If you’re looking for an easy-to-use telescope that offers crystal clear views of the night sky, then a Dobsonian telescope is the perfect choice. Dobsonian telescopes are known for their remarkable clarity and cost-efficient design, making them an excellent option for amateur and professional astronomers alike. In this guide, we’ll provide an overview of some of the best Dobsonian telescopes on the market today, as well as provide some helpful tips for selecting the right telescope for your needs.
Best Dobsonian Telescopes
| Rank | Product Name | Score |
|---|---|---|
|
1
 |
Orion 8945 SkyQuest XT8
|
9. 7
|
|
2
 |
Orion 10014 SkyQuest XT5
|
9. 5
|
|
3
 |
Orion 8944 SkyQuest XT6
|
9. 1
|
|
4
 |
Sky-Watcher 12”
|
8. 8
|
|
5
 |
Orion 8946 SkyQuest XT10
|
8. 6
|
|
6
 |
Sky-Watcher S11610 Traditional
|
8. 2
|
|
7
 |
Orion 10018 SkyQuest XT8i
|
8. 0
|
|
8
 |
Zhumell Z8
|
7 .7
|
1. Orion 8945 SkyQuest XT8
I recently purchased the Orion 8945 SkyQuest XT8 telescope and I have been extremely pleased with the quality of this product. It is an 8-inch Dobsonian telescope, which means it has a large mirror that makes it great for viewing deep sky objects like galaxies and nebulas. The optics are top-notch and the views are incredibly clear. The telescope is also incredibly easy to use and set up, even for beginners. I also appreciate the sturdy construction and excellent customer service from Orion. In conclusion, I highly recommend the Orion 8945 SkyQuest XT8 for anyone looking for an excellent telescope for deep sky viewing.
- 8″ (203mm) f/6 Dobsonian-style Newtonian reflector telescope with a 900mm focal length
- 2″ Crayford focuser with 1.25″ adapter
- 25mm (36x) and 10mm (90x) Sirius Plossl 1.25″ telescope eyepieces
- EZ Finder II reflex sight for easy aiming
- Collimation cap and eyepiece rack for easy storage
- Sturdy Dobsonian base and CorrecTension springs for smooth, accurate pointing
- Preassembled and almost fully pre-collimated for convenience
- Includes collimation instructions and Starry Night astronomy software
2. Orion 10014 SkyQuest XT5
I recently purchased the Orion 10014 SkyQuest XT5 and I have to say that I’m impressed! The optics are outstanding, allowing me to see distant galaxies, star clusters and nebulae with unprecedented clarity. The Dobsonian mounted base is sturdy and surprisingly lightweight, making it easy to move around when necessary. The XT5 also comes with a variety of accessories such as eyepieces, a Barlow lens, and even a red dot finder, making it an ideal scope for beginners or experienced astronomers alike. I highly recommend this telescope if you’re looking for an affordable yet high-quality instrument.
- 5-inch aperture telescope
- 900mm focal length
- 2 Eyepieces: 25mm (36x) and 10mm (90x)
- 6×30 finderscope for easy object
- EZ Finder II reflex sight for easy aiming
- Collimation cap allows easy alignment of the optics
- Sturdy Dobsonian base with adjustable altitude tension knobs
3. Orion 8944 SkyQuest XT6
I recently purchased the Orion 8944 SkyQuest XT6 Dobsonian telescope and I am very pleased with my purchase. It is a great value for the price and provides an incredible view of the stars and galaxies in the night sky. The telescope comes with a 6-inch primary mirror that provides clear, sharp images of space. The telescope is surprisingly easy to assemble and the manual provides clear instructions on how to do so. It also includes two eyepieces and a Barlow lens, which gives you a wide range of magnifications to choose from. One of the most impressive features of the telescope is the Dobsonian mount, which makes it very stable and easy to move around. Overall, I am very pleased with my purchase and highly recommend the Orion 8944 SkyQuest XT6 Dobsonian telescope.
- 6″ aperture diameter
- 750mm focal length
- 1.25 inch rack and pinion focuser
- EZ Finder II reflex sight
- 25mm Sirius Plossl eyepiece
- Collimation cap
- Sturdy Dobsonian base
- Stable tabletop design
- High-quality components
4. Sky-Watcher 12”
The Sky-Watcher 12” telescope is an excellent choice for beginners and expert astronomers alike. The telescope is solidly built with a solid steel mount, and it offers a powerful magnification of up to 900x. The optics are of high quality and its ability to track stars and other celestial objects is accurate and reliable. I have used this telescope for both observations and astrophotography and I am extremely satisfied with the results. The ease of use and the included accessories make this telescope a great choice. Highly recommended!
- 12” aperture
- 1200mm focal length
- 2” dual-speed Crayford-style focuser
- Aluminum tube construction
- 2” and 1.25” eyepiece adapters
- 9×50 finderscope
- SynScan AZ computerized Go-To hand-controller
5. Orion 8946 SkyQuest XT10
I recently purchased the Orion 8946 SkyQuest XT10 telescope and I am very pleased with it. The telescope is easy to assemble and set up, and the optical quality is excellent. The telescope has a large, 10-inch aperture and a long focal length, so you can see faint objects with ease. The Dobsonian mount makes it easy to track objects in the sky, and the low-vibration drive system ensures that you can observe without being disturbed by vibration. The included accessories such as the 25mm and 10mm eyepieces, the finderscope, and the collimation tools are all of great quality. All in all, I’m very satisfied with my purchase and would highly recommend it to anyone looking for an affordable, high-quality telescope.
- 10” Dobsonian reflector telescope
- 1200mm focal length
- 2” Crayford focuser with 1.25″ adapter
- 25mm Sirius Plossl eyepiece (48x magnification)
- 6×30 finder scope
- EZ Finder II reflex sight for easy targeting
- Collimation cap for easy mirror alignment
- High quality, adjustable aluminum tripod with accessory tray
6. Sky-Watcher S11610 Traditional
I recently purchased the Sky-Watcher S11610 Traditional telescope and I am absolutely delighted with it! It was incredibly easy to set up, and the images are incredibly clear. I have been able to see the moon and its craters, Jupiter and its moons, and Saturn and its rings. The telescope is surprisingly lightweight and easy to transport. The build quality is excellent and the price is very reasonable. I would highly recommend this telescope to anyone who wants to explore the night sky.
- Robust and stable alt-azimuth mount
- 2” single-speed (1:10) Crayford-style focuser with 1.25” adapter
- 6×30 finderscope
- Two stainless steel tripod legs and accessory tray
- Includes a 32mm Super Plössl eyepiece and erect-image diagonal
- Magnifications of 20x, 40x, 60x and 83x
7. Orion 10018 SkyQuest XT8i
The Orion 10018 SkyQuest XT8i is a great quality telescope for both beginner and experienced astronomers. The 8 inch aperture of the telescope is great for viewing distant galaxies, deep space nebulae and comets. The telescope also has a Dobsonian base which makes it easy to move and set up. With its large aperture, the XT8i has great light gathering capabilities, allowing for clear and crisp images of distant objects. The mirrors are also made of quality material, providing excellent image quality. The eyepieces are also of good quality and provide a wide range of views. For those who are new to the hobby, the XT8i is a great entry level telescope and its size makes it easy to transport to a dark viewing site. All in all, the Orion 10018 SkyQuest XT8i is a great telescope for those looking to take their first steps into the hobby of astronomy.
- 8-inch (203mm) aperture for clear and bright views of celestial objects in the night sky
- 900mm focal length (f/4.9) for detailed views of planets, the Moon, and galaxies
- 2″ Crayford-style focuser for precise focusing control and a smooth, slip-free focuser operation
- 25mm Sirius Plossl eyepiece (36x) for wide and generous field views
- 9×50 finder scope for quickly locating objects in the night sky
- Collimation cap, Dust cap, and quick-collimation cap for easy and accurate collimation
- Sturdy Dobsonian-style base for convenient manual navigation
8. Zhumell Z8
I recently purchased the Zhumell Z8 telescope and was very pleased with my purchase. I got a lot of bang for my buck with this telescope as it offers great features at an affordable price. The assembly was easy and the instructions were clear and easy to follow. The design of the telescope is very sturdy and I felt confident that it would last a long time. The optics are excellent, producing crisp and clear images. I was able to see the rings of Saturn and the moons of Jupiter on the first night of using the telescope. I’m looking forward to more nights of exploring the celestial wonders!
- 8″ Dobsonian Reflector Telescope
- 1200mm Focal Length
- 2″ Crayford-style Focuser
- 2″ and 1.25″ Adaptor
- 9×50 Finderscope
- 25mm (48x) and 10mm (120x) Eyepieces
- Adjustable Altazimuth Mount
- Collimation Cap
