I am a 75 year old newcomer to astronomy. After reading A Brief History of Time and Coming of Age in the Milky Way, I decided to do my own star gazing. Basically, my intention is to star gaze for entertainment and to occasionally expose the grandkids to the stars. At my age, I figure I have five to eight good years and will then pass the telescope along to whichever grandchild shows interest. Before buying a scope, I have a few basic questions.
After doing a bunch of online research, I think I will buy a Dob - either the Apertura AD8 , or the Celestron Star Sense Explorer 8, or the Celestron NextStar 8 SE. Budget is not really an issue, but I am reluctant to spend more than $1,500 on the scope, eyepieces, etc. I would appreciate any comments about the comparative effectiveness of these three scopes. I do not have backyard viewing opportunities because of surrounding large trees and streetlights. Therefore, I will have to drive to a viewing spot, which will only be a fifteen or twenty minute drive. My intent is to simply set the scope up near my car. I do not intend to carry anything very far.
I am intrigued by the Celestron Star Sense technology, but I also see reports that 1) it is not reliable; and 2) eats batteries and therefore really needs a power source. I do not want to be viewing thru my phone but am intrigued with the ability to find an object and then use the technology to line my scope up in the crosshairs. Can this Celestron technology be purchased separately to use with a scope of another brand? I see no indication of that. I have also looked into Sky Safai and Sky Guide apps. They look intriguing but I would appreciate any comments on how effective they really are.
Finally, should I be looking at scopes other than Dobs? This is the only telescope I will ever buy. I am not trying to get Webb Space Telescope views - just good planetary and star viewing.
Thanks very much for any comments.