EVERYONE IN IRELAND BUYS MEADE........

so do ye all recommend this scope? like how would this mount comopare to say the skywatcher heq5(£880 sterling) or would compare at all?
this looks like a great mount but my problem is that i would have to buy an 8" Schmidt Cassegrain tube to mount on it as a 6" newt is limited! i currenly have a 4.5"! My father feels that he wants an 8" sct! But doesnt think heed buy this scope, sell the scope keep the mount tripod and so on, sell our other scope(4.5") and then buy a compatable OTA for it! But i keep sayin to him that itd be worth it! Would it be? we would prob save alot of money!and get a brand new 8" sct for a fraction of the price! we were consiring buying second hand! but this would all be brand new for the same price! also a guarantee with it!
So ye see my problem!
Any advice? its all welcome!
Cheers,Matthew

Hi Matthew,
It depends on what you want to do with it,
1, If you are doing visual observing, then go for it,
2, If above + planetary imaging, then I'd still go for it.
3, if you want to do deepsky imaging, then this is not the mount for you.

Also, you'd need a way of fixing the 8" SCT to the mount, I'm sure that wouldn't be a real problem.

ok! visual use,definitely,planetary imaging,definitely as i already have a canon 300D and all necessary adaptors! wouldnt mind some deepsky but maybe not for the moment! id just like to advance with respect to astronomy! there is only a certain amount you can see from a 4.5" newtonian! we have had for maybe 3 years and ive used it alot but it is limited! so an 8" would be a HUGE step up and i think id be satisfied without deep sky imaging for a few years! id like to SEE the 'deep sky' nebulae,galaxies etc before imaging them you know! ive never seen a galaxy or nebula through a telescope or binos with great detail!
Thanks dave
matthew

I see where you're coming from, just note that the 300d will not work for planetary imaging, get a toucam pro webcam for that.
As for seeing details in galaxies, going to a 8" will make those smeared blobs look a little brighter, you might see some detail in the whirlpool and M81/82, but nearly all of the galaxies will look brighter, thats it.
Nebula like the orion nebula will become more detailed, but again most nebula will just look a little brighter, things like the horsehead and north american nebula will remain invisible.

yes i must get a webcam! thats all right! just even to see them! also id love to see clusters like the beehive cluster through an 8" and doulble stars and the lot! And lots of magnified lunar observation!

I saw the catalouge this morning, Is this mount good for astrophotgraphy???

Autoguiding ???

Keith..