Install:

The EZ Finder II is a small unit that is installed on a dovetail base that is preinstalled on the optical tube of your telescope. You simply have to loosen up two screws on the EZ Finder and slide it into the bracked and tighten the screws again. You will then have to move the dovetail mount into the telescopes mounting base and tighten the screws. Simple. The EZ Finder II is powered with a 3-volt lithium batteries and it produces a LED light, not laser. You will have to turn the power know clockwise until a tick (well, you might call it a click) and the power will then be turned on. If you look through the optics you will see a red dot and you are ready to use the EZ Finder II.

How the EZ Finder II works?

The EZ Finder will cast a small red dot onto the lens at the front end of the telescope. Then when you look through the optics you will see the dot and it will look like it is in space. You can then use the red dot to locate deep space objects.

You can adjust how intensity of the dot with the power knob which was used to turn it on. You will then have to find the most comfortable setting for you. It is recommended that you try to find the dimmest setting that will still allow you to see it comfortably.

Just remember to turn the EZ Finder of once you are done telescoping.

The third telescope in the SkyQuest line is the Orion Skyquest XT8. If you are looking for a telescope that takes you that step beyond planets and lunar observation and into the realms of star clusters and galaxies than the Skyquest XT8 is something worth considering.

The Orion SkyQuest XT8 is great beginners and intermediate scope. With the 8 inch aperture compered to the 6 inches of the SkyQuest XT6 you will not just be able to find planets and moons. You will be able to see beyond the planets and take a look at objects such as the M42 where you will be able to see stunning details.

The Orion SkyQuest XT8 is also one of the “bang for bucks” starter scope that is affordable at a great price while being compact and strong and can last a life time for you or your family.

Point you scope towards Orion and take a look the gas areas in the M42, you won´t be able to look away.

If you are a beginner the details in the moon will leave you surprised with the terrain while the planets of Saturn and Jupiter will leave you mystified. Just remember that if you are using a telescope for the first time your eyes will take some time to get used to finding objects in the sky.

The first use of telescope is often underwhelming because you are not trained to see small things in the sky. To start by looking at the moon and planets can therefore be better instead of going straight into deep space looking for faint objects that only the trained eye can find. It is higly recommended to use filters if you are going to look at bright objects, looking at the moon without filters is like gazing at the sun in the middle of the day.

 Quick grab

What Can You Expect to See With the SkyQuest XT8?

Has enough light grasp to pull in pleasing views of faint nebulas, galaxies and star clusters

The 1200 mm focal length and the f/5.9 focal ratio combined with some great optics will give you plenty to look at in the night sky.

Depending how experienced you are this will of course differ. Looking through a telescope for the first time can be disappointing if you aim for more advanced targets. When you look through the XT8 at the nearby planets like Jupiter, Saturn, and Mars you will see a crisp bright clear image in great detail that will leave any beginner amazed and wanting for more.

The XT8 aperture is large enough to gather a significant amount of light from more distant celestial objects for great views of sparkling star clusters, cloudy nebulas, and faraway galaxies.

Compared to the other orion telescopes on the SkyQuest series the XT 8 has marginally shorter focal length than the XT6 which does not make much of a difference when you are viewing the moon or planets within our solar system, Jupiter, Saturn, or Mars.In this regard the XT8 will outperform the XT6 by a distance and the XT4.5 will not even compare.

Be Amazed:

The Close up detail:

Best for viewing?

Sky Photography?

The mount:

The mount is straightforward “point and shoot” which makes viewing simple for you. The downside compared to the equatorial mount and tripod is that it will require more practice to find the desired objects in the sky. But with the EZ Finder II reflex sight and the Starry Night software and a Sky Map you will be able to find most objects in the sky while making the StarGazing experience more pleasurable with the added learning curve.

Product specification

The Orion SkyQuest XT8 is a Classic Dobsonian 8 inch reflector telescope with a base that gives fair balance and is easy to use.

Magnification:

Additional accessories included:

• Comes with a 2 inch Crayford focuser that accepts 1.25” and 2” telescope eyepieces as well as the
• 25mm Sirius Plossl eyepiece,
• an EZ Finder II reflex sight,
• collimation cap,
• Starry Night software,
• and more!

Recommended accessories:

Even though the SkyQuest XT8 is a great product with good optics and will enable you to see some amazing things there are always ways to make a great product better. Sometimes increased magnification can help you see things cleared when they are bright enough. Looking at the moon and other bright objects will hurt your eyes without filters. So we recommend a few things to get the most out your XT8 experience.

• 3x Barlow lens will enhance the view you get
• Moon filters
• Other filters if you are going to look at bright objects, it will hurt your eyes otherwise

Where to Buy?

NA

Viewed with a Orion SkyQuest XT8

Saturn, the sixth plannet from the Sun, and is the second largest planet to Jupiter is about nine times larger than the Earth and is a gas giant. For that reason Saturn is often named the Gas giant. Saturn has sixty-two mons that orbit around the planet. The most famous - and largest – is Titan which is also the second largest moon in the solar System.

Saturn is easily visible with the naked eye and can be seen close up with a telescope. The planetary rings and Titans are among the objects that you can take a look at with a telescope.

Planetary rings

Saturn is well known for its planetary rings which are very well documented and visually pleasing when viewed through a telescope. They consist mainly of water ice with some specs, dust and rocks in them mix. The origin of the rings are not known but it is thought that they have formed when a moon was destroyed. Their origin might be a mystery but they sure are pleasing to look at with a telescope.

Have you ever looked up at the night sky and wondered about the mysteries that it holds? There are countless number of people who are attracted to the bright stars and other celestial bodies that dot the sky. A telescope is that one thing which brings all the star gazers around the world a little closer to these heavenly bodies. It is very common to find astronomy enthusiasts armed with their telescopes looking for that perfect spot to spend a relaxing night gazing at the star lit sky. And if watching the heavens unfold their mysteries is what you fancy then ‘The Orion XT 6″ Classic telescope’ is just the right tool to make your star watching experience a memorable one.

The Orion SkyQuest XT6 is Classic for Beginners

The Orion XT 6″ Classic is a brilliant beginner’s telescope. This Dobsonian style telescope should be the first choice for all amateur astronomers who want to upgrade from a 60mm telescope. Its large 6 inch aperture will not only give you sharper and clearer images but you will also be able to see the finest details with the help of this telescope. With the power to grasp as much as 80 times more light than a 4.5 inch telescope, the Orion XT 6″ Classic will make even distant galaxies seem an arm’s length away.

This beautiful telescope is one of the best amateur telescopes available for viewing planets like Jupiter, Venus and also the lunar surface. Imagine your excitement when you spot one of Jupiter’s four moons or it famous great red spot or better still if you catch a glimpse of the Martian polar ice caps. The Orion XT 6″ Classic’s focal length of 1200 mm with a Focal Ratio of f/8 will really make the skies come alive for you.

The Orion SkyQuest XT6 Classic is Portable

One dilemma that all astronomers face is the portability of a telescope. It is imperative to have the best possible spot for viewing all the celestial activity. It really is a great help if you have a powerful telescope which is also easy to carry around and set up.

The Orion XT 6″ Classic gives you all that and much more. Its ingenious design will make all your concerns vanish away. Setting up this telescope is a breeze. The XT6 has two main parts, the 6″ optical tube and the wooden Dobsonian base. You just need to position the wooden base at your desired point of observation and place the optical tube onto the base and you are ready for a wonderful sky watching experience.

Great Price

There are many people who have a great desire to gaze at the skies and see for themselves the heavenly wonders. But one thing that scares them off this lovely hobby is the high price of most of the astronomy equipment, however this is not the case with the Orion XT 6″ Classic which comes at a price of under three hundred dollars.

For this price it is one of the best telescopes available in the market, a true value for money for all your star gazing pleasures. Another thing that worries most amateur astronomers is the fear of using complicated functions of a telescope. The Orion XT 6″ Classic rids you of this trouble as well. Its uncomplicated design and simple navigation allows users to use this telescope with utmost ease. There is no need to adjust the polar alignment and its wide and stable wooden Dobsonian base allows vibration free images. You will always look forward to viewing far away galaxies and stars with this amazing telescope.

Let the heavens unfold with the Orion SkyQuest XT6 Classic

A night sky full of stars has amazed everyone since the dawn of time. The human mind’s curious nature has made us discover distant planets and stars. Had it not been for the humble telescope even the greatest astronomer of all time, Galileo could not have discovered amazing celestial bodies and shown us the way forward on our astronomical journey.

So if you are one of those people who look up at the stars and wonder what kind of secrets they hold then you should get yourself the Orion XT 6″ Classic telescope. Watch the consolations unfold their beauty as they glitter in the night sky. All you need to do is point this telescope to the brightest star in the sky and watch in amazement the glorious work of nature on display.

Product Specification

Where to Buy?

With the launch of the Orion SkyQuest XT4.5 Classic Dobsonian Telescope, all of you can hope to get captivated by the nearby planets and the moon without burning a hole in your pocket! This telescope makes stargazing straightforward, interesting and pleasurable for your family. Weighing 22 pounds, this device is portable at its best, has a unique design and has controls simple enough to make amateurs and experienced personnel use it with panache.

Product Specifications

When it comes to buying a telescope there are some terms that will confuse the average buyer. Terms such as aperture, focal ratio, magnification, refractor, reflector, and many more will be explained here.

Those terms will be explained here in plain simple language that will help you determine the most important factors to you when it comes to buying the telescope that fits what you will use it for the best.

Altazimuth and Equatorial mounting

Altazimuth mounting is a specific type of a telescope mount that has two axes that the telescope turns on. One is pointed vertically (back and forth) the other is pointed horizontally (up and down; altitude).The former is the azimuth axis while the latter is the elevation axis.

Telescopes that utilize the Altazimuth mount usually have to rotate around both of its axes at the same time in order to follow celestial objects that appear across the sky while the Earth rotates.

Smaller telescopes that use the Altazimuth mount can be operated by a human being and there are many commercial types available on the market that is operated that way.

Equatorial mounting is a telescope mounting where one of the axes about which the telescope rotates is turned parallel to the Earth’s axis of rotation.

Equatorial mounting can therefore follow celestial objects across the sky while the Earth rotates, the axes rotates at a constant rate of one revolution per day. Equatorial mounting can be used with geared-down motor.

There is however also many types which are motor-driven and computer controlled which allows for the operation of larger telescopes.

Aperture – What is The “Best” Aperture for A Telescope?

When talking about Aperture people often refer to the aperture of the telescope as the “power” of the telescope. That the more apertures the telescope has the more power it will bring its user. This is true to an extend but be aware that there are other important factor that determine the usefulness of the telescope.

Aperture means simply the working diameter of a lens or mirror, the diameter being the size of the largest beam of light that can get through it. This is the ability if the lens or mirror to gather light. The higher aperture the more light the telescope can gather which will result in a better image.

When talking about aperture the measure is either talked about in inches or millimeters.

Barrel distortion

This is one form of aberration of the optical system. Barrel distortion is when magnification is decreased with distance away from the optical axis. The result is that squares are shown to have their sides “bulged out”.

Chromatic Aberration

When we look through a telescope we are looking at light that has travelled a long way from distanced stars and planets far away. The problem that we face is that different optical systems handle different colors of light differently which causes the colors of the image we recive in our telescope to be incorrect.

A “catch-all” term for this problem is Chromatic aberration but the problem can be narrowed down into different kinds of problems:

• chromatic difference of magnification,
• chromatic variation of spherical aberration,
• lateral color,
• longitudinal chromatic aberration,
• longitudinal color,
• and spherochromatism.

Chromatic Difference of Magnification (also known as Lateral Color)

The aberration of the optical system when the magnification differs for different colors of light. The result of this when looking at an image that is composed of multiple colors, such as green, red, and blue, is that the size of the object is disorder for the size of different colors.  This can often be noted at the edge of objects of different colors or brightness by colored fringes.

Chromatic Cariation of Spherical Aberration (also known as Spherochromatism)

Again, this type is an aberration of the optical system when spherical aberration is different in different colors of light.

Longitudinal Chromatic Aberration (Longitudinal Color)

Again, this type is an aberration of the optical system when the focal length of a system differs for different colors of light.

To take an example, if you where to look at a white object through a telescope with longitudinal chromatic aberration you would (we as human being are sensitive to green light) focus on the green light making the red and blue colors of light out of focus and would form an out of focus violet halo around the object.

Focal Length

The focal length of a telescope is the measure from the primary lens or mirror to where the light converges to focus. In other words, the focal length is a measure of a telescope how effective it is at converging light. A high focal length has less optical power than a low focal length. The reason is the low focal length brings light faster to focus because the light has to travel a shorter distance.

High focal length has on the other hand higher magnification but creates a narrower angle of view compared to the less magnification and more power of a low focal ration which results in wider angle of view. Focal length is measured on both millimeters and inches.

Focal Ratio: What is important here?

The focal ratio another important factor that you will need to be aware for the specific uses you intent for your telescope.

The focal ratio is calculated by taking the aperture size and by dividing it with the focal length. The focal length is in return the measure from the primary lens or mirror to where the light converges to focus.

A telescope with the aperture of 4.5 inches and the focal length of 45 inches will have a focal ratio of f/10.

Magnification

The result when a eyepiece is used with a telescope. Magnification is calculated by dividing the focal length of the telescope with the focal length of the eyepiece. See telescope accessories for more on magnification and eyepieces.

Types of telescopes ( See Types of Telescopes for detailed information)

• The Refracting Telescopes
• Reflector Telescopes (Newtonian or Dobsonian Telescope )
• Catadioptric Telescopes or Cassegrain Telescopes (Cassegrain Telescopes)

Star gazing can be done with you bare eyes and a dark clear sky. To look into the space to see the stars will send your imagination flying. There are literally millions upon millions of stars that cluster together in a large web of light. Most of us have been there just looking into space drifting of trying to see patterns and shapes in the sky.

It is truly amazing when you can see star clusters or nebulae with your naked eye or a simple bright star.

But if you want to see deeper and further into space where deep sky objects reside you will need more than your eyes. You will need some patience, perseverance, knowledge and most of all a telescope to take your there. There are also some accessories that you will need if you want to make the most out of your star gazing experience. Even the most skilled and experienced star gazers bring a few accessories with them that they define as indispensable when looking through a telescope into space.

There are many telescope accessories that you can choose from that range from necessary to fun.

Tripod and mount

If you want to get anything out of your telescope then a tripod or a mount is essential. Most often this is included with the telescope but sometimes that is not the case. You will have to be aware of this and make arrangements if the telescope of your choice does not come with a tripod or a mount.

If it is not included you will have to be sure that the tripod you choose for your telescope will fit together as otherwise you will not be able to use it properly. Note that you can get the manufacturers models for your scope to be sure you have a fit.

Altazimuth and Equatorial mounts or the two most common types of mounts available on the market today. They are covered in more detail in Buy a Telescope Terminology.

Flashlight

Even though you can use a telescope from the comfort of your home the best practice is to go outside when it is dark to get a better view. Then you have to take a look at the star chart and set you gear up. This can be difficult when there is little light. A flashlight can therefore come in handy, preferably with red light or a red film that covers the light. This will reduce the brightness of the light and make it more comfortable for your eyes.

Sky map

A sky map is very important to both your experience to stargazing as well as your learning curve in the field of astronomy.

A sky map can:

• Help you find planets, stars and big constellations
• Find star clusters, nebulae´s and distant galaxies
• Locate and follow bright comets
• Inform you about the night sky and astronomy in general

Some telescopes have automated navigation that will enable you to connect to astronomy software that will guide you through the night to the stars of your choice.

If you don´t have that kind of a luxury you will need a sky map to help you find the stars, planets, nebulae’s, or other objects of your choice.

Telescope Eyepieces

Beginners often wonder what eyepiece to get for their new telescope and struggle to understand the different concepts regarding eyepieces in general. The fact is that eyepieces are an important part of telescopes and it is important to understand the different concepts that relate to eypices and telescopes.

Magnification of a telescope: Magnification is often indicated with a “X” or a “x” after a number, e.g. 40X, or 300x, which tells us how wide or close you can get to objects.

Magnification is – in more technical terms – the actual ratio of the focal length of the telescope to the focal length of the eyepiece that is used with it.

This means that a telescope with the focal length of 500mm that is combined with an eyepiece of 30 mm focal length will give you the magnification of 500/30 which results in approximately 16. This combination therefore makes things look 16 times wider/closer.

Eyepieces are available in the range from 2.5 mm to 60 mm or higher.

Apparent field of view: or field of view as it is often advertised in commercial terms is the actual angle that your eyeball must move from one side of a view to another. This can ranges from 30° to more than 80°.

What this means when you look through a telescope with a eyepiece is the angular with of the part of the sky that you are looking at before the magnification is taken into account.

In practice this means that if you are using a eyepiece with an apparent field of view of 50 degrees with a telescope that has a magnification of 100x the field of view will be about 0.5°, or 50/100, which is about the same with as a full Moon.

Barrel diameters: This is how the eyepiece will fit together with the telescope, that is it fits into the telescope´s eyepiece holder. The most common are the 2.00 inches, 1.25 inches, and the 24.5 mm (0.965 inches).

Barlow lens (telextender): can be used with an eyepiece to alter the magnification.

In practise a Barlow lens will multiply the telescopes focal length. If you combine a 3x Barlow lens with a telescope of 500 mm focal length it will triple the focal length which takes the focal length to 1500 mm. The use of an eyepiece with the telescope and Barlow lens will therefore be tripled.

Barlow lenses have multiplication levels that range from 1.75 to 5.00.

Lens cleaning cloth: With the eyepieces and lenses that go with a telescope you will need a lens cleaning cloth to clean with because the lenses and glasses tend to be fragile and can´t be cleaned with any cloth. A special lens cleaning cloth will keep your lenses clean and won´t scratch them.

When a beginner tries to figure out all the different concepts and terms that are related to a telescope and astronomy it tends to become a little overwhelming. Aperture, focal length, lenses, eyepieces,

Other important accessories

There are of course many more accessories that you can use such as accessory cases, star diagonal, collimating tool, red dot finder, telescope covers, and drive unit.

Controllers

Some brands of telescopes come with computerized mounts that allow you to choose from a list of different celestial objects. The telescope system will move and place the object in the telescope’s field of view and track it.

By using a controller you can memorize different location in the sky.

Power Supply

Telescopes will need some kind of power source. Most are powered by batteries as the main power source. There are also the option – with some brands – to go for electrical adapters that will allow you to plug in and save batter life as well as cost.

Carrying Case

One of the great benefits of having a “commercial” telescope for home use is the smaller size that most professional telescopes. This allows for greater portability which enables you to take the telescope to stargazing parties or just out side of your house. Either way, you will need a carrying case in order to protect the telescope and its accessories.

Flip-Mirror System

Allow for the flipping of the internal mirrors in order to view a object either straight through of at a 90 degree angle.

Telescopes are a great hobby and really something that opens up new parts of your imagination while you drift from star to star as you explore the universe. It is something that is hard to explain that happens when you look through a scope to see a tiny light or a deep space object that no one has been to before, it is truly amazing experience.

But stargazing is not just that simple that you can take a telescope and explore the stars and the planets. More is needed for that because you will both need to be aware of the different types of telescopes as well as how you should be equiped when it comes to telescope accessories.

In this article we will talk about the different types of telescopes and how they can be used for different purposes.

First of all you will need to know that you want to explore because there are many different types of telescopes available that have different functionality and usability.

Are you interested in seeing deep into space or are you more interested at looking at planets? There are mainly three different types of telescopes that you will need to be aware of as a regular “home” star gazer. You as a buyer or an owner of a telescope will need to be aware of the differences between the three types.

Even if the three types have different functions and are built in different ways they have the same purpose for the user. They collect light and focus it to a point where it can be magnified in order to be examined.

What is important is that each type will need different maintenance, portability, cost and what it is you might want to look at with your telescope.

The 3 Types of Telescopes

1. The Refracting Telescopes

Most people that visualize a telescope see it as a long tube with a lens at one end and the eyepiece at the other. The refracting telescope is exactly this classic looking type.

When you point the refracting telescope towards an object it will capture light that passes through the lens at the front towards an optical axe of the smaller lens where the user will get a focus of the image that the telescope is pointed towards.

The refracting telescope is very simple and easy to use and will require minimum maintenance. If you want to explore planets and large objects that are “close” to the earth then the refracting telescope is very good. If you want to explore the moon then it will be an excellent choice.

The problem with the refracting telescope is how it is built. It can often be quite large and heavy, at least more so than other types. Another problem with this type of telescope is that it uses a lens to capture the image. The problem with that is how expensive lenses are in making so the production of refracting for home hobby use is somewhat limited to smaller lenses which results in less aperture for the user. This simply means that the telescope will not be able to get a wide view of the sky so they become limited when it comes to looking deep into space.

2. Reflector Telescopes

The reflector telescope (also known as Newtonian or Dobsonian Telescope ) is our second type and while the refracting telescope was long and used a lens to capture objects the reflector is shorter and uses a mirrors to view the sky.

When you point the reflecting telescope towards a object it captures the light with a primary a mirror which sends light it  down to a secondary flat mirror that reflects that light out to a small tube on the side. The image is then magnified and focused to form an image for the user who looks through a eyepiece.

The good thing about this is that mirrors are much cheaper in the making than lenses which means that they tend to be more powerful for the same price compared to the refracting telescopes. This means that you will get more aperture and light for the same amount of money. This allows you to view deep into space at objects such as galaxies and star clusters that are very far away compared to the planet viewing of the classical refracting telescope.

The problem with using a mirror is however the sensitive nature of the mirrors as they tend to be rather fragile compared to lenses. They also require more maintenance than lenses and may need to be re-aligned on regular basis. They also need more cleaning and re-coating after several years of use.

3. Catadioptric Telescopes or Cassegrain Telescopes

The third type is the popular Catadioptric Telescopes (also known as Cassegrain Telescopes) which takes the best parts of the refracting and reflector telescopes and combines it into a powerful telescope by using both mirrors and lenses in order to form the image of the object pointed at. The two main types are Schmidt-Cassegrain and Maksutov-Cassegrain.

They are therefore great for both planetary and deep space gazing and are very simple to use but be aware that they are more expensive than the reflector telescope for the same amount of aperture.