orry to re-post a common thread, I went through and read similar requests and the answers did not seem specific in enough for my situation so here goes again:
I am committed to buying a good telescope for serious astronomy. I am a microscopist by profession so I am a little familiar with apertures ruling and the trouble of finding things in a magnififed filed of view. I really want to start observing on a macro scale and am willing to invets time ( i have already started reading a beginners astronomy book...any good reccomendations btw) and some money (realtive for a post-doc $5-600).
I have done reasonable background on the internet but am still confused. One of my main questions is what is the deal with GoTo scopes. Do they make life that much easier? What is the learning curve like? Should I be nervous about spending all day looking for little things in a microscope and then for a hobby look all night for gigantic things in a telescope?
I assume most of the serious astronomers will tell me that manual is better (I guess that is what I would tell someone who asked about buying an automated microscope...) so then my question is the best portable larger aperture scope. The web seems to arrive at a consensus on Dobsonians, do you all agree? I live in Cambridge, MA (which on a side not does not have any cluns that I could find on the web) so I assume I will have to be a little mobile... I believe I am approaching the point where more information is not converging on any more wisdom so I welcome strong opinions and am willing to take a little leap of faith. Finally (as if this post was not long enough already, any advice on builiding your own telescope (I have time for watching but am not sure if I have time for building...publish, publish, publish,etc.)
Thanks in advance for any advice
Best
BK
I am committed to buying a good telescope for serious astronomy. I am a microscopist by profession so I am a little familiar with apertures ruling and the trouble of finding things in a magnififed filed of view. I really want to start observing on a macro scale and am willing to invets time ( i have already started reading a beginners astronomy book...any good reccomendations btw) and some money (realtive for a post-doc $5-600).
I have done reasonable background on the internet but am still confused. One of my main questions is what is the deal with GoTo scopes. Do they make life that much easier? What is the learning curve like? Should I be nervous about spending all day looking for little things in a microscope and then for a hobby look all night for gigantic things in a telescope?
I assume most of the serious astronomers will tell me that manual is better (I guess that is what I would tell someone who asked about buying an automated microscope...) so then my question is the best portable larger aperture scope. The web seems to arrive at a consensus on Dobsonians, do you all agree? I live in Cambridge, MA (which on a side not does not have any cluns that I could find on the web) so I assume I will have to be a little mobile... I believe I am approaching the point where more information is not converging on any more wisdom so I welcome strong opinions and am willing to take a little leap of faith. Finally (as if this post was not long enough already, any advice on builiding your own telescope (I have time for watching but am not sure if I have time for building...publish, publish, publish,etc.)
Thanks in advance for any advice
Best
BK
