Maybe the idea of a big-aperture telescope appeals to you, but the portability issue has kept you on the fence. Well you can hop off it now because we've got the perfect solution — the "space-saving" SkyQuest XX12 IntelliScope® Truss Tube Dob. It's a deep-sky observer's dream scope, offering jumbo 12" (305mm) Pyrex parabolic optics of 1500mm focal length (f/4.9); a stylish, reduced-weight base outfitted with computerized IntelliScope object locating technology; and a sturdy, eight-truss tube design that disassembles in about a minute into compact, easily portable components. And at its price, the XX12 ranks as the #1 killer telescope deal of the year!

Finally, a deluxe, large-aperture Dobsonian that fits comfortably into a compact car for transport to your favorite observing site! Credit the XX12's traditional truss tube design, which utilizes eight aluminum trusses (four captive pairs) that attach and detach quickly with oversized hand knobs — no tools required! This design provides a more rigid structural support than other designs in this category. And all assembly knobs are captive, so you won't lose any in the dark! (You're welcome.) When removed, the trusses in each captive pair align in parallel, which saves space when transporting and storing them. Disassembly of the 56"-long optical tube yields two sections, the largest measuring just 26" in length.

The XX12 improves on the already stellar features and performance of our standard XT12 IntelliScope Dob. The focuser is a dual-speed (11:1) 2" Crayford with 1.25" adapter, metal focus knobs, and adjustable drawtube tension to ensure excellent, non-slip motion for any size of eyepiece used. We outfitted the XX12 with larger, 8" altitude bearings for smoother tube motion. The side-reinforced base sports stylish cutouts that minimize weight without sacrificing stability. EbonyStar laminate glides on virgin Teflon to give the azimuth motion the feel of silk. Fine features carried over from the XT12 include adjustable altitude tension, an open 9-point flotation primary mirror cell, and a "navigation knob" for easy slewing.

Although the primary mirror cell is extremely well ventilated, the XX12 comes with a Cooling Accelerator Fan, which attaches to the back of the cell and facilitates faster equilibration of the mirror to ambient temperature. The secondary mirror has a 70mm minor axis and is held in a four-vane spider with very thin (0.7mm thick) vanes to minimize diffraction effects.

The acclaimed IntelliScope Computerized Object Locator comes standard on the XX12, allowing manual slewing to any of 14,000 celestial objects in just seconds, using its illuminated pushbutton keypad. It lets you spend your time viewing celestial objects instead of hunting for them. What's more, with the XX12's 305mm of light-grabbing aperture, your favorite "faint fuzzies" won't look nearly so faint or fuzzy! The deep-sky views will simply dazzle you.

The XX12 comes fully loaded with great accessories, including a 9x50 finder scope, aluminum eyepiece rack, two eyepieces: a low-power 35mm (43x) DeepView 2" and a high-power 10mm (150x) Sirius Plossl 1.25", dust caps for the top and bottom optical tube sections, and a "collimating cap" to insure optical alignment of the mirrors. A convenient carrying handle is provided for the base.

It's the big Dob you've dreamed of owning, and now you can take it with you wherever dark skies beckon! Get the practical and amazingly affordable SkyQuest XX12 IntelliScope Truss Tube Dobsonian by Orion and hit the road to astronomical adventure.

Assembled weight (including accessories): 86.5 lbs. Assembled optical tube, 56"L x 14"W, 49.5 lbs. Bottom tube section, 26"L x 14"W, 34.3lbs; top tube section, 8"L x 14"W, 9.6 lbs. Truss poles (8), 22"L x 1"W. Total weight of 4 Truss pole pairs and captive assembly knobs: 5.6lbs. Base, 25"W x 30"H, 34lbs. 12V battery pack included (requires 8 D-cells: not included) to power Cooling Accelerator Fan. One-year limited warranty.

$1299 (Plus $80 Shipping)