Portability

Perhaps one of the biggest “side­ effects” of Aperture Fever is the issue of portability. The only thing worse than a telescope that is too small is one that is too big. All too often, a person buys a telescope that is too large for them to transport or set up, uses it once or twice, and then the only darkness it sees is the inside of a closet. Large telescopes require large vehicles for transport and large pieces of glass are heavy. You want to make sure you are willing and able to move around a couple hundred pounds if you go for the big 20-­inch+ telescopes! Be sure you are comfortable moving, assembling, and disassembling whatever telescope you decide to buy.

The best telescope is not automatically the largest; the best telescope is the one you use the most.

Mount Design

This is typically a personal preference issue. Most often, observers choosing large­ aperture Newtonians prefer the Dobsonian design. The Dobsonian gives you the ability to get the most aperture for your money. Traditionally, these mounts do not track the sky, requiring the user to nudge the telescope to follow the object of interest. This is changing however. Newer technologies are now allowing for Dobs to not only track the sky, but to perform GOTO functions as well! Additional options include traditional Altitude­-Azimuth mounts on tripods, along with German­ Equatorial mounts. As always, you want to make sure your mount is sturdy enough to hold your telescope. Always err on the side of over­mounting. The staff at Cloud Break Optics can help you with any mount questions you may have.

Optical Design

If deep-­sky astronomy is your main passion, you’ll probably want to consider a Newtonian Reflector. Typically, you’ll get the most bang for your buck in terms of dollar per inch ­of aperture. If you do choose a Newtonian focal length will be something you want to consider. Big aperture, long focal length Newtonians can be unwieldy or require large ladders to reach the eyepiece. Fast versions of these scopes, however, will most definitely require additional accessories (which require additional cost) to remove coma. Another popular design is the Schmidt ­Cassegrain telescope. Again, these types of telescopes tend to be affordable in large sizes (though, less so than a Newtonian). Typically, however, they have long focal lengths, and a reducer/corrector might be desirable to achieve a wider field of view. We can help you choose the design that works best with your observing style.

Our Equipment Recommendations for Deep­Sky Observing: 

Sky-Watcher Dobsonians (beginner through advanced)

Astrosystems Custom Dobsonians (Advanced - email for quote)

Celestron CPC 9.25” SCT (intermediate/advanced

Celestron CPC 11" SCT (advanced)