Thoughts on Orion SkyQuest XT6 Dobsonian

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IvanL
Posts: 13
Joined: Thu May 14, 2015 9:06 pm

Thoughts on Orion SkyQuest XT6 Dobsonian

Post by IvanL »

Hi all, I am new here. I have had a strong interest in astronomy since young. I am now interested in getting my first telescope and various astronomy forums in the Internet have strongly recommended the Orion Xt6 as a good starting scope. Do you guys have any thoughts or experience with it? This is the one I am referring to: http://www.telescope.com/Orion-XT6-Clas ... 102028.uts. The Barlow lens looks recommended to be bought together which is why i choose that link.

Do you guys have any thoughts or experience on this scope? Is it practical for someone without a car to travel with it (maybe taxis) since it weighs about 6 kg for scope alone?

I am also planning to use comgateway to ship it from overseas since it seems to cost a bomb in SG. According to comgateway calculations, about $508 as opposed to 1K+ in SG (AstroBargins' Price List). Is it practical to do so? My budget is about $500 - $600. I am only 20 yrs old so don't have money but i think a telescope is worth it.

If you guys don't recommend it, please give me other suggestions too! Thanks!
Dark Neptune
Posts: 124
Joined: Sat Jan 21, 2012 11:18 am
Favourite scope: Sky-Watcher SkyMax 90mm, Coronado PST

Re: Thoughts on Orion SkyQuest XT6 Dobsonian

Post by Dark Neptune »

Hi,

No it's not practical to be carrying it when you don't have a car!

My suggestions would be to get perhaps, a 90mm Maksutov and an AZ mount to accompany with. Whole setup being 6 kg at most and the Mak comes with a bag as well! I loved traveling with it and it provides crisp, contrasty views of most objects seen in SG like the planets.

You can try scouting the Skywatcher 90mm Mak OTA on teleskop service. probably around 300-400 SGD including shipping? Then you can buy the celestro heavy duty az mount-tripod on ebay for about 180sgd.
Thanks.
Hardwarezone
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Joined: Fri May 17, 2013 2:50 am
Favourite scope: maksutov

Re: Thoughts on Orion SkyQuest XT6 Dobsonian

Post by Hardwarezone »

How did you get a calculation of $508 when USD$360 = SGD $493 without shipping and GST ????? Comgateway of that size would be 300-500 I think.

90mak with electronic tracking and solar film cost SGD$350 shipped , I posted the screenshot and explanation last month in the buy/sell thread "WTB : C90 MAK SPOTTING SCOPE (FOUND!) "

$500 budget you can hoot the SGD$250 6" F/5 synta newtonian from taobao and the $250 az4 second-hand mount from buy/sell subsection.

Few days ago SGD$1020 can get 10inch F/4.7 dob from amazon.com , now it is removed from listing.
IvanL
Posts: 13
Joined: Thu May 14, 2015 9:06 pm

Re: Thoughts on Orion SkyQuest XT6 Dobsonian

Post by IvanL »

I considered getting an Orion Skyscanner 100mm but realized that it will not allow me to see much details of planets like Jupiter.

As for the shipping price, the one I used to calculate was the price of the telescope only (the link includes the Barlow eyepiece). I am not sure if comgateway ships by volume as the calculator was only by weight and duties which totaled to be about $115.

The synta looks interesting http://item.taobao.com/item.htm?spm=a23 ... t=4#detail. But I can't seem to find much info on it in the Internet but I will do more research on it.

I am still looking for someone who has experience with the xt6 in the Singapore context.

Thanks guys for your help so far!
Hardwarezone
Posts: 350
Joined: Fri May 17, 2013 2:50 am
Favourite scope: maksutov

Re: Thoughts on Orion SkyQuest XT6 Dobsonian

Post by Hardwarezone »

Comgateway bills by weight or volume whichever is higher. Find the cardboard box dimensions and calculate.

No you don't need the 2000 cny photography version with golden brand, the normal version at 850 cny will do.
There was a comparison , the difference between the photography and normal version other than the obvious dualspeed focuser ... is slightly thicker front reinforcement ring and darker shade of internal black paint.
For english reviews , you can search Omni 150 or Skywatcher 150 f5 at the major astro forums. Cloudynights , stargazerlounge , astronomyforum.

http://www.cloudynights.com/topic/48694 ... ?p=6517879
look at the bottom photo of post#25
It's the newt with the AZ4

The mount is good , I puzzled how come nobody buy it from Ian.
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Sivakis
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Joined: Mon Aug 10, 2009 12:55 pm
Favourite scope: Astrotech AT66ED APO

Re: Thoughts on Orion SkyQuest XT6 Dobsonian

Post by Sivakis »

Its kindda hard to find any site that lists it's shipping specs to calculate the volumetric weight.

THE BELOW ARE JUST MY ESTIMATES

However, we can deduce the following:
1. Optical Tube - 115cm
2. Optical Diameter - 15cm
We can then assume the Tube packaging to be roughly 118cm x 18 x 18

The base is more tricky but I'm guesstimating it's 60cm x 28 x 18

Since it'll be shipped as a single package, we take the largest of the dimensions, giving us 118cm x 28 x 18

Comgateway's calculations show the following:
(all in USD)
Cost of item: 360
Shipping: 75.78
Insurance: 4.36
Tax: 33.15
Sub-total: 482

Converted to SGD, based on 1.36 (estimated from forex's 1.33)
482 x 1.36 = 655.52
GST 7% = 45.88

Total (in SGD): 701.40 (my estimation)
Hardwarezone
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Joined: Fri May 17, 2013 2:50 am
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Re: Thoughts on Orion SkyQuest XT6 Dobsonian

Post by Hardwarezone »

Amazon is a good tool to check box size ...


Image

Image
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Sivakis
Posts: 240
Joined: Mon Aug 10, 2009 12:55 pm
Favourite scope: Astrotech AT66ED APO

Re: Thoughts on Orion SkyQuest XT6 Dobsonian

Post by Sivakis »

Nice find Hardwarezone!

I searched Amazon for the other one with Beginner Scope and didn't find any shipping specs under the FAQs.

Guess you're smarter!

EDIT: Ouch, that shipping looks scary if it's really 63 inches x 24 x 24!
IvanL
Posts: 13
Joined: Thu May 14, 2015 9:06 pm

Re: Thoughts on Orion SkyQuest XT6 Dobsonian

Post by IvanL »

Wow. Looks like getting it is now out of the question already at this price. I think i might get the skywatcher f5.

Hardwarezone, have you used the Skywatcher 150 f5 before? What are your views on it?

Edit: I am also considering the XT4.5. Link:http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0000X ... me-wrapper

Package is "41 1/2 inches long and 13 1/2 inches high for the big one and a second one that is 22 1/2 inches long by 5 1/2 inches high." So according to comgateway is 399.72USD. Then convert to SGD and plus GST is 565 SGD (I hope I calculated correctly this time). It does have a longer focal length than the Skywatcher 150 f5. Do you guys think it is worth it or should I just stick to the Skywatcher?

Thanks again for your help so far!
Hardwarezone
Posts: 350
Joined: Fri May 17, 2013 2:50 am
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Re: Thoughts on Orion SkyQuest XT6 Dobsonian

Post by Hardwarezone »

No I didn't use the F/5 newt personally.
There was a older blue tube version with 1.25" focuser in this forum, used by 6 different owners because it was the cheapest at it's time.

The orion F/8 dobs are recommended in USA because the secondary mirror obstruction is slightly lower than F/5 , but you shouldn't worry about it as there are other issues like atmospheric conditions that will reduce detail much more often.


I think your calculation is wrong again.
The previous xt6 , the tube was 200 USD , base 130 USD comgateway , excluding gst
4.5 info only list length and height, missing depth cannot calculate.
Purely by estimate I don't think the slight reduction in size will drop the comgateway cost all the way to 130 usd combined for tube and base.
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