Media Buzz

Sky & Telescope — July 2009
"I was struck by the attention to little details, all based on time-tested Dobsonian principles, that demonstrated that this scope was designed by someone who understood how it would be used in the field."

"If the SkyQuest XX12 IntelliScope were a car, it would be the model that dealers keep in the showroom to impress prospective buyers."

"The XX12 comes with the most effective altitude friction adjustment I’ve seen on a commercial Dob... The motions of the SkyQuest are among the best I’ve experienced..."

"If good optics in an easy-to-aim, well-built scope were the end of the story, the 12-inch SkyQuest would be a winner. But there’s much more."

"I had fun using the computerized locator. I really got a kick out of choosing objects at random just to see what would greet me in the eyepiece. It was fun — and isn’t that what telescopes are all about?"

"Of the three commercial 12-inch Dobsonians I’ve used in recent months, the XX12 is the one I enjoyed the most."

"I think the SkyQuest XX12 IntelliScope Truss Tube Dobsonian is the ideal next scope for any observer who has learned his or her chops on an 8-inch or smaller instrument and is ready to move up to something bigger."

Astronomy Magazine — August 2009
"...I swung the [XX12] toward the Orion Nebula (M42), which lies in the Hunter’s sword. The view through the 35mm eyepiece was that evening’s "wow" moment. Faint tendrils of nebulosity filled the field. It was striking."

"Returning to the Trapezium with a 5mm eyepiece (300x), I noted that the image remained sharp and clear. Even boosting to a ridiculous magnification of 700x didn’t compromise the view, a testament to the XX12’s optical excellence."

"I came away impressed with Orion’s XX12. In it, intelligent design and high-quality components come together to create one of the finest instruments of its size sold today."

"If you’re a visual deep-sky observer like me and are looking for a telescope that will enthrall you for years, the XX12 should be on your short list of candidates."

Optical design

A small, quality achromatic refractor of 60mm to 80mm aperture makes a fine starter scope for observing the Moon and major planets. They're affordable ($100 to $350), portable, and maintenance-free, all desirable factors if you're just "testing the waters" of Astronomy. If nebulas and galaxies are your main interest, a Newtonian reflector or Schmidt-Cassegrain is the way to go. Moving up to a 90mm or 100mm refractor will snare more objects and provide better performance, for a higher price. Renowned for crisp, sharp images, refractors are the priciest per inch of aperture of all telescope types. A refractor is the scope of choice if you will be doing most of your stargazing from city or suburbs, where the night skies are moderately light-polluted. Since viewing is restricted mostly to the Moon and planets a big scope would only amplify the skyglow, yielding poor washed out images. Reflectors Newtonian reflectors are great all-around scopes, offering generous apertures at affordable prices. They excel for both planetary and deep-sky viewing. Of course, the larger the aperture, the more you'll see. Smaller, 3" and 4.5" equatorially mounted Newtonians will provide a nice "survey" of celestial luminaries, and they maintain their portability. Six-inch and 8" Newts have enough aperture to deliver captivating images of fainter star-clusters, galaxies, and nebulas-especially in a reasonably dark sky. Although the 6" to 8" Newts are bulkier and weigh more, with a Dobsonian mount they are easily manageable by one person making them a wonderful beginner scopes. Dobsonian-mounted reflectors have lower price tags than their equatorial counterparts, starting in the mid-$300s for a 6" Dob. Schmidt-Cassegrains If portability is important to you, you might want to consider a "catadioptric" scope such as a Schmidt-Cassegrain or Maksutov-Cassegrain. They pack a hefty aperture into a very compact tube. An 8" Schmidt-Cassegrain provides excellent views of the Moon, planets, and deep-sky objects, and is well suited for astrophotography. Schmidt-Cassegrains should be considered as an investment priced over $1000 for the most basic 8" models (and hundreds more to outfit it for astrophotography). The Bottom Line Now that you've received the crash course on telescopes, here's some parting advice for aspiring astronomers: Get as much aperture as you can reasonably handle. Big aperture is desirable, however you don't want to end up with a scope that is too big or complicated to conveniently set up, haul around-and use! Also, avoid those gee-whiz, techno-toy scopes with the hefty price tags that are showing up in the big chain stores. For a first telescope, we recommend a basic refractor of 90mm aperture or smaller, or a Newtonian reflector of 6" aperture or less, unless you're really committed. After you've learned the basics of observing and developed an appreciation for the hobby, then you can move up to a bigger, fancier scope.