Exploring the Labels and Traits of Orion SkyQuest Series
Informal Take on the Popularity of Orion SkyQuest Dobsonian Telescopes
Let me tell ya, buddy, my astronomy club's got quite a few members sporting Orion SkyQuest Dobsonian telescopes - including me! Ever been to one of our observing nights? You'd think it's an Orion meetup, not an astronomical event!
Orion's SkyQuest Dobsonian line offers two main types: solid-tube Newtonian optical tubes and truss design Newtonian optical tubes. Swanky stuff, we think so at least.
Unfortunately, a chunk of these bad boys had to retire from the market due to Orion's takeover of Meade - that's rough, but we're making do with what we've got.
Manual SkyQuest Dobsonians (The XT Series)
There's a set of manual mounts in the SkyQuest series, which Orion calls their Classic Dobsonian series. No fancy end-letter here, just the XT4.5, XT6, XT8, and the XT10. Old-school goodness, but still bundled with some modern touches.
PushTo SkyQuest Dobsonians (The XTi or XXi Series)
The XT Intelliscope series gets you computer guidance to find celestial targets without breaking the bank. Models like the XT8i, XT10i, XT12i, XX12i, and XX14i make finding your prized cosmic wonders a breeze. The XX line features truss tube designs, and the gist of it is they're lighter and more compact than the solid-tube designs from the XT series.
Upgrade to the Intelliscope series, and you'll have computer-guided mounts - aka PushTo or digital setting circle mounts - that show you where to aim. The base (no motors) remains manual, but hey, astronomy ain't always about the high-tech. You gotta put in the work!
GoTo SkyQuest Dobsonians (The XTG or XXG Series)
The SkyQuest XT GoTo series takes it up another notch, with motorized mounts. Just input your target, punch the GoTo button, and the mount moves the optical tube to your chosen celestial body, tracking it as it moves through the sky. Models here include the XT8G, XT10G, XT12G, XX12G, XX14G, and XX16G.
No matter if it's manual, PushTo, or GoTo, the optical tubes are identical in size across each category, with the XX truss tubes offering a lighter and more compact design. It's the mounts and accessory packages that differ, but hey, we're just stargazers, not rocket scientists!
- The XT Series in Orion's Classic Dobsonian series are manual mount telescopes, including the XT4.5, XT6, XT8, and XT10, that offer old-school manual operation with modern touches.
- The XT Intelliscope series in Orion's SkyQuest Dobsonian line provides computer guidance to help locate celestial targets, such as the XT8i, XT10i, XT12i, XX12i, and XX14i, making stargazing more accessible with their PushTo or digital setting circle mounts.
- The SkyQuest XT GoTo series from Orion delivers motorized mounts that take the stargazing experience to the next level by automatically moving the optical tube to chosen celestial bodies and tracking them as they move through the sky, including models like the XT8G, XT10G, XT12G, XX12G, XX14G, and XX16G. In all sets, the optical tubes remain identical in size, while the mounts and accessory packages differ.
