Quite so @spile I was eying up an EQ6-GT plus a fancy refractor just because they had them in stock!
Having watched lots of astrophotography youtube vids I realise that it isn’t a direction I want to go in, it all seems to be a bit remote from the observation experience I seek.
I am going to wait for my Dobsonian to turn up and see where this takes me.
Astrophotography is another world…I tried it briefly (very briefly!) but it’s not for me - I likewise prefer the excitement of real-time viewing, even if in near-monochrome. I save the excitement of those gorgeous photos for looking at others’ achievements!
The 250 is a fine telescope (I wanted one, but opted for a more portable 200) - you’ll love it!
Cheers @steviebee having thumbed the reviews and watched ‘Astrobiscuit’s’ guide to buying I thought that a Dobsonian would be a good place to start. I hope that I haven’t been too greedy in going for the 250p.
Whist she is currently enthusiastic, I worry that ‘Mrs Roog’ isn’t fully aware of the thing’s bulk, I did mention the dimensions once and waved my hand at about chest height, I convinced myself that I had got away with it!
Living in London I do miss the clear winter skies of my youth in Saddleworth . I do enjoy following a few good accounts on Instagram . My favourite is Deep Sky Dude , he shows some really cool things .
Plenty of time to check out targets with Turn Left at Orion 
For astrophotography, the Youtube channel AstroBackyard is pretty cool to check out too:
Quite so, my copy, along with eyepieces and other stuff I ordered is sitting on a shelf reserved at the dealer waiting for the telescope to arrive so that they can ship it out in one go!
You can always spend a few hours reading Zen and the science of Collimation? I like a Cheshire eyepiece and sight tube combination tool btw.
Will do, I think I have ordered a Colimation tool but it’s been so long I can’t remember!
News flash! and some ‘Good News’, I received an email this morning saying that my telescope, which was ordered at the beginning of Feb 2021, has been dispatched from the supplier in the UK and is due for delivery tomorrow.
P.S. I note that the clouds are gathering in anticipation. :0(
Great news!
Don’t forget to download the Clear Outside app from FLO…Comes in handy.
Gotcha
Clouds are guaranteed then 
I’m in the Outer Hebrides and no clear nights for 12 days. Telescope will be coming home unused 
Does this mean you have a ‘Travel Telescope’?
Well it was a choice of bicycles or 8” Dobsonian. Clouds and mountains don’t make either an option for me. Bortle 2 is no use if you can’t actually see the sky. Grrr though I did pretty much expect this given my location.
Oh wow, that’s a big scope to lug about. I thought it might be one of those fancy SCT’s or a refractor.
I have a beginners question.
From my limited experience (one night) of trying to align the finder scope with the main optics, I note that the supplied ‘in-line’ finder scope is quite awkward to view through.
It there any mileage in changing it for one with a right angled prism & eyepiece ? Also are illuminated cross-hairs worthwhile?
Cheers
Yes!
The RDF supplied, if it’s similar to the one Orion packs, is a bit of a pain but is serviceable… (but don’t buy the Vixen/Williams RDF - it’s awful to set up and keep set up). But much better finders make everything easier.
Some like RAF, some like the better red dot finders
(Baader make a great one, Sky Surfer V, but it’s relatively expensive). I have the Baader, an Orion RAF (7x and 9x, only I’ve misplaced the 9!) and a Rigel Quikfinder (superb in use. ) It does stick up. A lot prefer Telrads which lie low.
Telrad RDFs are very popular - but they’re long. It’s size will be OK on your scope, I would think. As would a Rigel (smaller but taller!)
Their advantage over RAFs is that is just like looking…FOV etc. Very easy to use if you have a visible target. But I like a good right angle as well.
Check out First Light Optics (FLO). They’re great to deal with, and have a good selection.
If going RAF, don’t worry too much about buying a top dollar prism…at least at first. A standard one will be fine.
The RACI is great and saves having to contort your head but I would not want to use it without my Telrad. Explained here Finding and finder-scopes - Astro Diary
Thanks, @steviebee and @spile I have noticed that turning your head to look through the standard finder is a bit uncomfortable, I think I will have a look for a right angled finder.
Cheers
