Stargazing XT10i and a Orion Skyview pro 120mm refractor

[MotoH]

is it ok if questions can be asked in this thread also?

If so I have a couple.

I am looking at an XT10i, and a Orion Skyview pro 120mm refractor. They are both essentially the same price.

I want the light gathering power of the 10inch dob, but I like the portability and the ease of use of the 120mm.

I am at odds with myself here!

 

[Chronos]

I'm a big fan of portability. Half the aperature used 4x as much is better than a giant you dread to confront. I like cat's, but that is a personal choice. If you live in the sticks with dark skies and plenty of space, size matters. Erect a comfortable shed, stick a light bucket in there and break out the sky charts. If you do not have this luxury, you will probably be happier with a more portable scope with bells and whistles. The best scope you can buy is one you look forward to using. Turbo offers sound advice that need only be tempered to fit your interests, budget and circumstances.

 

[turbo]

is it ok if questions can be asked in this thread also?

If so I have a couple.

I am looking at an XT10i, and a Orion Skyview pro 120mm refractor. They are both essentially the same price.

I want the light gathering power of the 10inch dob, but I like the portability and the ease of use of the 120mm.

I am at odds with myself here!

At your present skill-level, I'd recommend the 10" Dob as long as you don't have transportation issues. From a dark location, you'll be able to see LOTS of faint objects. Combined with a zero-power finder and a decent set of charts, you can get years of enjoyment from that 'scope as you learn to star-hop from object to object. Many galaxies are low-contrast - so much so that you have to use averted vision to even sweep them up. For this reason, you'll be well-served to learn to star-hop, and be aware of what field of view your various EPs can provide. You'll be surprised how many times you're looking at a relatively blank field, thinking you screwed up your pointing, then sweep up that elusive galaxy out of the corner of your eye. Once you have the galaxy centered, you can pop in a Barlow or a shorter f: EP for alternate views. Some faint extended objects can benefit from a bit of extra magnification, once you have located them.

 

[Chronos]

The quote I recall, Turbo, was 'I was born with nothing and still have most of it left' :)