With such a large aperture, more light is available and transmitted to the eyepiece. This scope is 3x to 4x the price, so I was hoping for more – it’s kind of small.. Is it that I need more eyepieces to make Saturn look even bigger? Zane Landers has owned over 80 telescopes as of 8/17/19. This model has gained so much popularity among astronomers because of its superior stability, simplistic design and accurate optics. The XT8’s finderscope is a simple red dot. The regular XT8 uses springs for tensioning, as the telescope is prone to tipping over if it is slightly top- or bottom-heavy, due to the small bearings providing a smaller fulcrum and any imbalance making the whole tube act like a lever. The XT8 Plus comes with a safety film (basically an improved, solar-safe Mylar) filter for viewing sunspots, which makes it a solar-compatible telescope. We are used to beginner and amateur telescopes with apertures of 70mm to 130mm. What can you see with the Orion 8945 SkyQuest? I bought an XT8 per your recommendation. But, if you want additional magnification or wide FOV viewing, you’ll have to spend more to get more. The XT8 Plus actually is a step down from the regular XT8 in this regard, as it uses regular bearings with adjustable tensioning knobs – if your scope is heavy on one side you have no choice but to tighten the altitude axis, which makes motions stiff and awkward. The Plus has a dual-speed, low-profile Crayford focuser that works even better. It’s okay at f/5.9 but it’s no better than the 25mm Plossl and offers only a very slightly wider field of view. As ridiculous as this may sound, is any other than the sun dangerous [for your eyes] to look at through the scope? It consists of a Newtonian tube assembly … The Plus has a white trim on the very bottom of the base to help with seeing it in the dark, but it’s so far down that it tends to be buried in the grass anyway, and you could put some glow-in-the-dark or reflective tape on the regular XT8 to do the exact same thing. Each piece (tube and base) weighs approximately 20 lbs. As a simple point and aim telescope, look forward to using it for many years to come. Older XT8s came with a so-so rack-and-pinion focuser with knobs that dug into your skin. The XT8 Dobsonian telescope will bring the wow-factor to a beginner astronomer. All objects look yellow. As a reflector telescope, images will be upside down. We’ll go over both the good and bad to see if it still deserves to be ranked as one of the best telescopes for beginners. I found this Orion set but I dont know if it is worthwhile or if it is better to buy some of the individual eyepieces you mentioned. Just to clarify….the 6mm? For high power, a few “gold-line” or 82-degree eyepieces are an ideal choice. 3. If you’ve been into astronomy any time in the past 20 years, you’ve probably heard of the Orion SkyQuest XT8. 1. Do you have a link to the superview you mean as quite a few come up when I research this and not sure what is right one. Assuming equal price, which should I pick: XT8 or Skywatcher 8″ Dobsonian? Also, particle board is incredibly heavy – the base of the Orion SkyQuest XT8 weighs a little over 20 lbs. This model is not motorized or computerized for tracking and neither can it be upgraded for it. The Dobsonian is a simple, low-cost telescope design popularized by San Francisco amateur astronomer John Dobson in the 1970s. It will also give you pointers in telescope control and how to plan and understand your observations. It seems everything is great about this scope, except the accessories. Optically and mechanically, it surrenders nothing to more expensive 8” telescopes. The Orion XT8 dobsonian is a mid-range reflector telescope. This is basically a regular XT8 with a 35mm DeepView eyepiece (still a Kellner, but a wider field than the 28mm so it actually makes some sense) and the aforementioned Barlow, along with the regular 25mm Plossl eyepiece. Thankfully, if the base is damaged or simply breaks your back, you can make a new base out of ¾” plywood for relatively little money which will weigh less and probably look better, even with modest tools and skills. Dobs are known for their large apertures and they’re often cheaper in price against telescopes with the same measuring diameter. The XT8 comes with a single eyepiece – a 25mm Plossl. Orion Skyquest XT8 is our second most recommended telescope for someone with a budget between $300 and $400, second only to Skywatcher 8″ Dobsonian. Thank you for providing this website!! How Does the Orion SkyQuest XT8 Classic Dobsonian Perform? This model is an 8” Dob that is simple in optics and design but with all the right features that makes it a winner. With a 1200 mm focal length, you can sufficiently use the included eyepiece for both wide star gazing and seeing details on the moon and cloud bands on Jupiter. Its optically and mechanically up to par with modern expectations and actually lacks nothing compared to other more expensive 8” Dobs. Would you recommend configuring our own set from Orion’s build-a-scope website? I am utterly perplexed as to why they would remove the springs and swap them out for this. This is important to note as visibility of DSOs (Deep Sky Objects) and faint objects is improved without aberrations. Many observers set this up on the ground as the eyepiece would be approximately 4 feet off the ground. Taller observers may want to place the base on top of a short table to help provide more height for comfortable viewing. Saturn shows several moons and intricate cloud bands, along with the Cassini and possibly Encke divisions. It comes with all the necessary hardware to get it put together. 2. https://www.amazon.com/SVBONY-Telescope-Eyepiece-Accessories-Astronomy/dp/B07JWDFMZ4/ref=sr_1_4?dchild=1&keywords=6mm+eyepiece&qid=1600379559&sr=8-4. It is nearly as good as the Moonlite I own – and costs far less. The XT8 comes with The Starry Night Special Edition Software. Best Dobsonian Telescopes 2020, Reviews & Buying Guide. It also comes with a 2”-1.5” eyepiece adapter that allows you to use both sizes and this will provide flexibility when it … Of course, the moon and its craterlets will be visible along with differing features and moons of Mars, Jupiter, Saturn, and Neptune. 1. The line includes solid tube Newtonian optical … *Rankings and ratings are calculated by comparing similar telescopes, in this case, 12 telescopes between $300 and $400. The Plus boasts having slightly higher reflectivity (94% versus something like 92%) mirrors, but in practice, you are very unlikely to ever notice this. The XT8 Plus is not a particularly great deal and actually loses some of the features that make the XT8 great. It is amazing. If you chip the paint/veneer you will expose what is basically pressed-together sawdust which will quickly warp and rot.