Is this a good telescope?

Question

I am an amateur astronomer looking for my first telescope and i think i have found the one!

The one i found was the Orion Sky Quest XT8 (specifications below).


Specifications:

Primary mirror focal length: 1200mm

Primary mirror diameter: 203mm

Focal Ratio: f/5.9

Focuser: Rack and pinion. Accepts 2" eyepieces and 1.25" eyepieces with adapter

Eyepieces: 25mm & 10mm Sirius Plossl, fully coated with multi-coatings, 1.25" barrel diameter

Magnification with supplied eyepieces: 48x & 120x

Finder scope: 6x power, 30mm aperture, achromatic, 7 degree field of view

Finder scope bracket: Dovetail base, spring-loaded X-Y alignment

Eyepiece rack: Holds three 1.25" eyepieces and one 2" eye-piece

Mirror coatings: Aluminum with SiO2 overcoat

Minor axis of secondary mirror: 47.0mm

Weight: 42 lbs., 10 oz.

Tube length: 46.5"

Tube outer diameter: 9.25"

Primary mirror focal length: 1200mm

Primary mirror diameter: 203mm

Focal Ratio: f/5.9

Focuser: Rack and pinion. Accepts 2" eyepieces and 1.25" eyepieces with adapter

Eyepieces: 25mm & 10mm Sirius Plossl, fully coated with multi-coatings, 1.25" barrel diameter

Magnification with supplied eyepieces: 48x & 120x

Finder scope: 6x power, 30mm aperture, achromatic, 7 degree field of view

Finder scope bracket: Dovetail base, spring-loaded X-Y alignment

Eyepiece rack: Holds three 1.25" eyepieces and one 2" eye-piece

Mirror coatings: Aluminum with SiO2 overcoat

Minor axis of secondary mirror: 47.0mm

Weight: 42 lbs., 10 oz.

Tube length: 46.5"

Tube outer diameter: 9.25"


Is this a good telescope? Would i be able to see objects our of our solar system (maybe with accessories)? Any advice or recommendations would be greatly appreciated! Thanks!

Answer 1

Excellent choice!



The eyepieces provided are its main limitation. The 25mm (48x) will bea good all-around eyepiece, but the 10mm (120x) will leave you hungering for more magnification, especially for the planets. I'd recommend the addition of a 6mm (200x) or 5mm (240x) eyepiece such as these:

http://www.telescope.com/60mm-Orion-Edge-On-Planetary-Eyepiece/p/8883.uts?keyword=edge-on%20planetary

http://www.telescope.com/5mm-Orion-Edge-On-Planetary-Eyepiece/p/8885.uts?keyword=edge-on%20planetary



I'd also recommend upgrading the 6x30 finder to a 9x50 finder.



Finally, get yourself a good 10x50 binocular, like the Orion Scenix, and two books:

NightWatch by Terence Dickinson (Firefly)

Sky & Telescope's Pocket Sky Atlas by Roger Sinnott (Sky)

Answer 2

Yes!!! Everyone will say, "Most Definitely".





I was going to buy the XT8 but decided to go with the XT10. Not too much more money. ORION is an Excellent company. I paid for standard shipping and recieved my scope 7 days after I ordered it! From California to Chicago.





The views on my XT10 are Incredible!





Jupiter and Saturn look Great!



You will see TONS of Nebulae and Galaxies with Ease.

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- I would suggest buying a 2X or 3X Barlow lense. The XTs come with a nice 25mm Plossl eyepiece. Having the barlows and a couple more eyepieces will give you many Magnification combinations.



- Glass Full Aperature Solar Filter. This thing is Great! It will almost double the amount of time you can Actually use your scope. Where I live I don't get many clear nights. But there are enough breaks in the clouds to view the sun.



- I wouldn't reccomemend buying the XTi versions. The intelliscope does not seem worth the amount of extra money they charge. The standard XT versions are perfect for beginners. It will also leave more money room for eyepieces, solar filter, or nebulae filter... etc.

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- My XT10 is HEAVY! 76 lbs!!!



If you are not small it is easy to carry alone.



If you buy 2 heavy duty, brass drawer handles. Use a Nut and bolt to attach them to the sides so you can easily carry it while you are alone. Don't use screws! Nut and Bolts ONLY.



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- Foam Bumpers! Adhesive foam strips.

The scope with heavy attatchments (Solar filter, Good Eyepieces, Spotting Scope) will slowly fall naturally to a horizontal position. Place a strip of adhesive bumper foam on the Arch where the scope falls.



- Orion sells an Eyepiece rack that you can put on the side of the base. This is great but a little pricey. A cheap substitute is a small wooden box from Hobbly Lobby screwed into the side of the base. You can buy one for $1.00!



- Buy a Star map or get an iPod app like "Distant Suns" or "Stellarium".



- Binoculars. A cheap $25 pair of binoculars will help Tremendously. It is hard to star hop when you are just beginning. Binoculars are great because you can easily move them and they offer wide fields of view.



- NASA stickers! They look great on the black scope. NASA has many mission stickers for sale. You can also find them online or on eBay.

Answer 3

That is a very ample telescope to see those objects you mention, and much more. But I would also recommend getting "The Backyard Astronomer's Guide" by Dickinson & Dyer in conjunction with, or preferably before, your telescope purchase. It has an excellent section on choosing your first and then more advanced telescopes. I usually don't pay too much attention to these books, but this one is now my observing bible.

Answer 4

yes, it's a good choice.



your questions suggest you have a lot of work to do, however. please pick up a copy of _nightwatch_ or a similar book and read it before you spend a dime. get some good star charts.

Answer 5

That's the one I got and I am happy with it

Answer 6

Very good choice.

Wally