I Spent a weekend at Stellafane a couple of years back. It was a great weekend and the skies were clear which was a blessing. Stellafane is pretty much the national event for hobbyist telescope makers and I saw a whole lot of scopes. But one was a 20 inch dobsonian and it was a beauty. Imagine having a telescope like that?
When it comes to this size scope you really need to think about having it housed in an observatory. It is a challenge to lug something like this around and set it up for a couple of reasons including weight, setup time and accuracy of viewing.
Meade 12 Inch LX200 ACF
Aperture: 12-Inch. Focal Length: 3048mm. Focal Ratio: f/10. UHTC coatings, Standard Field Tripod, 1.25-Inch Diagonal Prism, 26mm Series 4000 Super Plössl Eyepiece. The most widely used research quality telescope now features the most advanced optical system. Meade's LX200-ACF brings Advanced Coma-Free (ACF) optics within reach of aspiring astronomers everywhere. Nearly every observatory reflector in the world uses an aplanatic (coma-free) optical system like the Ritchey-Chrétien (RC), including NASA's Hubble Space Telescope.
Celestron 14 inch CGEM DX 1400 Fastar
- 14" Schmidt-Cassegrain telescope
- New CGEM DX Computerized Equatorial Mount
- FASTAR compatible optical tube for f/2 imaging
- Schmidt-Cassegrain mechanism that moves the primary mirror to adjust focus is supported by two pre-loaded ball bearings, minimizing the "mirror flop" typical of bushing focus mechanisms
- Celestron's premium StarBright XLT coatings
I talked about how telescopes of this size really should be in some kind of observatory and the previous two really should. But if we were to not have an observatory this next telescope, in my opinion, would be ok. It is a bit differnent that the previous. It is not made for advanced photography and pin point accuracy and tracking. This kind of telescope (Truss tube dobsonian) is very specifically designed to give the amateur a very big scope with a lot of light gathering power, yet still be reasonably portable. Those truss tubes come apart and go back together in seconds. Good setup. And of course, not being a scientific instrument like the previous scopes this one has quite a different price tag.
Meade 12 Inch Truss Tube LightBridge Dobsonian
The Meade 1205-05-03 LightBridge 12-Inch Truss Tube Dobsonian Telescope is a big telescope that goes anywhere. The setup and takedown are quick so you can take one of these massive windows to the universe out to your favorite dark sky location. LightBridge Dobs give you high quality Meade optics, premium components and ultra portability- all for about the same price as an ordinary tube Dob. Meade optics consistently out-perform telescopes of similar and larger aperture because of the Diffraction Limited Optics. This telescope also features an open truss tube design with new anti-reflection coatings on trusses and castings. The 2-inch Crayford style (10:1 dual speed) machined focuser with 1.25-inch adapter and (Series 4000 QX Wide Angle) 26-millimeter, 2-inch eyepiece produces views that are detailed, crisp and full of contrast. The laminated base features roller bearings on the azimuth axis, variable tension altitude brake, advanced 4-reticle red dot viewfinder, cooling fan and AutoStar Suite Software. This LightBridge (f/5) telescope features a 12-inch aperture and a focal length of 1524-millimeters, while the focal ratio is f/5. The Meade 1205-05-03 LightBridge 12-Inch Truss Tube Dobsonian Telescope comes with a 1-year warranty. For years serious astronomers have flocked to Meade telescopes for their quality optical systems and patented technology. Consumers know that "Meade Optics Inside" means that what they see through our telescopes will be views that are detailed, crisp and full of contrast. Look through a Meade this evening and see what you've been missing.
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