Calling space enthusiasts, looking for hobby telescope.

[tobben]

hey, i decided to put this in off topic, for the longest time i have been interested in the sky and everything that is outside of our small planet earth. So telescopes have intrigued me for a while but i never had the money to spare, right now i have money enough to buy something i want, i like everything that is calm/relaxing and gives you time to think.

 

point is, i'm wondering if anyone here has a telescope or a particular type/design they would recommend for a casual hobbyist, maybe something versatile not very complicated or impractical? i don't know really hence i am asking for guidance, i don't want this to be something that gives me a taste for it and just makes me decide i want something better or something different.. i have a severe habit of doing exactly that.. i want to buy something solid right off the bat, this is going to be a big step for me so i don't really want to make the wrong purchase.

 

i don't really want to exceed 1000$ but i will consider anything that is a good value or what you think is necessary, i don't think i want it to be motorized/automatic, kinda feels like that would steal abit from the experience as it isn't JUST about the viewing, and not having it motorized might leave more money for the actual telescope?, i can deal with some cool down time but preferably not more than an hour?  don't have very specific plans right now for exactly what i want to be looking at.

[Karumu]

you dont really need anything exceeding this, it's motorised, has a remote, good optics and is way under your budget 

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Celestron-31145-Newtonian-Reflector-Telescope/dp/B0007UQNNQ/ref=sr_1_2?s=electronics&ie=UTF8&qid=1404396481&sr=1-2&keywords=telescope

[tobben]

you dont really need anything exceeding this, it's motorised, has a remote, good optics and is way under your budget 

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Celestron-31145-Newtonian-Reflector-Telescope/dp/B0007UQNNQ/ref=sr_1_2?s=electronics&ie=UTF8&qid=1404396481&sr=1-2&keywords=telescope

any particular reason you would recommend it? aside from motorized affordable and not shabby optics? or perhaps specify why the previously mentioned applies, i'm just wondering. If you are willing to take the time to explain that is, within reason.. i understand price etc.. how would it be like to view planets with it? i have seen some people praise it but possibly an equal amount of complaints, and it worries me about how specific the complaints are.

 

i am a quality  and detail freak without boundary.. even if i am lacking in knowledge right now i will surely do alot of reading after the purchase, i am worried that "don't really need better than this" will make me dissatisfied with the purchase later down the road, there were some complaints about software and battery life, do you know anything about that? i am giving it the benefit of the doubt when it comes to the complaints about not being able to align it as that is apparently a pain in the bum, so chances are the couple of people i have seen just didn't do it properly, i have seen a number of other complaints but wont start naming them all, might be nonsense for all i know. 

 

being motorized and all do you have the option of detaching the motor and use it without if you so desire? i am amusing with 95% certainty that you don't considering it's pretty sensitive equipment, saw a few videos with pretty loud motors which i do not like one bit..

[tobben]

the plan probably is to get something expensive now that will allow me to see faint objects that's far away and close up on planets, to my understanding that probably means that i am looking for a reflector telescope with a big mirror and a long tube, think i'm looking for something like a dobsonian reflector telescope with a big mirror, possibly motorized,but no idea where i would find it in norway for less than 2000$+

 

the celstron Nextstar 130 SLT has won a few awards and seems like a decent pick, but the 5 inch mirror seems abit on the small side? and i'm not sure if it's possible to detach the telescope from the motor and attach it to a more traditional non motorized stand?