I would just note that the second paragraph of the website’s About Us webpage makes a big thing about the society encouraging useful observation:
“Since the beginning the BAA has encouraged amateurs to make scientifically valuable observations, often in collaboration with professional colleagues.”
I am a deep sky observer and so far from against taking the occasional “pretty pictures” as my personal Album testifies – IC342 for example. But, apart from as training exercises, what would astronomy gain from hundreds more images of the Messier Top Ten? What makes the BAA stand out from the vast majority of local societies is the degree to which it does encourage useful observation.
On the subject of instruments I suggested a RASA and a C11 as a wide field and narrow field/filtered co-mounted straw man option, but 2x C11 could also work nicely if a spectroscopic option was supported (and would not strain a Paramount or 10 Micron) – I just figured planetary observing would probably be more widely supported than spectral.
Will be interested to see what, if anything, transpires.
Grant (a humble ordinary member) 🙂