Deciding on a truss Newtonian..........

Hello all,
I have decided to sell my equatorial mounted telescope and buy a truss Newtonian. I have looked into many manufactures such as Obsession, Astrosky, TScopes, Discovery, etc...... I am on a budget and would like to get something in the 15" range. I have been leaning towards the Astrosky f/5, but have never heard anything about them other then Ed Ting's review. Has anyone ever had an opportunity to look though one? How do you rate the Discovery mirrors? From the pictures, the craftsmanship of the woodworking looks nice, but has anyone seen one in person?

Thanks a lot and clear skies,
Jay

Hey jay,
How much are you willing to spend on the 15"? I can think of several good scopes in the size. I am not familiar with the Astrosky however.
It will depend on what you are wanting out of a scope. Just the size of aperture or the quality of optics or build.
T-Scopes is a good mid-price scope to be sure.
Discovery is a nice scope with descent optics.
Starstructure makes a fine scope but is not the cheapest.
Obsession is a well built scope.
Starmaster makes a fine 14.5" that can be found used in "Like New" condition here on Amart all the time.
Optics are a real concern with a larger scope like a 15". It is the biggest part of the scope really. It makes or breaks a scope in fact. A well built scope with a mediocre mirror is not really a deal. Without the optical quality the scope will be limited. However a good scope with a good mirror will still be a lot of fun. But a good scope with a great mirror is a keeper! 8)

Jay,

I bought a Starstructure (with Royce glass) a few months back, and I couldn't be happier. Much better construction than anything I've played with at Chiefland or other parties (do you want a telescope, or piece of furniture?). And that Royce glass... WOW. It's as good or better than the (few) Zambuto's I've looked through...

cheers,
Chris Curran

Jay, I have had the opportunity to see an Astrosky 16" up close and viewed through it. I was very impressed with the quality and workmanship of the scope. It had a very solid feel to it and the movements were smooth as silk. The views were fantastic also. I remember viewing M51 through it and was taken aback when the spiral arms were quite visible. James seemed to be a very nice guy.

Kurt

If it was me, I would hold off. I would save up my money until I could afford to get just what I wanted. I would not settle for less. If you wait and get what you really want , you only have to do it once. To buy a lesser scope you will always want the one you didn't get. Just a thought.

I want to thank you all for giving me such great, unbiased opinions. Having everyone here on astromart makes it that much easier to learn about the unknown. It's nice to know there is a place where questions can be answered by people who have experienced them first hand.

Jarad and Larry,
I'm going to continue to look at the TScopes. It sounds like Ed Taychert makes a pretty nice scope. More importantly it sounds he offers many options.

Floyd,
I have heard nothing but incredible things about Zambuto optics. It seems he is the standard when it comes to mirrors. Although the scopes are expensive, going the second hand route sounds like a great option. I am very willing to be patient. My only concern is the integrity of the coatings. Age and location has much to do with how well coatings have held up. Does Carl Zambuto offer to re-coat his optics? If so do you know how much he may charge and how long?

Derek,
You have a very valid point by saying is the quality difference worth 100's or 1000's of dollars. I have heard from many people about TScopes and how he builds some nice equipment. I need to think about how much more the difference is worth to me. Like Floyd said, I might be able to get a nice scope on astromart for a good price. We'll just have to wait and see. In the mean time I will be looking into my options. Besides I still have a lot of things to sell on astromart first to raise the money. Time is on my side and I am patient.

Chris,
Many people I have talked with have mentioned Royce optics. I think Ed at TScopes offers that option. Thanks for your input, I'm going to look into that route more too.

Kurt,
You have mentioned something that has really peaked my interest. Astrosky is a maker of Newtonians that I haven't been able to hear many things about. For the price, they sound like the best bang for the buck. The craftsmanship "looks" just as good if not better than some of the others. I do have to say, from what I have seen, I think Obsession scopes have the best woodwork. The only thing I am concerned with with the Astrosky is the optics. I really don't know much about the discovery mirrors except for a friends 8" that I have looked through. To be honest, his scope preforms incredible!! But making a 15" mirror is a different animal in comparison to an 8". Any other info you may have about these scopes would be great.

John,
I plan on saving up. It's worth it, your right. I just want to make sure I get a good buy for my money.



Again, thanks to everyone for the information. Keep them coming, I have much to learn!!!!


Clear skies,
Jay Emirzian