Webcamming.

The problem for me with a DOB is that the EP is at the top end of scope. Not suitable for a person in a wheelchair.

Ahh I see, I didn't know this. Then the obvious scope option is a Schmidt Cassegrain (SCT). The eyepiece is at the lower end and they all come on mounts where you can lower the legs to bring the eyepiece to a suitable height for observing while sitting down.
SCT's are a bit more expensive than dobs but you still get a much better aperture/price ratio than refractors.

The only problem with any large scope is that it might be a bit heavy for someone facing the challenges you have. All the more reason to get along to the SDAS meetings where you can meet lots of people ready to help.

Schmidt Cassegrain

Dave now you are talking my language. The EP is at the lower end. GREAT. I am limited to scopes where the EP is at the lower end

Moving it is not too much bother cuz i would only be moving it about 30 ft or less. Where there is a will.....there is a way.

Would that give me deep sky observating?

What is the starting price of such a scope?

I plan to get to the next SDAS meeting and have already made contact with a couple of guys here who live so close to me and whom seem happy enough to "drop by and pick me up" to take me to either the SDAS meetings or the dark sky nights meets.

Fingers crossed.

Seriously without their help i would be eternally destined to obseve eastwards from my garden.

I HOPE i aint upsetting him by naming him but Lunartic (who lives about 5 mins drive from me) more or less said he would help me out as best he can and enjoy the company on long nights.

I seriously CANT ask for more then that.

Hi Paul,
Dave is dead on the money, you'll need a a SCT, be it a 8, 9.25,10,11,12, or 14 inch. Know that these scopes are quite heave and the 12" scopes and bigger are a 2 person lift. As for price, anything between 1.5k and 6k, they are fairly expensive once they become big. The 8" is a great portable scope and is easily transportable to a dark sky site, they others are a bit more edffort to transport. The trick with scopes like these is to shop around!.
Your ideal situation would be to have a permanent pillar in the back garden and someone to help you lift the scope out when needed or a roll on/off shed.
They will show deepsky objects well but obviously a dark sky is a great bonus.

If you're at the Connacht starparty in Galway, you'd be more then welcome to have a look through the 20", I pick out some objects near the horizon when the eyepiece as low as I reckon you'd be able to reach the eyepiece there.

Thanks for the advice. I'm a long way off one of those yet. No point in trying to run before you can walk (so to speak).

Your ideal situation would be to have a permanent pillar in the back garden and someone to help you lift the scope out when needed or a roll on/off shed.

That's about the size of the long term plan i have.

The link to robertreeves doesn't appear to be working however, I found another site where there are instructions for modifying the spc900-
www.astronomylog.co.uk/2007/07/13/how-to...ilips-spc900-webcam/

Hope this helps
John