Our science head of department has given us the green light to buy a new scope and will give us $1000. Our school has an old C8 and an ED80 with w/o 60 guide scope that we image with. We are looking at buying a 12 inch wow factor DOB. Any suggestions. We have to let him know by Monday morning as all finance deal for each school department close at lunchtime on Monday.
If you're after maximum bang for your dollar, a solid tube dob will cost considerably less than a truss dob and, currently, a truss dob will be over your budget.
Andrews and Bintel usually have the best prices, and there are a couple of other dealers up your way as well.
$1000 would have bought you a dob, some better quality eyepieces and a chesshire as well before the dollar crashed, right now a 12 inch dob will cost around that without any add-ons.
Well. I have had a C8 for the last 11 years, and I recently bought a Bintel 12 inch dob. Its easy to use and the views are fantastic. It is easy to set up and use. The C8 is a fantastic scope, but for the money you have you cant go past a 12 inch lifgt bucket.
