[jase (Jason)]

You may have already seen the review on CN: http://www.cloudynights.com/item.php?item_id=460&pr=2x6x17

Appears to be a nice OTA. The TMB telescopes are renowned for optical quality, though I have read some reviews of disappointed users (in particular around the 100mm F/L instrument TMB makes). There are some trade offs. You’ll still require the use of a field flatner for astrophotography to get round stars to the edge. Also the TMB telescopes are traditionally much heavier than other refractors of similar size. 45 pounds (20kg) isn’t light. It is identical in weight to the C14 OTA. Add another 5 or 10kg for imaging equipment, guide scope etc and you need to check you mount rating. Such a long OTA can be a tricky to balance or more importantly ensure it doesn’t hit tripod legs in the field.

None the less, it’s a great start to imaging, but don’t loose sight of the big picture. A great OTA is useless if your mount doesn’t track well or you don’t match it to correctly to your CCD camera.

Don't hesitate