Skywatcher 8" F/6 Dobsonian

[dweller25]

I have had this scope for about six months now and bought it mainly for Planetary observations. It cost just £270.

The scope is quite long at 1200mm but not very heavy and is very stable on it's base. I would not describe the movement as buttery smooth but a few minutes soon gives you enough experience to easily track an object at medium powers.

Setup time is fast compared to my equatorial systems - around 5 minutes.

Optically the scope is very nice. A 203mm mirror is complimented with a 48mm secondary giving just 23% obstruction which is good for planetary contrast when compared to an SCT having a 35% obstruction. I have flocked the upper and lower third of the tube with Protostar paper.

I use a simple eyepiece plug with a central hole to collimate the scope during the day, this gives around 95% accuracy, the rest is done under the stars and takes just a couple of minutes (if I have a helper) to achieve perfect collimation. Since buying the scope I have had to recollimate the scope just once so it seems to hold collimation well. I have noticed that even with simple daylight collimation the scope is very sharp so the scope is quite forgiving.

Images in this scope are very sharp. I added a computer fan to the back to blow cool air onto the back of the mirror. This also removes tube currents and disrupts the boundary layer on the mirror surface.

At x150 it is easy to follow the planets by nudging the scope and the views are very sharp and contrasty.

Overall for the price I paid for the scope it represents tremendous value for money and is very easy and satisfying to use and I don't get dewing problems.

Well recommended.

PS - I have no affiliation with Skywatcher but if they want to send me a free ED120 for this review then that's fine

[John]

Thats a nice review of a great scope - thanks for posting it

There seems to be a general view on all the forums I read that a 8" F/6 newtonian is a real "sweet spot" in terms of all round performance potential and general useability. I was very pleasently suprised at the planetary views I got through my Skywatcher 8" dobsonian - Saturn at 170x was superb !.

BTW I've also no affilliation with Skywatcher but would also be prepared to accept an ED120, once you have had yours

John

[Rogue Leader]

I have to agree with all you have written. I just do not have the time anymore to setup an eq scope, if the weather looks promising I plonk the dob outside, let it cool and then away I go.

[Beulah]

I would wholeheartedly agree with the 8" Dob, you can see from my sig I own one myself. It is such a good scope that performs so beautifully in my area of dark sky. VERY impressed with the optics.

Skywatcher paid me to say this.

[Geordieboy]

Hi guys/gals I've not long been in to stargazing and have had a 60mm refractor so far. I'm looking to upgrade my kit as I'm totally hooked now. I've read the reviews of this scope and I must say I'm very impressed. I do however have one question.....my budget is around £450 and I'm stuck between the skywatcher 10" dobsonian or the 8" flex tube auto. I've seen a meade lightbridge 8" that also looks good and reviews of that are equally good.

Would any of you kind folk suggest what your opinions would be please?

[Orion_the_Hunter]

Hi guys/gals I've not long been in to stargazing and have had a 60mm refractor so far. I'm looking to upgrade my kit as I'm totally hooked now. I've read the reviews of this scope and I must say I'm very impressed. I do however have one question.....my budget is around £450 and I'm stuck between the skywatcher 10" dobsonian or the 8" flex tube auto. I've seen a meade lightbridge 8" that also looks good and reviews of that are equally good.

Would any of you kind folk suggest what your opinions would be please?

Hi, if you post your questions in the beginners help and advice section plenty of people will be along to help.

[stevetynant]

I like many others on this forum also have the 200p for a first time scope- I was a bit apprehensive after spending so much money that it may be a flash in the pan hobby and money wasted- but so far I absiolutely love it and have not been disappointed in the scope at all - good luck with yours and thanks for the review

Skywatcher gave me my scope for free when they noticed me looking at the moon one night :0)

[wrinkly]

Load of rubbish. Skywatcher 8" Dobs suck. It's got to be The Orion 8" SkyQuest Classic.

Wadya mean, it's the same 'scope?

Envy your adjustable altitude friction lock as the spring system is not brilliant. Very pleased with what I've seen through mine but plans for the alt bearings.

Now looking for a plant pot mover to mount it on, sack truck not that convenient at my state of decrepitude.

[jimmyjamjoejoe]

I've only had mine a week or two, and just added some shims to smooth out the azimuth bearing. 2 disks made from an old milk bottle has smoothed it right out, 3 was too much and it'd rock on the central bolt, 1 was just not quite smooth enough.

Also had to faff about adjusting the angle of the focuser since it was off, and this made collimation impossible in the conventional sense. But it was surprisingly easy to fix, and was actually kinda fun learning how everything went together. I'm now pretty confident i could dismantle the scope completely and have it back together within an hour no problems.

Time to think about flocking methinks, and maybe painting the secondary edges.

One thing i didn't like is the fact there is no cover for the primary. I had a dog hair sneak in there somehow, so now i'm keeping an old wooly hat over that end (it's old and no longer wooly, so no loose fibres etc), until i plonk it outside to cool, then i remove it to speed things up.