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8" Celestron 8SE or Orion SkyQuest XT10i IntelliScope?
Posted: Sun Oct 25, 2020 6:19 pm
by Power Ranger
After 20 years, I sold my Celestron Nexstar 5i. Now shopping for a new scope, I've narrowed it down to either the Nexstar 8SE or a 10" Orion SkyQuest XT10i IntelliScope. I'm not willing to spend more than $2000 (tax incl) for backyard viewing and with no interest in astrophotography. A computerized Goto is a must as I like to spend my hour(s) viewing rather then searching for DSO's. Both SE and XT10i are similarly priced with SE costing a bit more. If I get the 8SE, I don't plan to upgrade the SE mount to a GEM. If it's the XT10i, I'm leaning towards the upgraded dual fine tuning focuser.
Q: Mathematically the 10" should show a lot more details to an 8" aperture, however in reality, will there really be a "Wow " factor in viewing Messier objects?
Q: Those who own Dobsonians, how often do you need to colliminate your light bucket?
Opinions/comments welcomed
Re: 8" Celestron 8SE or Orion SkyQuest XT10i IntelliScope?
Posted: Sun Oct 25, 2020 6:58 pm
by Ylem
I had a 10" inch
Dob (non go-to/push to) I sold it and went to an 8se. I'm pretty happy with that choice.
The
Dob gave me a wider field, but the
SCT is more comfortable to view thru.
The 8se is easier for me to get out of the house and set up over the
Dob. This is due to the layout of my house and the stairs.
So I would ask myself which would be better at my house.
Do you have stairs?
Could you store the
Dob in a nice clean garage?
What type of chair would you use with the
Dob?
The
EP does not move as much with the
SCT so a lawn chair can work.
I use a rocking chair from the porch, it allows me to move slightly for comfort.
There is no one perfect scope of course, and YMMV
Re: 8" Celestron 8SE or Orion SkyQuest XT10i IntelliScope?
Posted: Sun Oct 25, 2020 8:17 pm
by Lady Fraktor
The dobsonian will let you dig deeper if you are chasing faint fuzzies.
Re: 8" Celestron 8SE or Orion SkyQuest XT10i IntelliScope?
Posted: Mon Nov 02, 2020 2:02 am
by Bigzmey
10" will gather ~56% more light than 8", not a drastic but quite noticeable improvement for faint DSOs.
However, the best scope is the one which gets used and 8SE will be much easier to store, move and deploy. It will still be a significant step up from 5" and will show you hundreds of targets from your backyard.
Re: 8" Celestron 8SE or Orion SkyQuest XT10i IntelliScope?
Posted: Mon Nov 02, 2020 3:05 am
by JayTee
Additionally, the 8SE gives you quite a few more avenues of use than does the XT10i.
For example, the XT10i is basically a visual-only scope. I know you said you have no interest in AP, but never say never! So, the 8SE is good for visual and planetary/lunar AP. Solar viewing and AP (a smaller aperture is just easier in regards to the sun). Also, collimating before each session won't be necessary for the 8SE.
Hope this helps (maybe not).
Cheers,
JT
Re: 8" Celestron 8SE or Orion SkyQuest XT10i IntelliScope?
Posted: Mon Nov 02, 2020 3:26 am
by AntennaGuy
Power Ranger wrote: ↑Sun Oct 25, 2020 6:19 pm
After 20 years, I sold my Celestron Nexstar 5i. Now shopping for a new scope, I've narrowed it down to either the Nexstar 8SE or a 10" Orion SkyQuest XT10i IntelliScope. I'm not willing to spend more than $2000 (tax incl) for backyard viewing and with no interest in astrophotography. A computerized Goto is a must as I like to spend my hour(s) viewing rather then searching for DSO's. Both SE and XT10i are similarly priced with SE costing a bit more. If I get the 8SE, I don't plan to upgrade the SE mount to a GEM. If it's the XT10i, I'm leaning towards the upgraded dual fine tuning focuser.
Q: Mathematically the 10" should show a lot more details to an 8" aperture, however in reality, will there really be a "Wow " factor in viewing Messier objects?
Q: Those who own Dobsonians, how often do you need to colliminate your light bucket?
Opinions/comments welcomed
The XT10i is
not a go to. It is a
push to. You might have meant the XT10g, which is a
go to.
Re: 8" Celestron 8SE or Orion SkyQuest XT10i IntelliScope?
Posted: Mon Nov 02, 2020 2:35 pm
by jrkirkham
If you have had a Nexstar 5i for 20 years you may already have an idea of what you are looking for, or you wouldn't have sold it. No telescope does everything and no telescope usually meets your needs forever. I have both OTAs. If I am studying the planets and want to stay on track while beefing up the magnification I like the tracking capabilities of the Celestron. If I am looking for DSOs and finding new things I have never found before I like the Intelliscope. It feels much brighter to me. No matter how you slice it I like a larger aperture for visual work and the tracking capabilities for close study. It's a trade off. Which is most important?
Re: 8" Celestron 8SE or Orion SkyQuest XT10i IntelliScope?
Posted: Sun Nov 08, 2020 5:43 pm
by aae0130
You are in or near Toronto so you do not have pristine skies. The larger faster optic may let you detect more.
I had an 8se for 8 years in a climate that sees cold winters. The amount of time I wasted waiting for the closed tube SCT to reach equilibrium was torture. The dob, though larger, is an open tube and will settle faster theoretically.
Re: 8" Celestron 8SE or Orion SkyQuest XT10i IntelliScope?
Posted: Fri Jun 04, 2021 2:10 pm
by andy brown
Bigzmey wrote: ↑Mon Nov 02, 2020 2:02 am
10" will gather ~56% more light than 8", not a drastic but quite noticeable improvement for faint DSOs.
However, the best scope is the one which gets used and 8SE will be much easier to store, move and deploy. It will still be a significant step up from 5" and will show you hundreds of targets from your backyard.
Yep.
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Re: 8" Celestron 8SE or Orion SkyQuest XT10i IntelliScope?
Posted: Fri Jun 04, 2021 3:15 pm
by Richard
Me personally have not notices much difference between a 8 and 10 inch dobs but lots of light pollution now at home , when we get a chance and go to a less polluted place we take my C5 on a SLT mount wonderful scope not great at anything but a good all round scope , the 8inch will be so much better and just about as easy yo move around , so it depends on what you want to do , stay at home then the 10 inch Dobs move around then the 8 inch Celestron
Re: 8" Celestron 8SE or Orion SkyQuest XT10i IntelliScope?
Posted: Fri Jun 04, 2021 3:21 pm
by Richard
I can also add that the 10 Inch Dobs being a F4.8 requires better eyepieces that the F10 for the sct
Re: 8" Celestron 8SE or Orion SkyQuest XT10i IntelliScope?
Posted: Fri Jun 04, 2021 3:34 pm
by Richard
Mine 8 inch GSO has a duel speed and the 10 inch skywatcher only a single but for visual both work about the same both are the toothless wonders , I like gears