Question Suggestions for personal telescope

COLGeek

Cybernaut
Moderator
Greetings,

I have decided it is time to purchase my first "good" personal telescope in many years. I've previously owned (more than 30 years ago) several low-quality reflector and refractor telescopes that were simply not very good.

What recommendations would you offer?

Budget: $3000 max.
Location: USA
Uses: Personal use. Planets, deep space objects, not really looking at the moon or sun. Portability a plus.
 
COLGeek, that is a healthy budget :) Orion makes good telescopes, I use an Orion XT10i, cheaper than your limit but reflector on a Dob mount and about 60 lbs. when setup :) TeleVue refractors are excellent too but TeleVue currently is closed because of COVID-19 lock up (I received e-mail notification 21-March). Quite a few shops are closed too, non-essential business it seems :) Some still ship online though. I use a 90-mm refractor and XT10i. Both use 1.25 inch focuser and the 10-inch, will use the 2-inch eyepieces too. I find TeleVue optics excellent, some others on the Forums use TeleVue also. Celestron and Orion are good from reviews I read.

*Portability* is a big issue. The larger the primary mirror, generally the heavier the system will be including the telescope mount like a big equatorial with heavy, counter weights. Here is a shop I use, they do online too, http://www.company7.com/home.html
 

COLGeek

Cybernaut
Moderator
COLGeek, that is a healthy budget :) Orion makes good telescopes, I use an Orion XT10i, cheaper than your limit but reflector on a Dob mount and about 60 lbs. when setup :) TeleVue refractors are excellent too but TeleVue currently is closed because of COVID-19 lock up (I received e-mail notification 21-March). Quite a few shops are closed too, non-essential business it seems :) Some still ship online though. I use a 90-mm refractor and XT10i. Both use 1.25 inch focuser and the 10-inch, will use the 2-inch eyepieces too. I find TeleVue optics excellent, some others on the Forums use TeleVue also. Celestron and Orion are good from reviews I read.

*Portability* is a big issue. The larger the primary mirror, generally the heavier the system will be including the telescope mount like a big equatorial with heavy, counter weights. Here is a shop I use, they do online too, http://www.company7.com/home.html
Thanks for the source and info. Will check it out. Much appreciated.