Astronomy / Space What would be good options, if I ever decide to get a second telescope?

[Branithar]

I found a good deal on 125mm cassegrain, and its small enough that I can take it with me on my touring bike when I go bike camping in the mountains. Great for a starter scope and planets look pretty with it. And I didn't want to get a really expensive, high aperture monster as a first scope.

As soon as I looked through it I was hooked, and I can see myself getting a second telescope down the line. What would be good options if I ever decide to get a second telescope?

I'm not gonna get another one for awhile though, and certainly not before I start going to the local astronomy club. But eventually I might want a bigger, less portable scope.

 

[Para Handy]

Your first consideration will be what you want to use the larger 'scope for, there are very different routes for planetary, solar, deep sky, photography etc ...

Next will come affordability ...

Then suitability of location ... (actually that might be even more important, unless you are considering moving to a dark-sky area)

Your decision to "get stuck in there" with your local astronomy club is a wise move and will allow you to properly evaluate your future options.

 

[AkenBosch]

Apparently I always arrive late after MalcYorks, and usually to say more or less the same things. Should keep an eye on this section more often. (honestly, it strikes me as strange that in a forum mainly about a "space simulator" videogame, there seem to be so little interest in actual "space stuff" )

"The best telescope you can buy, is the one you end up using the most"

Aperture and focal length are paramount for the quality of observations, but are also dependent on how much you are willing to move the telescope around. Dobsonians reflectors have the best price/performance ratio if you only intend to do visual observation (no astrophotography), but they are quite cumbersome to move around and require to be collimated from time to time, so if you have the luck of living under good skies or have the possibility to move with your scope to a dark place, and are willing to put some time into maintenance when needed, they are usually a safe bet, best deep sky performance and very good on planets too on longer focal lenghts.

If you can't or don't want to have to carry heavy things around, or are interested in more specific fields of the hobby like photography, planetary observation, wide fields etc., "the biggest possible" may not be the wisest choice.

But as already said, if you have the luck of having a local astronomy club, you'll likely have the opportunity of trying first hand the different types of scope, and I'm sure members will be more than happy to give sound advice to someone new to the hobby.