A load of Astronomy gear in Lidl

Would the R-102 be a good advanced starter scope? I was planning on spending a bit more and getting either a 8" Newt on a EQ5, or a 10" Dob. The R-102 does have a few nice extras like a polar scope and an illuminated finder scope. This would be my first telescope, so I am starting from scratch.

10" Dob! 10" DOB! Get the 10" Dob if it's on your I can afford this as a starterscope list!

I agree. If you get the 102 you will only be looking for more aperture in a very short time and it will cost more in the long term. I'd go for the 8" on the EQ5 or the Dob.

Would the R-102 be a good advanced starter scope? I was planning on spending a bit more and getting either a 8" Newt on a EQ5, or a 10" Dob. The R-102 does have a few nice extras like a polar scope and an illuminated finder scope. This would be my first telescope, so I am starting from scratch.

10" Dob! 10" DOB! Get the 10" Dob if it's on your I can afford this as a starterscope list!

Goto scopes under 6-8" are really a bit of a fad as most of the objects on the databases are beyond its visual capabilities and they are more likely to have electronic problems down the line making the useless eventually. Better to get a decent aperture on a solid basic mount and a good guide book and learn your way around if the budget is limited.
I tend to use my non-goto 8" more than my computerised 11" most times. (Although goto is great on larger scopes, 8" and higher, but obviously costs more).

Check out the GSO Dob below from Telescope -service. An 8" dob for €299 plus shipping. This would wipe the floor with the 102 and is the same price with shipping!!!
www.telescope-service.com/GSO/dobsonians...Dobsonians.html#200e

Would the R-102 be a good advanced starter scope? I was planning on spending a bit more and getting either a 8" Newt on a EQ5, or a 10" Dob. The R-102 does have a few nice extras like a polar scope and an illuminated finder scope. This would be my first telescope, so I am starting from scratch.

Have done a quick google search and seen the mount described a MON2(eq5)
Does this mean that the mount is equivalent to an EQ5? Could I buy a 8" Newt OTA with mounting rings and dovetail, and attach it? Could be a relatively cheap way to get two telescopes.

If you were considering those two Newtonians and have had the opportunity to look through similar scopes already I would recommend going for an 8" or 10" Dob. The R102 is certainly a good starter package for someone who prefers a refractor but it only has 1/6 of the light gathering power of a 10" Dob. Its principle attraction for me is that a 4" f/9.8 refractor is a good planetary scope. I will still use my N6-AT or Scopos 66 ED for wide field views on good observing nights. For deep space imaging I'll still turn to Slooh, which for $100 a year gives me access from the comfort of my own home to kit that I can't justify buying for myself and is frequently usable when it's pouring rain outside.

A 4" to 6" refractor is an ideal cost effective instrument for observing small bright objects, particularly the Moon and planets. A fast Newtonian is preferable for observing wide fields and a big one is best for dim objects. Choose your poison and take your pick, or invest in both. My personal preferences make a refractor a good choice for me. I do have and use a fast 6" Newtonian but I'm more likely to use one of my refractors on most nights.

As for the mount's capacity, the heaviest scopes Bresser ship it with are a 6" f/8 Newtonian (a classic all-rounder) or a 6" f/5 refractor with an achromatic objective and a Petzval-like field correcting doublet. I always assume that the heaviest tube you should put on a mount is no heavier than the biggest offered on it by the manufacturer. In this case it suits me fine, since the MON2 will serve as a manual GEM alternative to my motorised LXD75 mount for both the R102 and the N6-AT but I wouldn't risk an 8" Newtonian on it.

On the subject of mounts, a Newtonian on an equatorial mount has to be rotated in its rings as you track from East to West because the position of the focuser/eyepiece changes inconveniently as you go. A refractor, SCT or Mak on the other hand is adjusted by simply rotating the star diagonal in its clamp. My preference for mounting a fast Newtonian is either a Dob for long tubes or a Giro II AltAz (for the short tube N6-AT that I have), since an equatorial mount is only needed to track narrow fields of view/high magnification neither of which is the design's preferred field of use.

Great, lots of opinions all saying pretty much the same thing! That makes decision making a bit easier.

I think I will get the 10" Dob, best price I have found is in the region of €550 delivered, which I can just about afford. My family are all deserting me for Chistmas, going to my brother who lives on the other side of the world, so I feel I can treat myself to a nice present . I suspect if I get an 8", I will always regret not getting a 10".

Will probably get the Skylux as it is quite cheap and is optically ok.

That's a good idea. I have the Skylux and it's a nice budget grab & go and a good little planetary scope for its size. The only caveat I would add is that once you're used to quality optics you'll probably want to replace the star diagonal and use Plossl eyepieces with it - but you'll probably get some of those for the Dob anyway.