I will probably get a good idea of what kind of telescope I want after looking through some first hand, but is there anything that you can recommend, in terms of aperture, focal ratio, etc?

Also, I have read that lower focal ratios are good for deep sky observing, while higher ratios are better for planets. Is there a "perfect" ratio for observing both? Or do I have to choose between the two? Or do some people go with a lower focal ratio scope and use a barlow to jack up the ratio when viewing planets?

I am just speculating on what I might get someday if I should get a higher end scope, but a Schmidt Cassegrain isn't out of the question, but unfortunately seem to be quite a bit spendier. Are Schmidt-Newtonians as big and heavy as dobsonians? I know the larger dobsonians are fairly sizeable.

I have a fairly high tolerance for toting something around with me, but it would be nice to be able to fit it into my car, and be able to pick it up without herniating a disk.:->

Thanks again!
Scott

• Scope types - danieldgj - May 19, 2003 - 23:51 UTC
  • Focal Reducers - louieia - May 25, 2003 - 15:13 UTC
    • Focal reducers - danieldgj - May 26, 2003 - 13:43 UTC
• Another scope type - danieldgj - May 21, 2003 - 02:31 UTC
  • Meade LXD55 Schmidt-Newtonians - louieia - May 25, 2003 - 02:51 UTC
    • The above questions - danieldgj - May 26, 2003 - 22:44 UTC
    • More direct answer - danieldgj - May 26, 2003 - 22:46 UTC
  • Meade LX90 - louieia - May 25, 2003 - 16:29 UTC
    • Meade LX90 - danieldgj - May 26, 2003 - 14:00 UTC