Sky-Watcher Dobsonian Series

First Time Buyer and Satisfied! – I have been interested in astronomy with my partner for a couple of years now and thought it time we dive into the world of telescopes! After much deliberation and research I was more confused than I would like to admit, I almost purchased some "no name" telescope from ebay due to aperture, features and price. I am lucky I mentioned my intentions to a family member who coincidentally worked with an amateur astronomer, he asked him some advice on my behalf and he advised I go to a store where he purchases from (Astro Pete's at Mt Gravatt). I sure am grateful for that information as I found a wealth of knowledge in moments than I had in weeks of researching! I purchased an 8" Dobsonian Skywatcher telescope right there and then and havent had a single problem with it, I will be going back for some advice on lenses and filter to enhance my already impressive experience.

Great for newbies or experienced skywatchers! – I purchased the Skywatcher 8 inch collapsible model Dobsonian second hand. The beauty of this scope is it's simplicity. No aligning with the Southern Celestial Pole, just swivel it round, push it up and down and if you have previously aligned the finder scope properly, finding your target is a breeze! The brake can be adjusted simply by tightening the handle. Focusing can be tricky but new scopes have the Crayford focuser which makes focusing easier. The finder scope can be difficult to look through at times contorting your neck and head, but you could purchase a diagonal or even a Telrad laser finder. The Telrad superimposes three red rings in your real non magnified image field of view so you can find your target easily. I went the whole hog and bought a Skywatcher electric focuser accessory for $89 so no shaking the scope when refocusing. The scope is a sturdy well made one and is a little heavy to carry, so either two people can do it or buy a flat office trolly. Of course you can take images through a dobsonian but it is limited to short exposures of planets or the moon as you cannot manually track targets as they move across the sky very successfully. You can go the extra and go for the 'GOTO' models but they cost hundreds of dollars more. For a beginner the 8 inch scope has a wide aperture. That size really pulls in the light that should satisfy most amateur astronomers, without having to upgrade to a larger scope after a short time. Compared to other types of scopes the Dobsonian has always been known to be the 'Best bang for your buck'. I am happy with the views this scope gives of constellations and the moon craters are outstanding! You will probably find that you will need to purchase extra eyepieces and filters to enhance your views, so factor this in to your purchase costs. A new 8 inch non collapsible Dosonian will cost around $500 plus freight charges if there is no shop within a reasonable distance.