Well, I'm not saying the 10" SN is a bad scope. It isn't. There is something that can be said for 10" of aperture. I wouldn't want to talk you out of something you want. And I'm no expert, but I've been into this for about 2 decades and I've had a number of different scopes.
I'd take the 10" SN over the 5" AR-5. But I'd take the SC-8 over the 10" SN.
In alot of ways an schmidt-cass is the best of both worlds:
You get more aperture per dollar than a refractor.
You get good Focal ratio around F10
Also, it is a folded optical system with a much shorter tube so it is much more stable on its mount.
The extra 2" of aperture would be nice, but I don't know if it outweighs the other advantages of the SC-8.
At this point I think I've given you all the pieces of info I can. Its now up to you to weigh each factor against what your goals are to decide which trade-offs are the best deal for you.
But I still think you should hang out with some people that have scopes for a while before you spend money on a scope of your own.
You might decide that you don't particularly like hanging out in the middle of the damp cold night squinting through a little eyepiece at a dim object a couple of million miles away. Its not for everyone and its an aquired taste.
Good luck and clear skies.
Wab
