Orion SkyQuest XT10 IntelliScope Dobsonian Telescope

by Orion

Product Details

Product Manual [1.35mb PDF]

• ASIN: B0000XMTGU
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (3 customer reviews)
• Date first available at Amazon.com: November 1, 2003

Product Description

This telescope not only has big-aperture brawn, but it also has a brain. With the optionally available IntelliScope Computerized Object Locator, locating and viewing thousands of deep-sky objects is simply a matter of pushing a button or two. Its sleek, innovative design and 254mm Pyrex parabolic mirror combine to give the XT10 IntelliScope unparalleled performance -- even without the Object Locator. And with the Locator you'll find and see more in an evening that you ever could before. As Sky News magazine's (10/04) reviewer put it: "I can think of no other telescope on the market that offers as much solid value: You get computerized finding without sacrificing aperture, optical quality or reliability. This is one terrific telescope."

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

23 of 23 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars This scope KICKS BUTT!, September 25, 2005

By 

Jeff Biehle (Lakeway, TX) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

I am a novice astronomer, but have been recently invigorated and inspired by a trip to NASA Space Center Houston. (For those who plan to visit Houston in the near future, and for those Houston residents who have never gone, Space Center Houston is a MUST! Kids and adults will have an absolute blast.) After the visit, I pulled out my old Meade 4400 4.5" telescope from the attic and was able to get some decent views of Jupiter, Venus and the Moon, but that was about it. All it did was whet my appetite for a better, more stable scope. After a lot of research (including the book "Nightwatch" by Terence Dickinson, which should be required reading for anyone interested in the treasures of the universe), I decided on the Orion Intelliscope XT10. I did not purchase the optional Computerized Object Locator, as I would like to be able to find things by myself, at least initially. It will be on my Christmas list, though.

Installation was fairly straightforward and took about 45 minutes. It is a bit heavy--the base weighs about 30 pounds and the scope is about 25--but the initial views I received were just plain astounding. It comes standard with 2 Sirius Plossl pieces (10mm and 25mm) and a 9x50 finder scope. The finder scope is incredible. I had never viewed a globular cluster by myself before, but "Nightwatch" has some good star maps that show there are a bunch of clusters by the "Teapot". Sure enough, I pointed it over there and immediately noticed some "fuzz" in the finder scope. Gotta be a cluster! I centered it and found a beautiful cluster, which turned out to be M22. YES! I was quickly able to find 3 other clusters and a nebula, and the finder scope was instrumental in spotting them.

It's amazing that such a powerful scope is available for $649. It's high quality, and the right size to be somewhat portable. I had considered the XT12, but it really is a monster, and I couldn't justify the size and the price. I can somewhat easily carry the XT10, base and all, as one piece, but if you do this make sure you have strong legs and a strong back. Once in place, it is very easy to move and is amazingly stable--no more shakes like I had with my old Meade, and no funky knobs to work with.

For a novice like me or an experienced astronomer, this is a GREAT scope!

7 of 7 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars The weight and size issue and general review, July 8, 2006

By 

Patrick D. Goonan "see profile for URL" (Livermore, CA) - See all my reviews
(TOP 1000 REVIEWER)    (REAL NAME)   

This is really an amazing scope at any price, but a real bargain for the price it is being offered. If you are thinking about trading up to something bigger and you have a limited budget, you can be sure you are getting a lot more for your money. For example, I also have a Meade LX 90 8" SCT which is much more expensive, but not as good in terms of resolving difficult to see objects. In some ways, it is also more difficult to handle.

This 10" Orion scope is not as formidable as it looks in the pictures. Each piece is <30 lbs. and I don't find it particularly awkward to move them around. In fact, I can throw this scope across the backseat of my Acura TL without any problem and it's not very manageable if you have a canvas carrying case.

The base might be difficult to get into the trunk of a small car, but I think for most cars you can figure out a way to get it in. Also, the set up is fairly easy and due to the simple design it is easy to use and stable. For a beginner trading up, it's a great investment overall and I wouldn't be scared away by the size or weight.

Now that I know more about this scope, I'm a little disappointed I didn't go to the 12" to get even deeper views. However, I didn't see this scope and I've heard it's quite a bit more difficult to handle, but it seems tempting after using this one.

A decision anyone will have to make is whether or not to get the 8" or 10" model. If you look at the dimensions and weight of each, you will see they are not that different. The clincher for me was for a small increase in price without much of a size difference, I can get about 56% more light gathering capacity. Sold!

6 of 9 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars XT10 Intelliscope a great scope!, August 1, 2005

By 

M. Hiatt (Fort Collins, CO) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Orion SkyQuest XT10 IntelliScope Dobsonian Telescope (Electronics)

This scope is well made and well designed. One of the few dobsonian scopes with computer control. If you are looking for a nice scope that won't break the bank and let you see planets and DSO's, this is the way to go. Easy to assemble, easy to setup, and fun to use. Perfect height for kids. What more can you ask for for only $650.00. Even the two eyepieces included are decent. The only options you will want are the hand controller, now only $99.00, and the $89.00 carry bag. Other than that, have fun!