Is this scope any good for a beginner?

I am a newcomer to astronomy and currently have a pair of celstron 15x70 binoculars for viewing.
I have done a good bit of research online and based on what I can afford (credit crunch and all that) and what I want, I have more or less settled on the following:

Meade DS2090 MAK Goto Telescope

Model / Part # DS-2090MAK / 20096
• Optical Design Maksutov-Cassegrain
• Optical Diameter 90mm (3.5")
• Focal Length; f/ratio 1200mm; f/13.3
• Mounting Type Altazimuth, Generation II DS-2000 mount
• Viewfinder Red Dot
• Tripod Aluminum; full-length; adjustable with accessory tray
• Eyepieces (1.25") SP9.7mm, SP26mm
• Software AutoStar Suite
™ Astronomy Edition PC-compatible DVD

I would appreciate anyone's views on this scope and its specs.

Thanks,

Gareth.

Gareth,

My first scope was a very basic 100mm f/10 Communist Bloc Newtonian and my second was a NexStar 4, which is a 102mm GoTo Mak. While the fascination with GoTo has worn off for me the 102 Mak was and probably still is an excellent scope, colour and distortion free and generally very sharp. I would consider putting a good quality 102mm Mak up against a 80mm ED refractor so it wouldn't be out of the question for a quality 90mm to compare reasonably well with an 70mm ED.

However you get the total package you pay for. The Autostar system is a significant part of the cost of a DS series AT package. You could get a better telescope and sturdy manually operated mount for the same money if you can live without GoTo. If you've put in your time with binoculars and have learned the sky well enough you may feel able to do that and you'd certainly get more telescope in terms of aperture or quality for your money.

Personally unless it's a really competitive reduced price I wouldn't pick the DS-2090MAK or any of Meade's other entry level GoTos because in cost terms all of their entry level systems compromise the optics to pay for the Autostar components.

Gareth,

I won't repeat what John just said, its good advice.

Take a look at dobsonian scopes. You get far more aperture for your buck. Astronomy is one of those areas where size really does matter. Dobsonian scopes offer the largest aperture for your money. My first 'real' telescope was an 8" Dobsonian reflector. I saw wonderful things through that scope which you would have great difficulty seeing in a 90mm scope.

That's a very good point. I checked the list price of the DS2090MAK AT on bresser.de - 499 Euro. Then I compared that to the list prices of GSO Dobsonian telescopes on teleskop-express.de and found three 200mm f/6 models ranging in price from 319 to 538 Euro.

Based on those figures it would be possible to buy a decent 200mm Dob plus some extras (barlow, one or two extra eyepieces) for the same price that you would pay for the GoTo Mak, which demonstrates my point about the cost of GoTo.

oh man, 499e for that !!! thats crazy !!.
go for the Dob, its all about aperture and thats where Dobs win.
Dobs rule !

I'd refine that, Dave....
Dobs that don't need stepladders rule!