Best Dobsonians for Galaxy Season

You don’t need to be an astrophotographer to explore deep space objects in the night sky. Dobsonian telescopes can observe some faint objects like galaxies with even a 4-inch aperture!

Dobsonians can be a great value option for what they offer at their price point. For example, it is hard to find a telescope priced under $500 with an aperture larger than 4 inches, but you can find an 8-inch Dobsonian providing four times the light-gathering ability for less than $500!

Dobsonian Telescope for Beginners

If you’re looking for a lower price point, smaller apertures can still provide some awesome views of the night sky! Observing galaxies with your telescope of a smaller aperture may not be able to pick up on the details of galaxies but seeing bright cores can be an exciting feature to study.

A great beginner Dobsonian is the Sky-Watcher Heritage 150 telescope because of its lightweight features and accessories included. Its sturdy tabletop mount makes it easy to use for all ages. Its 6-inch aperture is large enough to provide observable features of bright deep-space objects.

Sky-Watcher Heritage 150 Tabletop Dobsonian

If you already own a Dobsonian telescope or looking into a smaller aperture telescope, some additional eyepieces can help you get the most out of what your telescope can do! Check out this guide on choosing an eyepiece to get more help on finding the right one.

A more intermediate Dobsonian option is the Orion SkyQuest XT8 telescope. This telescope makes it to the intermediate category because of its big 8-inch aperture. You can observe details on the Moon, planets, and some observable features of deep space objects.

Orion SkyQuest XT8 Classic Dobsonian Telescope

While Dobsonians make great beginner telescopes, there are also premium versions that some use for research because of the detailed views they provide.

Dobsonian Telescope for Advanced Stargazing

A great example of an advanced Dobsonian is the Explore Scientific 12-inch Dobsonian. The Explore Scientific 12-inch f/5 is a visual powerhouse! The entire structure has been optimized for maximum stiffness with minimal weight, and the combination of high altitude bearings with optimized aluminum structures allows fine adjustment flows at high magnifications! It is ideal for deep sky observers, with a 254mm mirror collecting over 1500 times as much as the naked eye. With this scope, even an amateur observer can easily spot fine details on planets and deep sky objects.

Explore Scientific 12″ F/5 Dobsonian (Truss Tube)

Dobsonian telescopes are known for their manual features, but for those interested in automated observing, computerized Dobsonians like the Sky-Watcher 12-inch GoTo Collapsible Dobsonian telescope are an excellent option for automated access to the stars.

Any choice of Dobsonian makes a great starting telescope for beginners. The biggest question you need to answer is, what do you want to see? Knowing what you want to observe will help you when looking at the different specifications for Dobsonians.

The main differences between Dobsonians are their aperture and focal length. A larger aperture will provide brighter views of night sky objects, and focal lengths provide detailed views of night sky objects. A shorter focal length means that the telescope has a wider field of view, where a longer focal length provides larger and more detailed views of what you target. Check out this telescope buying guide for more help.

Have a question or comment on Dobsonian Telescopes?