Explore Scientific FirstLight 8" Solid Tube Dobsonian Telescope - FL-DOB0806-01

Explore FirstLight 8" Dobsonian

• Large 8" aperture has substantial light-gathering power for revealing looks at galaxies, nebulae, and star clusters as well as lunar and planetary features
• Dobsonian Reflector Telescope
• Simple Dobsonian mount; just move the telescope and track objects by hand
• Full size Dobsonian mounting provides extra stability
• Comes with a 25 mm SPL eyepiece and a red dot viewfinder to aid in object location
• This Dobsonian can be easily converted into a Newtonian telescope

This Explore Scientific FirstLight 8" Dobsonian Reflector Telescope with a Dobsonian manually-operated Mount is a great observing package for those new to the hobby of astronomy as well as for more seasoned observers. This 8" Dobsonian FirstLight Telescope will be a favorite with your entire family and friends. The ingenious combination of simple yet effective operating mechanisms with the large aperture Newtonian reflector telescope gives the Dobsonian telescope a unique and successful acceptance by astronomers around the world. Nowhere do you get as much light for your money as you can with a good Dobsonian.

What a great introductory telescope for deep-sky observing! The Explore Scientific FirstLight 8" Dobsonian Reflector Telescope offers enough light-gathering to see many galaxies, nebulae, and star clusters as well as solar system favorites like Saturn, Jupiter, Mars, the Moon and more! With a large aperture of 8" (203.2 mm) and a focal length of 1,219 mm and fast f/6 focal ratio, you will find this easy to use Dobsonian to be capable of displaying wide-field and high resolution images of all your favorite objects in the night sky.

The manual Dobsonian Mount is easy to set up, and very simple to use, requiring no electric power. The appeal of the Dobsonian type mounting is that it is so easy to set up and so easy for any member of your family to use. Just move the telescope by hand until it is in the general direction of the object you wish to view, then use the included Red Dot viewfinder to center the object in your sight and finally center it in your eyepiece by gently nudging the telescope on its smooth Dobsonian mount if needed. Do the same for tracking. The ideal workhorse for the deep sky observers. Details on planets and deep sky objects will be visible even for inexperienced observers. Bright star clusters are resolved to the core, and the sight of the terminator on the moon is an unforgettable experience.

This FirstLight Dobsonian Reflector Telescope from Explore Scientific has a 8" aperture primary mirror with a focal length of 1,219 mm. It has a focal ratio of f/6 for great magnified views of the heavens, with a nice field of view. This Dobsonian can be converted into a Newtonian telescope. If you ever want to take pictures, simply unscrew the bearings from the tube and place the scope on your existing Equatorial mount with the included Vixen style dovetail plate. Then you have a conventional Eq-mount Newtonian scope. The unrivaled stiffness of the included 2.5" HEX focuser with helical gearing makes focusing easy and allows the use of both 1.25" and 2" eyepieces. A 25 mm SPL 1.25" eyepiece is included. Including the 2.5" Hex focuser is a quantum leap for this price class of telescope.

It includes the easy to use, handy, manual Dobsonian mount. Of course the easiest way to transport your FirstLight Dobsonian Reflector Telescope is to remove the telescope from its Dobsonian Rockerbox and transport the scope and Rockerbox as they are. But if you do not have the space in a vehicle to do this, the Rockerbox can be dismantled with a few tools, because the parts are assembled with metal quick connectors. Then, a bulky rocker box quickly becomes a handy package of flat boards which is easy to transport even in a smaller vehicle.

Product includes 8" Reflector Telescope; one 25 mm SPL eyepiece; 2.5" Hex Focuser; an HD119 Red-dot Finder; and Dobsonian Mount, with two removable Altitude Bearings.

NOTE: Additional shipping surcharges will apply on top of standard shipping costs, due to the size and weight of the Dobsonian mount provided! Total weight of the system is 46.3 lb. The Rocker Box alone weighs 21 lb.

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