New telescope advice please!!

[Apollo]

Hello all,

I had a slightly unfortunate accident involving my Bresser Messier N150 and our cat which subject to some desperate attempts by a friend to fix the damage may force me in to buying a new telescope and I want some opinions of what to get just in case a brand newy is the only option.

My limit of spending is about £500 at a push and would only really go over that if its really going to make a difference. I could get the same scope again:

www.telescopehouse.com/acatalog/Bresser_Messier_N150_Newtonian_Telescope.html
but have also looked at the SkyWatcher Explorer 200P

www.harrisontelescopes.co.uk/acatalog/SkyWatcher_Explorer_200P_EQ5_200mm_Newtonian_Reflector_Telescope.html#a923464
Is it a good scope? Or can i get similar or better for a similar price? I'm not limiting myself to just reflectors either, i'm quite open to suggestions. I was also wondering with my budget if it's worth considering goto, something possibly worth a little extra outlay? Though it's not something i'm adamant about or desperate to have, didn't have it before so wouldn't make much of a difference to me!

Thanks guys!

[stargazer]

Hi,
I hope you got the cat out of the telescope and at least the cat is undamaged.
It is good it wasn't a catadioptric scope as who knows what would have happened.

The 200mm scope shown at £399 seems very good value and I think it is a good scope, although I don't have direct experience.
Are your present eyepieces different to the 200mm scope's?

Await others advice, but it seems a good choice.

Is the damaged scope beyond repair? Would it be covered under household insurance although if you claimed the premium could rise.
Can you make use of some of it.