Orion SkyQuest XT6 Dobsonian Reflector Telescope

by Orion

Product Details

Product Manual [1.07mb PDF]

• ASIN: B00020WZB0
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (3 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #434,635 in Office Products (See Top 100 in Office Products)
• Date first available at Amazon.com: November 1, 2003

Product Description

Affordable, powerful, and easy to use, our highly acclaimed SkyQuest XT6 is a great choice for beginners seeking an exceptionally capable telescope that's also nicely portable. And with a new lower price of just $299, the XT6 is one of the hottest telescope deals on the planet. And now, for a limited time, receive a FREE LaserMate Collimator with your purchase! Its 150mm-diameter, 1200mm focal length parabolic primary mirror gets the goods, rendering excellent images of deep-space objects as well as high-power views of solar system attractions. It's a hands-on scope that is a joy to use -- uncomplicated, stable, and a snap to set up and take down. The tube is equipped with a 1.25" aluminum focuser and a navigation knob for easly slewing, plus a 6x30 finder scope and two Sirius Plossl eyepieces. You also get an eyepiece rack, quick-collimation cap, and hard dust cap. Get yours today! One-year limited warranty.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

7 of 7 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Great all-around astronomical performer, June 18, 2004

By 

Zhimbo "zhimbo" (New York City) - See all my reviews
(VINE VOICE)   

This review is from: Orion SkyQuest XT6 Dobsonian Reflector Telescope (Office Product)

This 6-inch scope and the 8-inch XT model, are some of the best bargains for amateur astronomers. The XT6 is a terrific all-around performer: large enough to reveal a good bit of deep-sky objects as well as give impressive planetary detail (when my local atmospheric conditions are steady enough). The scope is easy to set up and use, and rock-steady even at high powers (although hand tracking gets a little tricky above about 200x; I rarely need to go that high, however).

I've invested a bit in improving my 6XT. I've bought the 9x50 right angle correct image finder and added a straight-through zero-mag finder. This combination make finding objects a breeze. I've made some minor modifications to make the motions smoother (easily found on various websites) and I've bought a variety of eyepieces. Still, the basic package you get is plenty usable as-is.

A little big and heavy for younger folk, and not useful as a spotting scope. If buying for a young one or if astronomy is not your primary interest, a smaller refractor telescope might be a better idea.

4 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars The ideal amateur telescope, January 6, 2007

By 

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

This review is from: Orion SkyQuest XT6 Dobsonian Reflector Telescope (Office Product)

This is not only the ideal 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. 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 like this one 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.

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."

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars I just got my new 6XT!!!!!, May 2, 2007

By 

D. Jones "Delicia1" - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Orion SkyQuest XT6 Dobsonian Reflector Telescope (Office Product)

I've been through hell this past month not knowing what telescope to buy. I've had 3, yes THREE telescopes in one month. Starting first with the NG70 reflector by meade. I sent that back. It was ok, but I read that if you're going to buy a reflector, make sure it has at least 100mm aperture (80-90mm is good too). I also read that reflectors give you more aperture for your money, so I bought the spaceprobe 130mm by Orion. I liked it, but I did not like the equatorial mount it came with, but this product does have great reviews. The equatorial mount was difficult or me to comprehend. It has a 5.1 inch (130mm) aperture, which is good. I ended up selling it to my colleague who loves gadgets. But if you're looking for a quick and easy set up with great aperture for an affordable price, I HIGHLY suggest the skyquest. Portablility is good (refractors are better for portability). Equatorial mounts take a long time to set up and take down (unless you have space in your home to keep it set up). I live in NYC (lots of light pollution here), yet I was still able to see lots of constellations that I couldn't see with my naked eye (due to light pollution). I saw Saturn for the first time!!!!!!! I saw it's rings, Titan (Saturn's largest moon) and the Cassini division. I'm blown away by this telescope. I nearly gave up hope going throught three telescopes in one month. This one's a keeper! I love it and it loves me :).