The ultimate telescope for visual

[ahlberto]

What do you think is the best telescope for visual under 12" and under a limited budget?A dob,a newt on eq5,a refractor or a cassegrain?

[GazOC]

For visual only, a 12" f5 Dob IMHO. A Newt on a EQ5 restricts you to a 8" scope, a SCT on one maybe an 11" would be OK but very expensive. Refractors would restrict you to 6".

[ahlberto]

A 12 dob will be then.Maybe a skywatcher.For planets and the moon,the mak 127 is more than enough and for solar i use my mak 90.

[Jamie]

A 12" light bucket/Dob for me would be the only choice here....

[marksward]

For visual agree a 12" Dob. Simple to use for star hopping and lots of scope to pull in the light

[Ben Ritchie]

A 12 dob will be then.Maybe a skywatcher.

I've just got a Skywatcher 12" f/5 dob, and it's very good. I'd agree with the others too, on a limited budget it gives you the most aperture for your money, and although it isn't light, it is still fairly easy to move around.

[iancandler]

The largest aperture you can comfortably manage on your own.

I say this because experience has taught me that no mater what the "best" scope is for the job, its only as good as your ability to get it outside then set up and used quickly and painlessly.

In my case I had a lovely 10" dob and a tiny little ZS66 on a photo tripod.

The 10" dob was clearly the better scope for visual use but rarely came out as I would be to tired after lugging it out to spend a few hours hunched over the eyepiece, something that caused me discomfort anyway, consequently I found myself using the ZS 66 nearly all the time.

So for me the best scope for visual use was a lowly 66mm refractor.

I've put this here as its so easy for us to say.. oh yes grab a 12" dob, but we dont know if you can physically manage it, and honestly when faced with your nice shiney potential purchase in the shop all thought of how you will manage it gets reduced to "I'll cope, its gorgeous".

[Doc]

My Lightbridge 16".

Aperture rules for visual even if a F4.5 it's damn hard to get collimation dead right.

[rawhead]

I had a lovely 10" dob and a tiny little ZS66

66mm v 254mm :shock:

aperture is heavy :?

I've spent more time using my bins than both my scopes.....

[FLO]

What do you think is the best telescope for visual under 12" and under a limited budget?

Definitely a Dobsonian.

Have you seen THIS one?

[ahlberto]

Its a good bargain but i live in portugal mate...anyway tanks.

What do you think is the best telescope for visual under 12" and under a limited budget?

Definitely a Dobsonian.

Have you seen THIS one?

[jonbarr87]

I've put this here as its so easy for us to say.. oh yes grab a 12" dob, but we dont know if you can physically manage it, and honestly when faced with your nice shiney potential purchase in the shop all thought of how you will manage it gets reduced to "I'll cope, its gorgeous".

I believe that attitude goes for all gadgets! At least with me lol