One that comes to mind is the line of truss dobs from Discovery.  I've read good reviews that tend to say something like "they aren't Obsessions, or Starmasters, but they are good scopes for the money."  A 15" will run a little over $3,000, and a 17.5' will be about $4,000.  one source is here:

http://www.optcorp.com/ProductList.aspx?uid=1-600-628-631

WannaB:

Well, that answers that.  Thanks.  Are there bigger newtonian reflectors out there that are say the "Chevy Impala" of reflectors?  Not the "Geo Metro".  Something between the Caddy and the Metro?  Bigger as in 16" to 20".

The Discovery truss-tube Dobs are good buys.

http://www.discoverytelescope.com/discovery/td.html

There's also the 16" Meade LightBridge, which is probably the least costly 16" truss-tube Dob currently on the market.

http://www.meade.com/lightbridge/index.html

Dave Mitsky

any of these are a ways down the road for me.  I'll have to keep plunking along with the XT 8 I have.  It's not that I'm unhappy with our purchase, I can already tell however that more light gathering capabilities would greatly increase my ability to find and see those illusive DSO's.  My eyes suck structurally!!

Thanks for your replies!

I would like a twenty inch scope because I would be able to a lot of detail of many objects in the sky.

How about a great big bino camera!

Wow!  Would that be fun, or what?  But I think I'd have a hard time getting it in my shed.

Heres a summary of the main eyepieces around today:

Huygens, Ramsdens and Kellners are old designs that you shouldn't buy.

Plossls are good all-round eyepieces. They cost 40 to 90 dollars or so.

Orthoscopics cost the same as plossls and have sharper views but smaller fields.

Monocentrics are ultimate planetary eyepieces with unrivaled contrast, resolution, etc. However they have very narrow fields and short eye relief, which makes them uncomfortable to use, especially for eyeglass wearers. Only TMB makes them.

Erfles have been relegated to binoculars because of their wide angle views that come quite cheaply. However, they have more distortion than other designs.

 Finally, many different eyepieces, such as Televue panoptics, naglers, ethos and others made by many companies have extremely wide fields and tack sharp images, and very high prices. There are other types of eyepieces too, but listing them all would take too long :)

Kyle:

Of all telescopes available commercially, which do you want the most and why?

I'd take the Takahashi FCT-250 10" apo, probably because its $250,000.

The largest one available from Lightbuckets.com. I think it's a 20" RC...fully computerized.

johnjohnson:

How about a great big bino camera!

 

HAHAHAHA that looks like something from Star Wars. Didn't the rebels try to fend off the Imperial Walkers on Hoth with those things????

If we are talking 'dream' telescopes, here is mine:

20" aperture with a big beefy mount and plenty of astrophoto gear. The kicker would be the force field generator that would push the atmosphere out of the line of sight of the telescope all the way to space.
 

My dream scope is an F/4 25" Obsession, located in my 15' doomed observatroy.

But on a cops pay it's only a dream. LOL

You want a big dobsian mounted newt? Forget obsession and starmaster, they're focusing on the little ones now, look at the Websters.

How about an updated version of the old obsession 30", not big enough, ok , Webster also offers a 40" version. You need to ask how much it cost,...you know what they say about that. You may also want to pick-up a new 10 ft step ladder at Lowes/Home Depot before the scope is delivered.

Dobs not your thing, how about a big RC? Not one of those little 20", or 24" RCOS scopes the test range cobbled together into a bino camera, but a nice big RC. Take a look at the OGS 32" RC on eq fork mount. If you forgot to sell that hot property before the real estate bubble burst, you might want to look at one of their "previously owned" units. They had J. Misti's old 32" on sale, at a fraction of the new purchase price, a real bargain.

Robert

 How about an updated version of the old obsession 30", not big enough, ok , Webster also offers a 40" version. You need to ask how much it cost,...you know what they say about that. You may also want to pick-up a new 10 ft step ladder at Lowes/Home Depot before the scope is delivered.

I got to say "MAN WHAT A SCOPE". I don't think my wife will let me sell the RV, for that 40" Webster, But I am going to try.I know she would see me dead, for paying $65,000.00 for a scope. Ha ha !!!

Kyle:

Huygens, Ramsdens and Kellners are old designs that you shouldn't buy

I am not sure why this is on this thread but please don't put Kellner eyepieces on a par with the other two.  Kellner's are not flashy but they do provide a decent view with low distortion. I used them for many years without complaint as they were much cheaper than Plossls. 

As to a giant dream telescope, without the observatory to put in in, without the observatory being located in a dark sky area with at least 250 clear days a year, and without the hermit like instincts to forgo wife and family who have said things like, "You want to move where?", I will dream of maybe getting something in the 10 inch range someday. Maybe.

L

Well, I'm not asking for much.  Something in the 15" or 16" range( really don't want to have to use a ladder and OSHA approved safety equipment for a night of observing).  An Obsession would be nice, but not a deal-breaker.

Most of the money from the windfall would be spent on a dark sky site that afforded me more viewing opportunities than what I now have.  I'm getting so tired of clouds.