Which 10" Dob.

[simmo39]

Hi. not sure if this is the right place for this but here goes. Im fairly new to this game (5 months or so) and have a SW 127,which im vert pleased with but Im already looking to the future! I have been looking at many posts on this site and doing other research and im leaning towards a 10" Dob. I have seen a few about but am being drawn to either an Oriom 10TX (think thats right or the Skywatcher 250. From the vast amount of experiance out there, which of these two scopes is best or is there another i should consider?

[John]

I guess you mean the Orion 10 XT ? - thats Orion (USA) rather than Orion Optics (UK). The Orion XT's have the same optics as the Skywatcher 250's as far as I know. Their tubes are slightly longer and they have that gunmetal grey colour scheme as opposed to the Skywatchers more traditional white with black trim. Orion (USA) products tend to be more expensive in the UK than their Skywatcher counterparts. I believe they are made by the same manufacturer though.

[simmo39]

Hi. yep its Orion USA. I did wonder if they where the same. I take it the Orion UK do there own scopes? and whats the verdict on there Dobs if they do them.

[Gweedo]

I've got the Skywatcher 250 Flex tube auto and I've been very pleased with it. One of the considerations for me was the storage size, and as it collapses into a not so large tube allowed me to have a 10" and be able to store it without it getting in the way too much.

Unfortunately, I've nothing to compare it with, so I'd suggest that if you can, try and do a side by side comparison if you could. Your local astronomy club may be able to help.

[scarp15]

Orion Optics UK VX range. Custom select options for enhancing optics, focuser etc. Noted for high quality mirrors and very good build quality, including their dobsonian bases. Also less of a footprint and lighter and compact than say Skywatcher alternatives - however quite pricey.

There is currently a Skywatcher 10" solid tube dobsonian and Orion Skyquest XT 10" on ebay, but if unable to collect then probably not worth factoring in the courier cost. A Skywatcher 250 solid tube or flextube though would make for a very good choice.

[John]

Orion Optics UK VX range. Custom select options for enhancing optics, focuser etc. Noted for high quality mirrors and very good build quality, including their dobsonian bases. Also less of a footprint and lighter and compact than say Skywatcher alternatives - however quite pricey....

Spot on. Optically excellent but a lot more expensive than the chinese ones. Except if you can find them used when their pricing is much more reasonable. Great used buys I reckon (as mine was)

[Moonshane]

my recommendation would be watch out for or advertise a want for a 10" OOUK dob. not OTT price-wise and will be a great scope. I have had 6 OOUK scopes and still have three of them but all bought used.

[Kano]

I have had a skywatcher 250px flextube since Xmas, so far it's been really good. The best bit I think is the fact it can be placed up rite in the back of the car (Freelander) and the base sits beside it, I was cautious about the collimation moving every time I extended it, but so far I haven't needed to adjust it. Well worth a look if you need to store it somewhere it will be seen.

[Mr Fiery Jack]

Yep, a second hand OO dob can represent excellent value, mine was 350 quid. I love OO dob bases, expensive though bought new.

[simmo39]

Thanks for the pointers. I have just found another dob, a Gso, any thoughts on them?

[John]

Thanks for the pointers. I have just found another dob, a Gso, any thoughts on them?

GSO optics and mirror cells are used in the Meade Lightbridge range. The Revelation dobsonians (sold by Telescope House for a while) and the TS dobsonians (Telescope Services in Germany) and the Zhumell dobsonians (sold in the USA) are all GSO dobs re-badged.

Optically about the same as Skywatcher.

[richarddownunder]

Hi there

I'm by no means an expert but have owned a 10 inch Orion Optics VX10 f4.8 for about a year (made my own Dob mount). I've been very happy with it. I bought it new and although it was a bit more than a Chinese scope, I felt the difference in cost was fairly trivial for something I am going to keep for many years. As well as the features already discussed, the mirror cell used is very good. I don't know if it is for this reason, but once collimated, my scope stays collimated. I check it each time I use it but have found very little need to adjust it. I'm not sure if this is true of all scopes.

Cheers

Richard

[Scooot]

Hi there

I'm by no means an expert but have owned a 10 inch Orion Optics VX10 f4.8 for about a year (made my own Dob mount). I've been very happy with it. I bought it new and although it was a bit more than a Chinese scope, I felt the difference in cost was fairly trivial for something I am going to keep for many years. As well as the features already discussed, the mirror cell used is very good. I don't know if it is for this reason, but once collimated, my scope stays collimated. I check it each time I use it but have found very little need to adjust it. I'm not sure if this is true of all scopes.

Cheers

Richard

I've noticed that about collimation as well. I drove back from Exmoor (about 200 miles) with the scope on the back seat on Saturday. I've just checked my collimation and I was surprised that I didn't need to alter it at all. I'm also extremely pleased with the scope and mount.

[estwing]

dobsville..its a happy place!

[russ.will]

Unless you get back too late and get sent to the dob house.

Russell

[Paul81]

Unless you get back too late and get sent to the dob house.

Haha! Made me chuckle!

Another vote from me for an OOUK 10"VX. I ordered mine at Astrofest and it was delivered last week (one week ahead of schedule). I did a lot of research and musing over which scope to get and decided I didn't mind paying the extra to ensure I got exactly what I wanted, and good lasting quality. I also got a good Astrofest discount, the OOUK staff were very polite and helpful.

So far the weather has been kind one night and I am extremely pleased with the setup! The quality of all the components is excellent (I got the 1/10PV optics, 10:1 focuser reduction), and the all metal mount is exceptional, very stable and once setup moves as smooth as butter. I had been saving for a while so also treated myself to a set of Ethos eyepieces for it. I must sit down and write a proper first light report, but suffice to say I am a happy bunny (even happier if there was better weather..).

As stated before, the scope holds collimation very well, I checked it when I received using a cheshire, and also performed a star test and it was spot on (it does come in a huge amount of packaging).

Another plus is that the tube is very light. One point of note is that if you intend on using TV Ethos eyepieces with the VX, you will need a 3" extension tube for them to reach focus.

I hope whatever you decide to get you have many hours of viewing pleasure!

[Scooot]

Haha! Made me chuckle!

Another vote from me for an OOUK 10"VX. I ordered mine at Astrofest and it was delivered last week (one week ahead of schedule). I did a lot of research and musing over which scope to get and decided I didn't mind paying the extra to ensure I got exactly what I wanted, and good lasting quality. I also got a good Astrofest discount, the OOUK staff were very polite and helpful.

So far the weather has been kind one night and I am extremely pleased with the setup! The quality of all the components is excellent (I got the 1/10PV optics, 10:1 focuser reduction), and the all metal mount is exceptional, very stable and once setup moves as smooth as butter. I had been saving for a while so also treated myself to a set of Ethos eyepieces for it. I must sit down and write a proper first light report, but suffice to say I am a happy bunny (even happier if there was better weather..).

As stated before, the scope holds collimation very well, I checked it when I received using a cheshire, and also performed a star test and it was spot on (it does come in a huge amount of packaging).

Another plus is that the tube is very light. One point of note is that if you intend on using TV Ethos eyepieces with the VX, you will need a 3" extension tube for them to reach focus.

I hope whatever you decide to get you have many hours of viewing pleasure!

Mine came with a 2" extension/spacer that I need to use with all eyepieces, is the 3" for the ethos in addition to that? If so, with the Ethos in the tube as well, it must protrude a long way.

Anyway, glad you're pleased with it, they're great scopes.

[Paul81]

I also got the 2" extender from OOUK, but I found with that only the 13mm Ethos would reach focus (and that was with the draw tube quite far out), the 8mm and 6mm (which I believe are parfocal) would not quite reach focus. Now I have the 3" extender, I have removed the 2" one, but yeah the Ethos does protrude quite far out. The OC1 focuser, and the 3" TV extender are very meaty though so it does feel very secure (I use 2" fittings rather than 1.25").

[Bart]

I believe there's a 12" in the classifieds :) just in case you were tempted

[mjpfc]

I am certainly tempted, I have had an old Helios 8" for 14 years and the voices in my head are syaing go straight for the 12".

(They are actually saying go for a 24" but my back pocket he laughs at this suggestion - as would the bank manager)

I do fancy an intelliscope dob though..........

Mick IOW

[Paul81]

Do it... Lifes too short!

[Oblong]

Go for it. I treated myself to a Skywatcher 250px flextube last winter, having not had a telescope since a crummy department store special when I was at school. Went with the GOTO option, mostly to get the motorised tracking, but was amazed at what could be seen (and the quality of amateur kit these days).

I am getting into DSO imaging, so got a nice 4" APO - and for the precious few clear nights here in Denmark over the winter (this year, I think there were 3, including one when it was -8 deg C with a force 7 breeze), was playing with that. Just recently, a dinner party coincided with an observable night - so I got the dob out for everyone to have a look through - and it surprised and delighted me all over again. I'd forgotten just how much of M42, to take one example, pops out with that sort of aperture. We even cranked it up to silly high power (once it and the eyepieces were properly cooled down), and got the best view of Jupiter I've ever had - clear GRS and structures in the cloud bands, plus a crisp shadow of Europa. Not bad for a light bucket

I have pimped my dobsonian ride a bit, adding these things (roughly in descending order of importance, as guessed by me):

- Televue Paracorr type 2 (best. accessory. ever)

- Counterweights for all that glass (I use a couple of lead diving weights, and attach them around the edge of the mirror cell with self-adhesive heavy duty velcro tape)

- Wide angle eyepieces

- Moonlight focuser (much more stable and smooth, holds collimation better, and allows the paracorr to sit fully in the drawtube, which is not possible with the collection of short extension tubes you get as standard)

Now, it might be considered cheating to review a scope having replaced the standard eyepiece with a paracorr+17mm ethos combination, but I reckon that getting an essentially perfect image across 100 deg apparent FOV from such a fast scope is amazing - and it shows how fundamentally good the optics are.

I think that scope is just great - not least because it encourages me to leave the imaging kit indoors sometimes and experience the sights through my own eyes. I hope you have as much fun with yours.

[simmo39]

Reading this thread has been most enlightening. I am saving my pennies for a 10" skywatcher Dob. Hopefully compliment my SW 127 Goto.

[Stuck in a field somewhere]

GSO optics and mirror cells are used in the Meade Lightbridge range. The Revelation dobsonians (sold by Telescope House for a while) and the TS dobsonians (Telescope Services in Germany) and the Zhumell dobsonians (sold in the USA) are all GSO dobs re-badged.

Optically about the same as Skywatcher.

How many actual manufacturers of telescopes are there? Everything seems to be made by a handful of bigger companies before getting rebadged.

[tom33pr]

I loved the push-to of my Orion Intelli 10".

I thought it was a great setup.

I'd recommend those scopes.

Regards.