Celestron StarHopper ® 6 inch Dobsonian Reflector Telescope

by Celestron

Product Details

• Item Weight: 52.9 pounds
• Shipping Weight: 65 pounds
• ASIN: B0002Q1I6W
• Item model number: 10600
• Average Customer Review: 4.7 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (3 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #245,722 in Office Products (See Top 100 in Office Products)
• Date first available at Amazon.com: December 6, 2006

Product Description

2/8/200615-19-32...

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

10 of 10 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars The ideal scope for beginners--and more, February 1, 2007

By 

Doug Rice (Twin Falls, ID USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Celestron StarHopper ® 6 inch Dobsonian Reflector Telescope (Electronics)

This is not only a first-rate scope for beginners but enough of an instrument to show you new things in the sky for years to come. It is sturdy and simple to operate. It has enough light-gathering power (more important than magnification) to reveal dim star clusters, nebulae, and galaxies and good enough optics to show you the surface of planets like Jupiter, Saturn, and Mars.

Dobsonians like this one give by far the most view for the dollar. Affordable as this scope is, there is no reason to give so much as a glance at the numerous trashy 60mm refractors with exaggerated magnification claims that litter the market.

Some advice on selection. Dobsonians come in a range of sizes. A 114mm (4 ½") is a bit on the small side but still a fine instrument, especially if your ability to carry large objects is limited. A 150-200mm (6-8") scope like this one is in the middle of the recommended range. A 250mm (10") is on the big side, and you should buy one only if you are able-bodied.

You will need eyepieces. Plossl-type eyepieces are good yet affordable: start with a 32mm and a 7- or 8-mm.

Some advice on use. Viewing through a telescope is less like playing a CD and more like playing a guitar. Finding objects takes a little bit of practice. To simplify finding, I would suggest replacing the supplied finder with Orion's superior 8x40 model and also supplementing it with a "red dot" finder; both are available on Amazon. You will also need to buy an atlas (Sky & Telescope's Pocket Sky Atlas is the best available), a red flashlight to view the charts without blowing out your badly-needed night vision, and a guidebook to lead you to interesting objects. These investments will greatly add to your enjoyment.

What more can I say? This is the kind of scope that experienced observers have been trying to steer novices towards for decades. Although, I recommend that you do your homework before buying any scope--learn the sky and get to know experienced stargazers who can advise you--when it comes time to purchase, you could hardly do better than this scope.

For more advice, see my encyclopedic guide here on Amazon, "So you want to buy a telescope."

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Open your eyes to the skies, April 27, 2009

By 

TinCan Frank (Sunny SoCal) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Celestron StarHopper ® 6 inch Dobsonian Reflector Telescope (Electronics)

This (now discontinued) telescope is a perfect second purchase for the amateur astronomer, one which will provide years of enjoyment at a reasonable price.

This particular model was an anomaly, a GSO-manufactured instrument (OTA) on a Synta base. It was sold for a short time after Synta bought Celestron and ended the relationship with GSO. It was available through a few smaller dealers (perhaps with a different base) in the US until recently, GSO may have discontinued it or changed the design by now. It is still worth looking for under the Zhumell, HandsOn and Hardin labels.

The main attributes of this model are optical quality combined with ease of setup and use. I purchased it as a way to recover from shoulder surgery without undergoing dark sky withdrawal. It had a learning curve due to the narrow field of view (1200mm focal length) and the much larger light grasp compared to my smaller refractors and reflectors, but study of some of the charts, techniques and hints in Patrick Moore's excellent range of books have paid a dividend.

The quality of the GSO mirrors is considered to be superior to those the Synta reflectors, and these are the only two manufacturers in the lower price range, selling under various labels all over the world. Also, in this size telescope, the GSO 1.25 inch focuser is much better than the imprecise plastic Synta version.

I say it should be a second telescope because I believe that a beginning astronomer should start with binoculars and a book, then purchase a wide field refractor or reflector, possibly with goto capability, next. These allow views of large areas, offering recognition of asterisms and easy comparison with charts compared to longer focal length scopes like the Starhoppers and their cousins, which show individual objects better but do not allow a wide view.

Highly recommended, but if you start with it, you may be frustrated trying to find things.

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Now obsoleted I guess, but works nice, March 28, 2008

By 

Mike Troutner (Tampa, FL) - See all my reviews
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Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: Celestron StarHopper ® 6 inch Dobsonian Reflector Telescope (Electronics)

For the money, seems to be a great deal. The collimating instructions are a bit weak, but the scope seems to be a good beginner one. I'm in St. Pete, FL, so it's a bit sucky here for good skywatching due to the eleveation and moisture. Still, some pretty cool stuff in the sky and great for beginners. See my pic for a sample of what I can see (just put my Canon 7mp camera to the eyepiece and took it - turned out awesome.)