Only One Scope

If you were a visual astronomer with lets say a $1000-$2500 budget and could only have ONE scope,what would it be and why?Dob,Sct??????

Thats a big range of value.
I think you should narrow it down a bit.

jeff yonker said:

If you were a visual astronomer with lets say a $1000-$2500 budget and could only have ONE scope,what would it be and why?Dob,Sct??????

I am scopeless at this time, but have owned over 160 scopes in the past 32 years. I can't see buying a DOB for under $2500 that would be worth a darn, unless i found a used 10" or maybe a used 11" EL Starmaster. All the other mass made Dobs i would never even think of buying.

I'm sure i could find many used SCT's for $2500 and less.

Guess if i had to pick one scope for 2500 and less it would be a nice older 10" LX200.

Only bad thing about buying a used LX200 is that Meade can't fix or have parts for them.

Chas

jeff yonker said:

If you were a visual astronomer with lets say a $1000-$2500 budget and could only have ONE scope,what would it be and why?Dob,Sct??????

The good, old, C8, probably on a GEM mount.

Compact, versatile, capable.

Nuff said?

jeff yonker said:

If you were a visual astronomer with lets say a $1000-$2500 budget and could only have ONE scope,what would it be and why?Dob,Sct??????

I would say it depends a lot on what the visual astronomer likes to observe.

Clear skies, Alan

jeff yonker said:

If you were a visual astronomer with lets say a $1000-$2500 budget and could only have ONE scope,what would it be and why?Dob,Sct??????

My vote is 2.

One large and very portable. As large an aperture as is manageable. With active cooling.
One small portable.

Within budget. Because there are more options available now than ever before. Including trussing an existing bulky dobsonian into a smaller package.

Also consider the thread here on 'great optics'.
IMHO good+thermal equalized+affordable optics, that are out under the night sky as often as possible, wins.