Re: Help me choose my computerised scope please...

From: Michael K (none_at_)
Date: 02/04/05 

Date: Fri, 04 Feb 2005 09:37:59 -0600

"Phillip Brown" <pbrown@hotmail.com> wrote:

>Funny that, I do drive an automatic and hate manuals! To me it's like
>buying an old technology like black & white TV, when colour has been
>invented. But I appreciate some people prefer manual and feel more 'in
>control', although I seem to be able to drive my car anywhere a manual can
>go ;)
>

The more appropriate analogy would be the comparison of a 16" color TV
with remote control versus a 30" color TV with no remote.

You spend more time and derive more enjoyment from the visual element,
not clicking the remote, so in general, the bigger bang for the buck
comes from the larger, easier to see screen, not the gadget.

Unlike TV remotes, GoTos are not a $10 or $20 incremental cost. For
example, the C8-NGT can be had for $1000 USD, the version without GoTo
is $700 USD. That incremental $300 could buy a lot of additional
aperature or higher quality optics. Even on smaller scopes with a
cheaper and lesser GoTo, it will account for a substantial part of the
cost.

The logical deciding element should be whether you /need/ GoTo. If
you know the sky and constellations, then it is far more of a frill,
even though it might be cool.

When you get down to 1 or 2 models, you should at least check out how
much more aperature etc you could get for the same money. Unless the
bulk of your astro enjoyment comes from moving from object to object,
you'll get more from a 6" than a 4 or 4.5" (assuming you can find the
target).

GL

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