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Orion SkyQuest XT6 Dobsonian Reflector Telescope
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Orion SkyQuest XT6 Dobsonian Reflector Telescope

Average customer rating:

I just got my new 6XT!!!!!
The ideal amateur telescope
Great all-around astronomical performer

Orion SkyQuest XT6 Dobsonian Reflector Telescope

Manufacturer: ORION
ProductGroup: Photography
Binding: Electronics

Binoculars | Used Photo & Camera | Specialty Stores | Camera & Photo Features | Electronics

Telescopes | Used Photo & Camera | Specialty Stores | Camera & Photo Features | Electronics
Product Features:

150mm aperture and 1200mm focal length for brighter, more detailed images
A streamlined Dobsonian base for unflinching stability and superior balance
Includes two eyepieces, finder scope, collimation cap, and FREE TheSky astronomy software
One-year limited warranty

ASIN: B00020WZB0

Product Description

Affordable, powerful, and easy to use, our highly acclaimed SkyQuest XT6 is a great choice for beginners seeking an exceptionally capable telescope that's also nicely portable. And with a new lower price of just $299, the XT6 is one of the hottest telescope deals on the planet. And now, for a limited time, receive a FREE LaserMate Collimator with your purchase! Its 150mm-diameter, 1200mm focal length parabolic primary mirror gets the goods, rendering excellent images of deep-space objects as well as high-power views of solar system attractions. It's a hands-on scope that is a joy to use -- uncomplicated, stable, and a snap to set up and take down. The tube is equipped with a 1.25" aluminum focuser and a navigation knob for easly slewing, plus a 6x30 finder scope and two Sirius Plossl eyepieces. You also get an eyepiece rack, quick-collimation cap, and hard dust cap. Get yours today! One-year limited warranty.

Customer Reviews:

I just got my new 6XT!!!!!.......2007-05-03

I've been through hell this past month not knowing what telescope to buy. I've had 3, yes THREE telescopes in one month. Starting first with the NG70 reflector by meade. I sent that back. It was ok, but I read that if you're going to buy a reflector, make sure it has at least 100mm aperture (80-90mm is good too). I also read that reflectors give you more aperture for your money, so I bought the spaceprobe 130mm by Orion. I liked it, but I did not like the equatorial mount it came with, but this product does have great reviews. The equatorial mount was difficult or me to comprehend. It has a 5.1 inch (130mm) aperture, which is good. I ended up selling it to my colleague who loves gadgets. But if you're looking for a quick and easy set up with great aperture for an affordable price, I HIGHLY suggest the skyquest. Portablility is good (refractors are better for portability). Equatorial mounts take a long time to set up and take down (unless you have space in your home to keep it set up). I live in NYC (lots of light pollution here), yet I was still able to see lots of constellations that I couldn't see with my naked eye (due to light pollution). I saw Saturn for the first time!!!!!!! I saw it's rings, Titan (Saturn's largest moon) and the Cassini division. I'm blown away by this telescope. I nearly gave up hope going throught three telescopes in one month. This one's a keeper! I love it and it loves me :).

The ideal amateur telescope.......2007-01-07

This is not only the ideal scope for beginners but enough of an instrument to show you new things in the sky for years to come. It is sturdy and simple to operate. It has enough light-gathering power (more important than magnification) to reveal dim star clusters, nebulae, and galaxies and good enough optics to show you the surface of planets like Jupiter, Saturn, and Mars. Affordable as this scope is, there is no reason to give so much as a glance at the numerous trashy 60mm refractors with exaggerated magnification claims that litter the market.

Some advice on selection. Dobsonians like this one come in a range of sizes. A 114mm (4 ½") is a bit on the small side but still a fine instrument, especially if your ability to carry large objects is limited. A 150-200mm (6-8") scope like this one is in the middle of the recommended range. A 250mm (10") is on the big side, and you should buy one only if you are able-bodied.

Some advice on use. Viewing through a telescope is less like playing a CD and more like playing a guitar. Finding objects takes a little bit of practice. To simplify finding, I would suggest replacing the supplied finder with Orion's superior 8x40 model and also supplementing it with a "red dot" finder; both are available on Amazon. You will also need to buy an atlas (Sky & Telescope's Pocket sky Atlas is the best available), a red flashlight to view the charts without blowing out your badly-needed night vision, and a guidebook to lead you to interesting objects. These investments will greatly add to your enjoyment.

What more can I say? This is the kind of scope that experienced observers have been trying to steer novices towards for decades. Although, I recommend that you do your homework before buying any scope--learn the sky and get to know experienced stargazers who can advise you--when it comes time to purchase, you could hardly do better than this scope.

For more advice, see my encyclopedic guide here on Amazon, "So you want to buy a telescope."

Great all-around astronomical performer.......2004-06-18

This 6-inch scope and the 8-inch XT model, are some of the best bargains for amateur astronomers. The XT6 is a terrific all-around performer: large enough to reveal a good bit of deep-sky objects as well as give impressive planetary detail (when my local atmospheric conditions are steady enough). The scope is easy to set up and use, and rock-steady even at high powers (although hand tracking gets a little tricky above about 200x; I rarely need to go that high, however).

I've invested a bit in improving my 6XT. I've bought the 9x50 right angle correct image finder and added a straight-through zero-mag finder. This combination make finding objects a breeze. I've made some minor modifications to make the motions smoother (easily found on various websites) and I've bought a variety of eyepieces. Still, the basic package you get is plenty usable as-is.

A little big and heavy for younger folk, and not useful as a spotting scope. If buying for a young one or if astronomy is not your primary interest, a smaller refractor telescope might be a better idea.

Orion SkyQuest XT6 Dobsonian Reflector Telescope
Average customer rating:

The ideal amateur telescope

Very good newbie experience

Very pleased with the performance

Orion SkyQuest XT6 Dobsonian Reflector Telescope

Manufacturer: ORION
ProductGroup: Photography
Binding: Electronics

All Telescopes | Telescopes | Optics | Camera & Photo | Categories | Electronics
Reflectors | Telescopes | Optics | Camera & Photo | Categories | Electronics
150 to 200mm Aperture | Telescopes | Optics | Camera & Photo | Categories | Electronics
Binoculars | Used Photo & Camera | Specialty Stores | Camera & Photo Features | Electronics
Telescopes | Used Photo & Camera | Specialty Stores | Camera & Photo Features | Electronics
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Product Features:

150mm aperture and 1200mm focal length for brighter, more detailed images

A streamlined Dobsonian base for unflinching stability and superior balance

Includes two eyepieces, finder scope, collimation cap, and FREE TheSky astronomy software

One-year limited warranty

ASIN: B00018QJ24

Product Description

Affordable, powerful, and easy to use, our highly acclaimed SkyQuest XT6 is a great choice for beginners seeking an exceptionally capable telescope that's also nicely portable. And with a new lower price of just $299, the XT6 is one of the hottest telescope deals on the planet. Its 150mm-diameter, 1200mm focal length parabolic primary mirror gets the goods, rendering excellent images of deep-space objects as well as high-power views of solar system attractions. It's a hands-on scope that is a joy to use -- uncomplicated, stable, and a snap to set up and take down. The tube is equipped with a 1.25" aluminum focuser and a navigation knob for easly slewing, plus a 6x30 finder scope and two Sirius Plossl eyepieces. You also get an eyepiece rack, quick-collimation cap, and hard dust cap. You can pop the tube off the base or carry them together as one with the beefy carrying handle. Get yours today! One-year limited warranty.

Customer Reviews:

The ideal amateur telescope.......2007-01-07

Very good newbie experience.......2006-01-02

Santa gave my son an XT6. We had never used a reflecting telescope before. Hence my review is not much of a comparison. But anyway :

Very simple to assemble and transport (for most dads it will
not be necessary to separate the tube from the base to a carry it. For his mom I think she would have to carry it in two parts which though not difficult would complicate things with putting the springs back in the dark.

The unit needed collimating after assembly which was clearly documented and wasn't difficult. I had to move the secondary mirror that required a Hex wrench that wasn't supplied (according to the instructions this was atypical).

Within a few hours we had seen the rings on Saturn and a very bright mars.

He is on the short side for a 6 year old and needed a stool to reach the eyepiece. I think he will find it very comfortable to use the finderscope and eyepiece as he gets a couple of years older. He is able to pivot the scope without much difficulty and rapidly got the hang of changing the eyepieces. From that perspective probably good they are <$50 a piece when he inevitably drops one eventually.

The software included was very useful allowing him to get a spaceship view of where we were looking after the event and quickly locate stars. The only thing that was lacking (I believe included in fancier versions) was the ability to turn off dimmer stars to more closer correlate with what we see in my back yard.

Everything seemed well built, I have read other reviews that the optics are reasonable but I can't really judge.

Anyway overall we very pleased

Very pleased with the performance.......2004-04-06

A lot of telesecope for the money. This gives a nice, clear view of the planets and the moon. Since I live in the suburbs of Detroit, I have not yet seen any deepsky objects. I am getting filters to fix that, however. One quick word of advice: If you're planning on buying a telescope for astrophotography, this would not be a wise choice (cannot mount a tracking motor).

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