The more I think about it I don't think I would actually be hiking with it, there's already enough stuff to carry on a good hike, I could see my self using it alot at my house or near my house or driving to a spot more suited for star watching. I think I will pick up a pair of good binoculars. But am also pretty dead set on getting a telescope, right now I'm looking at the celestron nexstar 130slt or the Orion xt8.
Whst I really would like to know is, is there a website where I can see actual images from these telescopes and/or a good pair of binoculars?
1st.....While many suggest binoculars...I personally do not. You must have a large pair of optics and a tripod mount in order to get a good view. And, it won't take long at all to get "aperture envy".
2nd....If you plan on taking photos (astro photography) you will need a telescope with a motor drive on it. Pictures of that sort require long exposure times. So, a drive is needed for the telescope to "follow" the object. Otherwise the photo will be blurred.
BUT, KEEP IN MIND, the images you see in magazines on television programs
ARE NOT the images you will see through your telescope. The images in magazines are not just 1 photo,
BUT MANY PHOTOS taken with different color filters, and the layered on top of each other. They are also correct and altered on computers as well.
The objects you see will be white in color...with the exception of Mars and Jupiter. Sorry, I don't mean to be a buzz kill.
3rd....In order to see "deep sky" objects, your going to need a larger aperture...say 5 inches or more. While both telescopes you are considering have the needed aperture, only one has the motor driven mount...the nexstar 130slt.
Now...from personal experience as I have a telescope the same size as the Orion xt8...they are a pain to move! Heavy, take up a bunch of room in the car. If I were to do it again...I would start with the NEXSTAR 127SLT....really nice scope for the money.