Sky-Watcher 8" Dobsonian Telescope
- Price: $449.00
- Free Shipping (USA)
- In Stock
- B&H # SKSW8DOB
- Mfr# S11700
Product Highlights
- 8" Dobsonian-Style Newtonian
- 1200mm Focal Length
- 2" Crayford-Style Focuser
- 2 Plossl 1.25" Eyepieces
- 8x50 Viewfinder
- Teflon Bearings, Tension Clutch
- Collapsible Tube Design
The 8" Dobsonian Telescope from Sky-Watcher is a large-aperture, short focal-length, Newtonian reflector. It provides big light-bucket gathering, good optical quality and unique utility. It has an inspiring simple construction, emphasizing ease-of-use and greater aperture for lower cost.
Sky-Watcher's optical tube design utilizes their proprietary truss support system. That system allows the optical tube's front and back tubes to collapse together, aligning on the truss support rods, and locking down for secure transport. This one piece, low-hassle OTA design is mechanically simple and results in a large aperture telescope that can be reasonably handled and transported by one individual. This innovation gives Sky-Watcher users tremendous functional ease-of-use.
The Sky-Watcher Dobsonian's large aperture and fast focal ratio make it the ideal dedicated telescope for wide-field, deep-space observation of faint galaxies, nebulae, and star clusters. For ease-of-use, Sky-Watcher uses a high-performance Teflon bearing system in both axes combined with tension adjusters in altitude that assure smooth manual movement.
Sky-Watcher Dobsonian telescopes offer quality optics, huge aperture, solid construction, and superb value for the investment.
In viewing deep-space aperture counts big time. With this telescope you have tremendous light gathering power. Some prominent deep-space objects seen well in an 8" SW DOB are the Lagoon (M8), Trifid (M20), and Swan (M17) nebulae, the globular star clusters M13 and M92 in Hercules, the Great Orion Nebula (M42) and our local galaxy group companion, the Andromeda Galaxy (M31), and many more.
On each parabolic primary mirror, and elliptical diagonal mirror, aluminum is vacuum deposited to the front glass surface and then over coated with hard quartz (SiO4). Additional layers of titanium dioxide (TiO2) and (SiO4) are then applied.
An 8x50mm right angle optical viewfinder provides both magnification and light gathering to help narrow your search for those elusive fuzzies while star-hopping. The standard, backlash-free, 2" Crayford Focuser insures ultra smooth focusing adjustments. Multi-coated, 4-element Plossl eyepieces (25mm and 10mm) provide a spacious 52° Apparent Field of View.
- Large aperture 8" (200 mm) Dobsonian-style Newtonian for more light gathering ability at less cost
- 2" Crayford-style focuser with 1.25" adaptor brings those warm fuzzies into quicker and clearer focus
- Two, 4-element, Plossl 1.25" eyepieces; 25 mm and 10 mm
- Conveniently located accessory tray holds 3 eyepieces
- 8x50 RA viewfinder to help find target object
- Solid rocker-mount with Teflon bearings and tension clutch facilitates smooth vertical and horizontal movement
- Truss-support system allows the optical tube's front and back tubes to collapse together for easy and secure transport
| Optical Design | Newtonian Reflector |
| Aperture | 8" / 200 mm |
| Focal Length | 47.24" / 1200 mm |
| Focal Ratio | 6 |
| Eyepiece Barrel Diameter | 1.25" |
| Eyepiece |
48 x: 0.98" / 25 mm 120x: 0.39" / 10 mm |
| Maximum Useful Magnification | 472x |
| Limiting Stellar Magnitude | 14 |
| Finderscope | 8x50 RA Viewfinder |
| Tripod | N/A |
| Mount Type | Dobsonian |
| Power Source | None |
| Optical Tube Dimensions | Length: 44.5" / 113 cm |
| Optical Tube Weight | 24.2 lb / 11 kg |
REVIEW SNAPSHOT®
by PowerReviews(based on 2 reviews)
Ratings Distribution
REVIEWS
Reviewed by 2 customers
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Displaying reviews 1-2
Pros
- Accurate
- Compact
- Easy to Use
- Lightweight
- Quality Lenses
- Strong Construction
Cons
Best Uses
- Astronomy
Comments about Sky-Watcher 8" Dobsonian Telescope:
I have had this scope out about 5 times in the two weeks that I have had it. I can have it in my car's back seat in 5 minutes. Same time to get it out and set up. Portable.
The quality is very good. I can see that it needs to be collimated, but right out of the box, and every time I have set it up since, it has been plenty close to perfect. The only minuses: the bearing surfaces in the base are a bit sticky (if they don't break in soon, I will work on them...) and the right-angle finder scope is hard to use. I will replace the finder with a red dot type soon.
It's a sharp scope. Two bands on Jupiter are clear with no filters. Craters of the crescent moon have TEXTURE. The Hercules cluster looks like you could jump in and swim around.
- Was this a gift?:
- No
Pros
- Accurate
- Easy to Use
- Quality Lenses
Cons
Best Uses
- Astronomy
Comments about Sky-Watcher 8" Dobsonian Telescope:
I was using a Meade 4" SC reflector and decided to move up to an 8" Dobsonian...this was the right move. I was able to assemble the 8" Dob in about an hour, the plossl eyepieces that came with the package work great, and are lightyears better than the MA eyepieces I was using. The scope was perfectly aligned right out of the box, and even if it wasn't the design of the scope makes alignment easy. The Dob mount works great, and the of course there is huge difference between a 4" and 8"...light, light, light. My first night out, even with city lights, I was able to see globular clusters and galaxies. It's hard to believe that one can purchase a telescope of this calibre for this much money and have all the included parts and features in the box. Nice work, Sky-Watcher.
- Was this a gift?:
- No
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