Which is best, Orion Skyquest XT6 (big dob) or SkyWatcher DOB 6?

[lulaz]

Links to the telescopes:

SW DOB 6:

TELESCOPE SUPPLIERS - SKY-WATCHER TELESCOPE

Orion SkyQuest XT6

SkyQuest XT6 Classic | Orion Telescopes

Which one do you think it is best, and why?

I found out that my closest store have this 2 nice scopes.... so I got to choose 1!

please help me!

thanks a lot in advance!!!

[Rossco72]

They are essentiially the same scope made by the same manufacturer in China.

The optics will be pretty much identical, so for me it would only be which you could get cheaper or whether you had a strong preference on colour!!

[lulaz]

actually, the focal length of the Orion XT6 is 1200 and the f. length of the SkyWatcher is 1000 (actually, on the DOB6's initial page says 1200, and the manual says 1000).

The SW. dob 6 comes with 2 eyepieces (SPL 25 and 10) and a 2" focuser with 1.25" adapter... Orion XT6 is just 1 eyepiece (SPL 25) and just 1.25" focuser

Orion comes with o red dot finder (RDF) and the SW comes with a 6x30 finderscope...

And I noticed that the Orion comes with a spring to not let the tube swing hard and "fall" on the base... and SW doesn't have this kind of protection... what do you think? any difference between these two different "systems"? I don't like to be totally free to move the telescope's tube everywere withouth something to prevent the tube to "fall" and hit something hard...

[Rossco72]

I'm pretty sure both are f8 systems (1200mm focal length and 150mm aperture), the base optics are the same.

A 2" focuser can be handy. The SW has a friction brake which can set the resistance to movement.

To be honest, either will need some mods to make them more useable. Unless you are getting a great deal on the Orion to make it cheaper, I'd go for the Skywatcher.

PS, I used to have an Orion XT6i in the household before we sold it when we got the Flextube.

[johninderby]

Both scopes are 1200mm f/8.

The Skywatcher alt tension system is controlled by tightening the knobs on each side of the scope. The Orion uses the older style system of a spring pulling down on the alt bearing. This doesn't add any kind of spring loading to stop the tube moving, it just adds pressure to the alt bearing to make it stiffer to move. The Skywatcher tension system is a lot easier to use than the Orion's spring type and gives you a better range of adjustment.

The problem with the Orion USA dobs in the UK is that they come from China via USA and thus have more taxes and shipping costs added which makes them more expensive. The Skywatchers come directly from China.

John