Aperture– This is the diameter of the front lens or rear mirror of the optical tube. This is usually stated in millimetres, mm, or inches and may be noted as 150 mm or 6” in the specifications. This is the key specification for judging the telescope’s ability to show you dim and distant planets and deep-sky objects. In general, the more aperture the better. The Heritage 100P is easy to set up: simply attach the finderscope, slot in your eyepiece and you're ready to go in no time at all. The StellaLyra 12” f/5 Dobsonian is a 12” (304mm) Dobsonian with the same bearings and accessories as the 10” and 8” StellaLyra Dobsonians along with features like a dual-speed Crayford focuser and of course excellent optics. It’s even more capable than these and similar options on account of its huge aperture, providing fantastic deep-space as well as lunar and planetary views. Another benefit of dobsonians is their unrivalled light gathering capabilities when compared to the cost. Another telescope with the same size and aperture such as a Schmidt would cost twice as much. Seasoned astronomers know that the more light you can gather, the further away you can see and the more you’ll be able to explore. Unfortunately, Dobsonian Telescopes tend to be quite heavy. Key Considerations when Purchasing a Dobsonian Telescope i) Consider the Aperture Looking for a cheap, affordable telescope to get you started on your journey to space exploration. There’s no doubt that with today’s technologically advanced models, prices can soar though the roof. But just because the top dobsonians are super expensive doesn’t mean that you should ditch your hobby. Instead, why not get the best budget dobsonian telescope in the market?

The 25mm eyepiece supplied is fine although the 10mm is "basic" but thats the norm with bundled eyepieces. As with the 130P, you get a collapsible tube, a pair of 25mm and 10mm eyepieces (30x and 75x respectively with the Heritage 150P), a red dot finder, and a simple tabletop Dobsonian mount. You will need to find a fairly steady surface to place this telescope on, however. Building a custom stand might not be a bad idea. A collimation tool is also included for the sharpest possible views. Alternatives The eyepieces are 26mm and 9mm, providing magnifications of 25x and 72x: low and medium-powered views. The Ursa Major 8″ Dobsonian is an economically-priced 8″ Dobsonian telescope, which encompasses many of the fundamental design features seen in more costly 8″ models, yet streamlined to the essentials. The Ursa Major 8″ Dobsonian delivers exceptional performance for its price, making it a desirable option for those on a budget.

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One quibble with the focuser and finder is that their positioning feels wrong when it comes to using the telescope. The Heritage 150P attaches to its tabletop Dobsonian mount with a standard Vixen-style dovetail bar bolted directly to the lower half of the tube. Thus, you could theoretically put the telescope on another mount, but it’s possible this could result in the focuser/eyepiece being located in an awkward position. Accessories Designed for convenient use on a tabletop, it is also equipped with a 3/8" standard tripod bush, so it can be used with a suitable photo tripod.

For a medium magnification between 30x and 75x, we might also recommend a 15mm gold-line (50x), which provides a good balance of field of view and magnification for viewing many deep-sky objects. If you’re willing to spend extra, there’s the SVBONY 15mm 70-degree with a wider and sharper field of view, as well as a more comfortable eyecup. The Sky-Watcher Heritage 150P borrows a lot from the smaller 130P, having essentially the same features but with 20mm more aperture. That extra 20mm may not seem like much, but it makes a significant difference when it comes to viewing galaxies and globular star clusters.The focuser is a weakness of this telescope. Wrapping the thread in a little PTFE tape removes the slop enough to make it acceptable at the price. You don’t have to be a technical engineer to buy an awesome telescope, but if you understand a few concepts and terms like the ones below, you’ll be fine.

The Heritage 150P will show a wealth of festoons, storms, and cloud bands on Jupiter ranging from blue, to red, to tan, to pink, to gray and brown. The Great Red Spot is also clearly distinguishable, even as it continues to shrink over the years. You’ll also be able to see the 4 Galilean moons (Io, Europa, Ganymede, and Callisto) as tiny disks, with equally tiny shadows when they transit across Jupiter and eclipse its cloudy surface. Where the Orion intelliscope really excels is the computerized object locator that gives users easy access to over 14,000 different and equally fascinating celestial objects. So instead of having to spread around charts looking for any signs of light up there, the intelliscope makes things a whole lot easier by giving you something new to look at every night. Flaws But Not Deal Breakers The first thing you want to do is to figure out what you really want out of your telescope. Consider:Second, the scope does tend to lose collimation a little more often. This, to me, is almost a nonissue; the tube is so short that you can make adjustments while looking through the eyepiece at a bright star or using a collimation tool, and it only takes a minute or so to do it anyway. The StellaLyra 8″ f/6 is the most exceptional value 8″ Dobsonian you can acquire and comes with all the necessary accessories. It is one of our top selections for a telescope for nearly any task. The StellaLyra 8″ f/6 includes two eyepieces: a 2″ 30mm SuperView (40x) and a 1.25″ 9mm Plossl (133x). The StellaLyra 8″ f/6 is the finest 8″ Dobsonian available, alongside our top overall choice for a beginner telescope, and nothing surpasses the sheer value in its price range; some of the other 8″ Dobsonians from brands like Bresser or Sky-Watcher may cost marginally less, but just the dual-speed focuser is easily worth more than double the price increase of the StellaLyra 8″ f/6. The StellaLyra 8″ f/6 Dobsonian is the telescope we most frequently recommend to novices. Alternative So with this particular telescope, you can catch the Crab Nebula M82 and M81 in near full moonlight. Most other scopes will just struggle at such light levels. In fact, if you can find some darker skies to peer into, you can view the Double Cluster in all its glory. The 200 P telescope has actually been used to see clearly as far as Saturn. This includes a clear cut Cassini Division, the distinct colour differences between the rings as well as five of the moons orbiting this beautiful planet. Flaws But Not Deal Breakers The Ursa Major 6” f/8 Planetary Dobsonian, as with the 8” model, is a simple and economical option for a freestanding 6” f/8 Dobsonian. It only has a 1.25” focuser and its spring-tensioned mount is not ideal, but it works well and offers excellent performance for the price along with a fairly decent set of provided accessories. Naturally, budget dobsonian telescopes are usually a hit with novice stargazers and even kids. So most customers were very pleased with both the low price range as well as how easy the model is to set up. Another factor that people can’t stop talking about is how light it is. The telescope is small and light enough not to be an inconvenience. However, experts and experienced stargazers couldn’t help but notice that the scope keeps shifting and needs frequent refocusing and you also can’t quite see Saturn’s rings. Should You Buy It?