• Explore Scientific 12" Truss Tube Dobsonian Telescope - full view
  • Explore Scientific 12" Dobsonian with collimation tool
  • Dobsonian altitude bearings detail
  • Dobsonian cooling fans
  • Dobsonian primary mirror box
  • Dobsonian rocker box with secondary mirror
  • Dobsonian secondary mirror detail
  • Dobsonian truss tube assembly
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Explore Scientific

Explore Scientific 12-Inch f/5 Truss-Tube Dobsonian Telescope — Portable Large-Aperture Telescope for Deep-Sky Visual Astronomy

Explore Scientific 12-Inch f/5 Truss-Tube Dobsonian Telescope — Portable Large-Aperture Telescope for Deep-Sky Visual Astronomy

$1,999.99
$1,999.99
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Shipping calculated at checkout.

The 12-inch Truss-Tube Dobsonian is the telescope serious visual observers dream about — a 305mm mirror that gathers over 1,800 times more light than the naked eye, packed into a design that breaks down without tools and fits in a small car. Whether you're chasing faint galaxies, intricate nebulae, or razor-sharp planetary detail, this telescope delivers the aperture that makes those targets come alive.

A Dobsonian is the simplest telescope design for visual astronomy: point it at the sky, look in the eyepiece. No complicated polar alignment, no computerized setup. Just big aperture, buttery-smooth motion, and dark skies.

Who This Is For

Intermediate to advanced stargazers who want serious aperture without a heavy equatorial mount. Also a great choice for beginners who want to start with the best possible visual experience and are comfortable following a setup guide.

What You'll See

  • Saturn — rings with the Cassini Division cleanly split, even at moderate magnification
  • Jupiter — multiple cloud belt details and all four Galilean moons
  • Galaxies — spiral arm structure in M51 (the Whirlpool Galaxy) from a dark site
  • Nebulae — filament detail in the Orion Nebula; the Ring Nebula (M57) as a crisp smoke ring
  • Globular clusters — M13 fully resolved into thousands of individual stars

Key Features

  • 305mm (12-inch) primary mirror — collects 1,800× more light than the unaided eye
  • Truss-tube design — disassembles in minutes with no tools; fits in most cars
  • 2-inch helical focuser with 10:1 fine-focus — smooth, precise control at high magnification
  • Dual radial cooling fans — speeds mirror cool-down so you're seeing sharp images faster
  • High-altitude bearings — exceptionally smooth motion for tracking objects at high power
  • LED Red Dot Finder included — fast, intuitive star-hopping to your targets
  • Collimation assist tool included — keeps optics aligned for peak performance

Specifications

  • Aperture: 305mm (12 inches)
  • Focal length: 1,525mm
  • Focal ratio: f/5
  • Secondary obstruction: 24%
  • Focuser: 2-inch helical with 10:1 fine-focus reduction
  • Theoretical max magnification: 600×
  • Limiting magnitude: 15.1
  • Mirror cell support points: 9
  • Truss pole length: 88cm
  • Eyepiece height at zenith: 142cm
  • SKU: DOB1245-01

Note: AA battery pack for cooling fans sold separately. Optional coma correctors available for astrophotography use.

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Frequently Asked Questions

With a beginner telescope you can see a surprising amount — the craters and mountains on the Moon, the rings of Saturn, the moons of Jupiter, and star clusters like the Pleiades. As you get more comfortable, you can also spot nebulae and distant galaxies. Not sure which beginner telescope is right for you? Check out our Telescope Buying Guide.
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All telescopes on Telescope Wolves are hand-picked with beginners in mind. If you're unsure which telescope is right for you, check out our Telescope Buying Guide.
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