. true you
won't be able to use go-to, but Orion has a "push-to" scope (check out
the Intelescope at www.Telescope.com).

You also will not be able to do astrophotography with a dob, but you
will learn the sky, which is much more important.

The 125 will disappoint you in the DSO area. It has a narrow Field of
view, and a limited aperture. It is however great for planetary
observing. I have an ETX 105 and while I love it, I get more use from my
LX200 10".

I second Craig's comments. Not only is the ETX-125 going to cost you close
to $1000 by the time you get an autostar controller, and tripod, and
eyepieces, and t-ring adaptor, etc., etc. but it's not very good at all for
DSO, which is your stated #1 priority.

You would do much better to get an 8-10" Dob and learn the sky, and if you
find you really enjoy astronomy then save up for the larger aperture SCT.
Plus, if you take care of it, you will be able to sell the Dob (if you can
bear to part with it) for nearly what you paid for it.

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"Hal Jordan" wrote in message
...
As a beginner I've done a lot of reading over the past few weeks and I'm
still not sure which scope I should get. My main worry is that I'll get a
scope and quickly get frustrated with its limitations. My budget is about
US
$500 and I would prefer to buy used equipment in order to stretch my
money.
Here are my requirements in order of importance:




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http://home.inreach.com/starlord

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"Hal Jordan" wrote in message
...
As a beginner I've done a lot of reading over the past few weeks and I'm
still not sure which scope I should get. My main worry is that I'll get a
scope and quickly get frustrated with its limitations. My budget is about
US
$500 and I would prefer to buy used equipment in order to stretch my
money.
Here are my requirements in order of importance:




---
Outgoing mail is certified Virus Free.
Checked by AVG anti-virus system (http://www.grisoft.com).
Version: 6.0.721 / Virus Database: 477 - Release Date: 7/16/04

"starlord" wrote in message
...
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"starlord" wrote in message
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"John Smith" wrote in message
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"starlord" wrote in message
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Starlord is a "top poster." He thinks that Outlook Express FORCES him to do
it that way, and he "just does what the software tells him to." g

"John Smith" wrote in message
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"starlord" wrote in message
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Starlord is a "top poster." He thinks that Outlook Express FORCES him to do
it that way, and he "just does what the software tells him to." g