If affordable aperture is what you're after, cross the universe with a Meade LightBridge truss-tube Dobsonian telescope.

In the 1950's, John Dobson was a San Francisco monk with a simple goal: To share the wonders of the universe with as many people as possible.  The scope design that bears his name started as a way to help enthusiasts build simple working telescopes out of backyard "junk." But Dobson's way to "Go-Big" changed the face of amateur astronomy forever.

For those who don't want to polish their own mirrors, scavenge for cardboard tubes, or buy a truck to carry their telescope, Meade introduces LightBridge Truss-Tube Dobsonian Telescopes.  These quality instruments combine the simplicity of a Dobsonian mounted reflector with diffraction-limited (observatory class) Meade optics in a portable truss design.  8" to 16" telescopes capture more light from faint deep sky gems than their smaller counterparts, allowing you to see the spiral arms of dim galaxies and the swirling clouds of far away nebulas.