Quote:
Originally Posted by flatbutt
I've heard that the open trellis tubes for the Dobs make traveling a lot easier.
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Yes, you can collapse a 12, 16, maybe even 20 inch truss tube scope into a hatchback.
The problem is that it takes some time and effort to put everything back together. Out in the field. On the side of the road. When you really want to be getting ready to look through the thing.
A basic solid tube 6 inch dobsonian takes 2 minutes to setup, and 2 minutes to tear down. You can take it out on the back deck and be looking at things in 5 minutes, and if you only have 20 minutes to spare? Well, you'll get 10 minutes of astronomy fun. A truss tube scope? 20 minutes to spare is 10 minutes too few to do anything.
Not a rank amateur solution. Maybe something to think about after that first 2 years.
Also, look at the production scopes. 6 inch dobsonian, $250. 6 inch truss tube scope, $800-900. Once you get past 10 inches, truss tubes are basically the only option, but under 10 inches, stick with a solid tube.