dtskiles's Full Review: Orion SkyQuest XT8 Dobsonian (480 x 203mm) Telesco...
This is an update 1 year after purchase. We have since mastered nebulas, and some deep-sky objects. I will note - the motorized drives would be nice, and in retrospect, I wish I'd gotten them. The Dobsonians are a bit troublesome to adjust at ultra-high magnification. Objects move "faster" and tend to migrate out of vision range. When you go to follow the object, sometimes the teflon pads stick (moreso in humid weather) and when the scope "jumps" - you find your self about 250 light years from where you want to be. The only way to backtrack is to go back to the widest optic and zero in again.
We wanted a scope that could interest our children to trigger and feed a lifelong interest in the sciences. We initially purchased a computerized scope with an equitorial mount for just a bit less. Due to quality issues, we returned it and bought the XT8 after additional research.
For those unfamiliar with the XT8:
Reflector, 203mm diameter mirror, 50.2 sq. in. light grasp, focal length/ration is 1200mm. It comes with two eye pieces at 48x and 120x. Maximum theoretical magnification is 480x, although I don't recommend that. Stay at 300 or below lest you be disappointed.
Ease of Use - for the amateur, a Dobsonian is a great scope. Point and shoot. While a separate star chart is always something good to have, the Starry Night software that comes with the scope (free) is all you'll really need to get started.
If you have small children - I highly recommend getting a couple 2in optics that fit into the scope. Young children have less trouble getting their eyes focused into a 2in optic than with the smaller 1.25. If you can find a "pirate patch" at the local drug store - that's very helpful for young eyes. I also recommend a green laser for pointing out objects in the sky before you zoom in. Lastly - this is a tall scope. With small children, you'll want a small stepstoop for objects much below the median point on the horizon. If you're aiming for objects nearly overhead - kneepads for the adults because you're going to be nearly underneath the scope while you're sighting.
Assembly is simple and easy. If you've ever assembled IKEA furniture - this will be a breeze. There are only about a dozen screws and everything is perfectly aligned.
Light gathering - while this is actually a medium-sized scope in Orion's inventory, it's still a monster. At 50+ sq.in., it's got more light-gathering ability than just about any refractor or cat. Granted, the reflectors cause everything to appear upside down and backwards by the nature of their design, but at this size, this scope is for deep-space viewing only. You will be able to distinctly see Jupiter's stripes and Saturns rings.
Portability - this is not a child's scope. It's nearly 4 feet tall and around 40pounds. Carrying this by the handle is awkward, so I tend to hug the thing when I carry it. Do be prepared to stoop when walking through doorways.
We've set this monster up on our slanted driveway, in the backyard and on the sidewalk in front of our house.
Although the least of our needs, I must brag and say this scope looks GREAT in the corner of the family room. But if you set it up in front of your house in the suburbs: 1) get a light pollution filter for nebulas, and 2) be prepared to give tours as kids will flock to your house.
203mm aperture and 1200mm focal length allow you to reach deep into space for jaw-dropping images The ultra-stable Dobsonian base keeps the tube perfe...More at Amazon Marketplace
An 8" (203mm) parabolic primary mirror that reaches deep into space to serve up jaw-dropping images of the planets, nebulas, clusters, and galaxies. T...More at OPT Telescopes
Epinions.com periodically updates pricing and product information from third-party sources, so some information may be slightly out-of-date. You should confirm all information before relying on it.
- Add to My Yahoo!: 
- Add to Google Homepage: 
© 1999-2010 Shopping.com, Inc.