Apertura AD8 Vs Skywatcher 8" f/5.9 Traditional Dobsonian Telescope

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westgl
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Apertura AD8 Vs Skywatcher 8" f/5.9 Traditional Dobsonian Telescope

#1

Post by westgl »


I am a Total Newb in using Telescopes, and I am Looking to get something that I can clearly see planets, the Moon, and wanted a Good starter telescope, that I can grow into as I learn more. I am looking at two telescopes,

1. Apertura AD8 Dobsonian 8" f/5.91 Telescope with Accessories - AD8
Vs
2. Skywatcher 8" f/5.9 Traditional Dobsonian Telescope

Is the Quality of these two scopes about the same, or is one substantially better than the other.

Also which telescope comes with better accessories.

Thank you for any guidance you can provide.

Apertura AD8
https://www.highpointscientific.com/tel ... escope-ad8

Skywatcher 8
https://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/ ... onian.html
My wife and I both worked for JPL / NASA for Years, My wife built the 1st and 2nd Mars Rovers. as well as many other projects.
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yobbo89 Australia
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Re: Apertura AD8 Vs Skywatcher 8" f/5.9 Traditional Dobsonian Telescope

#2

Post by yobbo89 »


They both look like very standard dobsonians. i doubt one will be superior over one another. it seems the aperature ad8 comes with more extras, a cooling fan, moon filter, and a cheshire collimator . will be intresting to see what type of glass they are using. ohh and the aperature comes with a daigonal view finder which views the correct image orientation as all view finders are refractors and don't reverse the image,newtonian scopes revers the image, so the two will mate well when trying to find a target while viewing in the view finder.
scopes :gso/bintel f4 12"truss tube, bresser messier ar127s /skywatcher 10'' dob,meade 12'' f10 lx200 sct
cameras : asi 1600mm-c/asi1600mm-c,asi120mc,prostar lp guidecam, nikkon d60, sony a7,asi 290 mm
mounts : eq6 pro/eq8/mesu 200 v2
filters : 2'' astronomik lp/badder lrgb h-a,sII,oIII,h-b,Baader Solar Continuum, chroma 3nm ha,sii,oiii,nii,rgb,lowglow,uv/ir,Thousand Oaks Solar Filter,1.25'' #47 violet,pro planet 742 ir,pro planet 807 ir,pro planet 642 bp ir.
extras : skywatcher f4 aplanatic cc, Baader MPCC MKIII Coma Corrector,Orion Field Flattener,zwo 1.25''adc.starlight maxi 2" 9x filter wheel,tele vue 2x barlow .

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yobbo89 Australia
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Re: Apertura AD8 Vs Skywatcher 8" f/5.9 Traditional Dobsonian Telescope

#3

Post by yobbo89 »


ohh the aperture comes with a laser collimator, it's $50 more over the skywatcher, if i didn't have those extras then i would definatly grab the aperture, if you're storing the newt inside everynight then a cooling fan is a must have, it will cut down aclimation time significantly . ohhh dual speed focuser, just a bargin with the aperture !!!
scopes :gso/bintel f4 12"truss tube, bresser messier ar127s /skywatcher 10'' dob,meade 12'' f10 lx200 sct
cameras : asi 1600mm-c/asi1600mm-c,asi120mc,prostar lp guidecam, nikkon d60, sony a7,asi 290 mm
mounts : eq6 pro/eq8/mesu 200 v2
filters : 2'' astronomik lp/badder lrgb h-a,sII,oIII,h-b,Baader Solar Continuum, chroma 3nm ha,sii,oiii,nii,rgb,lowglow,uv/ir,Thousand Oaks Solar Filter,1.25'' #47 violet,pro planet 742 ir,pro planet 807 ir,pro planet 642 bp ir.
extras : skywatcher f4 aplanatic cc, Baader MPCC MKIII Coma Corrector,Orion Field Flattener,zwo 1.25''adc.starlight maxi 2" 9x filter wheel,tele vue 2x barlow .

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westgl
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Re: Apertura AD8 Vs Skywatcher 8" f/5.9 Traditional Dobsonian Telescope

#4

Post by westgl »


I noticed that the Apertura had a 2" Crayford-style Dual Speed Micro 10:1 Focuser, Not sure if that is a benefit over a single speed or not on the Skywatcher.
My wife and I both worked for JPL / NASA for Years, My wife built the 1st and 2nd Mars Rovers. as well as many other projects.
westgl
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Re: Apertura AD8 Vs Skywatcher 8" f/5.9 Traditional Dobsonian Telescope

#5

Post by westgl »


What would the quality of the Eyepieces be like between the two?
My wife and I both worked for JPL / NASA for Years, My wife built the 1st and 2nd Mars Rovers. as well as many other projects.
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yobbo89 Australia
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Re: Apertura AD8 Vs Skywatcher 8" f/5.9 Traditional Dobsonian Telescope

#6

Post by yobbo89 »


as far as eye pieces go, i'll let the big time viewers have a say, but yeah the aperture comes with a 68deg fov 2'' which looks nice. you're realy going benifit with purchasing some extra eyepieces over with what comes with the scope, i recommend something around 6mm for planets, and a nice 2'' 40-50mm for good wide views. i casualy observe and still enjoye the stock 26 mm. ps, you are probably going to benefit a bit with the dual speed focuser when viewing planets ., i don't think you'll ever go back to a single speed after, dual speed is the staple of fine focus.
scopes :gso/bintel f4 12"truss tube, bresser messier ar127s /skywatcher 10'' dob,meade 12'' f10 lx200 sct
cameras : asi 1600mm-c/asi1600mm-c,asi120mc,prostar lp guidecam, nikkon d60, sony a7,asi 290 mm
mounts : eq6 pro/eq8/mesu 200 v2
filters : 2'' astronomik lp/badder lrgb h-a,sII,oIII,h-b,Baader Solar Continuum, chroma 3nm ha,sii,oiii,nii,rgb,lowglow,uv/ir,Thousand Oaks Solar Filter,1.25'' #47 violet,pro planet 742 ir,pro planet 807 ir,pro planet 642 bp ir.
extras : skywatcher f4 aplanatic cc, Baader MPCC MKIII Coma Corrector,Orion Field Flattener,zwo 1.25''adc.starlight maxi 2" 9x filter wheel,tele vue 2x barlow .

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westgl
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Re: Apertura AD8 Vs Skywatcher 8" f/5.9 Traditional Dobsonian Telescope

#7

Post by westgl »


Thanks Yobbo89,

As I gain some Knowledge through experience, I will get a few new Higher quality eyepieces and a 2x Barlow. I have been looking at the GSO eyepieces.
My wife and I both worked for JPL / NASA for Years, My wife built the 1st and 2nd Mars Rovers. as well as many other projects.
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pakarinen United States of America
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Re: Apertura AD8 Vs Skywatcher 8" f/5.9 Traditional Dobsonian Telescope

#8

Post by pakarinen »


My Crayford that I retrofitted to one of my refractors beats the heck out of the stock R&P. I don't think you'd ever regret having a Crayford.

Some people have tuned up their R&Ps with very good results, but not everybody is inclined to try that.
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Bigzmey United States of America
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Re: Apertura AD8 Vs Skywatcher 8" f/5.9 Traditional Dobsonian Telescope

#9

Post by Bigzmey »


I would go with Aperture. Better focuser alone justifies extra $50.
Scopes: Stellarvue: SV102ED; Celestron: 9.25" EdgeHD, 8" SCT, 150ST, Onyx 80ED; iOptron: Hankmeister 6" Mak; SW: 7" Mak; Meade: 80ST.
Mounts: SW: SkyTee2, AzGTi; iOptron: AZMP; ES: Twilight I; Bresser: EXOS2; UA: MicroStar.
Binos: APM: 100-90 APO; Canon: IS 15x50; Orion: Binoviewer, LG II 15x70, WV 10x50, Nikon: AE 16x50, 10x50, 8x40.
EPs: Pentax: XWs & XFs; TeleVue: Delites, Panoptic & Plossls; ES: 68, 62; Vixen: SLVs; Baader: BCOs, Aspherics, Mark IV.
Diagonals: Baader: BBHS mirror, Zeiss Spec T2 prism, Clicklock dielectric; TeleVue: Evebrite dielectric; AltairAstro: 2" prism.
Filters: Lumicon: DeepSky, UHC, OIII, H-beta; Baader: Moon & SkyGlow, Contrast Booster, UHC-S, 6-color set; Astronomik: UHC.

Observing: DSOs: 3106 (Completed: Messier, Herschel 1, 2, 3. In progress: H2,500: 2180, S110: 77). Doubles: 2382, Comets: 34, Asteroids: 255
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helicon United States of America
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Re: Apertura AD8 Vs Skywatcher 8" f/5.9 Traditional Dobsonian Telescope

#10

Post by helicon »


Apertura would be my choice. Pretty much the same as my Zhumell scope, including the GSO Superview 30mm eyepiece, which is quite a workhorse. In fact produced by the same company, Gueng Shen Opitcal. I would use the stock eyepieces (30mm and 9mm) for awhile until you exhaust their capabilities and know what you want in a second series of eyepieces.
-Michael
Refractors: ES AR152 f/6.5 Achromat on Twilight II, Celestron 102mm XLT f/9.8 on Celestron Heavy Duty Alt Az mount, KOWA 90mm spotting scope
Binoculars: Celestron SkyMaster 15x70, Bushnell 10x50
Eyepieces: Various, GSO Superview, 9mm Plossl, Celestron 25mm Plossl
Camera: ZWO ASI 120
Naked Eye: Two Eyeballs
Latitude: 48.7229° N
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