Which one should i buy

[ggodetucsamoht]

yes, omni 150 xlt has the similar specs to c6-ngt it is just the mounting with is difference only. the c6-ngt with its mount which might be more help in your astro photo later but dont seems the c6-ngt will come little cheap compare to the omni 150.

i am also searching for a nice scope for quite awhile now, i am also looking at the omni which cost 1.2k at sci ctr. is quite a nice white with bluish design and mount is rather stable than any of the astromaster or powerseeker you suggested.

[cloud_cover]

Welcome to the club :-)
All the advice given is good but I want to point out one thing: The CG5 equatorial mount does not, to the best of my knowledge, adjust down to 0 deg latitude which is necessary for polar alignment in Singapore. You will need to modify it with a wedge or something else if you want to use it for photography. Something to consider
If you're thinking of buying new, then 1K is a rather slim budget but if you're going the used route, its a decent amount. Dont forget to budget in eyepieces and other accessories!
Regarding astro travel, we do have ad hoc trips almost twice a month to Sedili or Mersing. If you have no commitments in Singapore, you might find yourself buying quite a bit of Malaysian petrol!
A final note, color in nebulae is not doable without a substantially larger scope and dark skies, maybe except for the famous Orion Nebula

[beastmaster]

yes, omni 150 xlt has the similar specs to c6-ngt it is just the mounting with is difference only. the c6-ngt with its mount which might be more help in your astro photo later but dont seems the c6-ngt will come little cheap compare to the omni 150.

i am also searching for a nice scope for quite awhile now, i am also looking at the omni which cost 1.2k at sci ctr. is quite a nice white with bluish design and mount is rather stable than any of the astromaster or powerseeker you suggested.

Ya, a bit more expensive. Just check c8-ngt selling almost same price. I have nvr try any scope before, is the Secondary Mirror Obstruction by Diameter very obvious?

[Davegn]

Agree with cloud_cover
You could always change your Telescope.
But a good EP can last you a lifetime.

Maybe i could share with you, Joo Beng taught me something about budget.
He told me that for budget, 1/3 goes to a good mount, 1/3 goes to the telescope itself and 1/3 goes to other acc i.e EPs and balow.

on a side note, i don't have to mod my CG-4. i just shorten the leg facing the north side to hit 1 deg. lolz.
Save money and weight

[cloud_cover]

Agree with cloud_cover
You could always change your Telescope.
But a good EP can last you a lifetime.

Maybe i could share with you, Joo Beng taught me something about budget.
He told me that for budget, 1/3 goes to a good mount, 1/3 goes to the telescope itself and 1/3 goes to other acc i.e EPs and balow.

on a side note, i don't have to mod my CG-4. i just shorten the leg facing the north side to hit 1 deg. lolz.
Save money and weight

On the flip side, money spent on the telescope will produce better images than money spent on eyepieces, dollar for dollar.
Dave: as long as it doesnt shift the cg far enough to topple over! :-) It might reduce the stability as far as astrophotography is concerned though.

[beastmaster]

wah... chim... i abit blurz liao...

so which is good scope to invest in?

[Davegn]

I would suggest taking more time to learn the type of telescope's Pros and Cons first.
Each of the types and their own pros and Cons.

do drop by to some Obs session to have a hands on.

[cloud_cover]

The best scope will be the one you use the most I have an 8" SCT, 5" MAK and 2 tracking mounts yet I find my favourite setup is a 4" refractor on a manual alt-az mount.

[ggodetucsamoht]

how much you quoted for the c6-ngt with the elect goto cg5 mount?

if you want to start with a newtonian and dont wish to find yourself upgrade to another scope so fast then either the omni or c6-ngt will be good.

perhap you want to drop by sci ctr to have a glance on their scope on display.

[orly_andico]

I don't believe that 1/3rd rule.

I think 70% of my budget has gone to mount, 25% to telescope, and 5% to eyepieces! hahahaha!

That's why I'm stuck with Vixen Plossls. No fancy Naglers or Ethoi for me..