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SkyQuest™ XT6 IntelliScope™ - 6" (15cm) f8 DobsonianDeliveries began in November 2003 This is the least expensive reflecting telescope suggested by Company Seven for astronomy by youngsters and for adults who have realistically moderate expectations. It offers a chance to get one into the hobby, and retain their interest for some time with striking views of the Moon, Sun (with an optional safe solar filter), and it will show identifiable views of the major four planets, it has just enough light gathering power that with good skies one will recognize more than 100 of the brighter deep sky objects too. The XT-6 is a telescope that many children or older adults can easily manage and so this is among the best choices of telescope which we offer for children from about 8 years of age to 12 however, for several sound reasons the larger Orion 8" XT8 IntelliScope™ should be considered for serious teens or adults. Furthermore, the accessories included with the XT telescopes are common sense items to insure a good first night out; these are items that would usually be optional with competing telescopes. This is as easy as it gets, and is a very good value first telescope package - the least costly "first" telescope really worth owning for many!
Right: Shown is a SkyQuest™ XT6 IntelliScope™ showing the 1.25" Rack & Pinion Focuser, 6x 30 Finder, Accessory Tray, Eyepiece Rack, Navigation Knob, Trunnion with Handle. Note the IntelliScope™ Control shown here is optional (59,510 bytes).
AND The Industry's Best 6" Dob Just Got 14,000 Times Better
Our Orion SkyQuest telescopes always provided you with the most bang for the buck in their class, backed by Orion and Company Seven - two of the most credible and competent sources of telescopes in the marketplace. "I can sum up my experiences using the SkyQuest XT6...in one word - fun!" So raved Astronomy magazine's review (May 2003) of the previous generation of this excellent scope. Now the SkyQuest XT6 IntelliScope™ continues its dominance over all other 6" Dobsonians worldwide by virtue of its superior engineering. For 2003 we add a new contemporary lightweight base design and most exciting of all, the ability to locate any of more than 14,000 fascinating celestial objects with pushbutton ease!
In our experience, the six inch reflector provided the minimum light gathering power needed to recognize deep sky objects and the major planets from dark sky locations. But over recent decades as urban sprawl has so light polluted the night skies, and since so many people have become familiar with images of the celestial wonders from the space program, these factors have left the six inch telescope (as most small telescopes) less effective for the observing of deep sky objects in suburban settings and less likely to keep one's interest in the hobby. So for our customers in surburban settings who seek more recognizable views of the deep sky objects we recommend the 8" XT8 IntelliScope™. Features of the XT6 telescope include:
The 48 inch focal length of the XT6 (the same as that of its larger cousin the XT-8 IntelliScope™) telescopes afford versatility and a range if useful magnifications, while retaining good portability - the XT-6 will fit into almost every car. With an assembled weight (Base and Optical Tube) of 34 lbs (15.5 kg) and a convenient carrying handle, this is a true "pickup and go" telescope". The XT6 is particularly attractive to those who can not, or do not wish to manage a larger telescope yet seek a manageable telescope with the light gathering and fields of view potential to recognize many of the most popular deep sky objects (depending on your skies) including a few Galaxies, Star Clusters, Nebulae, and some Planetary Nebulae. This telescope affords the good contrast and clarity qualities required for satisfying lunar and planetary observing, it may actually reveal changes occurring of major features on Saturn, Jupter, and Mars over the course of an observing season; see the Polar Caps grow and shrink as Mars goes though it's seasons, or see a transit of a moon passing across the surface of Jupiter! These attributes make the XT-6 Intelliscope among the logical choices for those who live in urban centers where a balance of portability and good performance on the brighter, easy to find objects are most important.
What characterizes a Newtonian reflecting telescope?: The optical arrangement of this Orion optical tube assembly (OTA) is known as a "Newtonian". While an English mathematician originated this optical concept, it was Sir Isaac Newton who first made a working model in 1668, and he continued refining the design well into at least 1671. The Parabolic "Primary" mirror is the factor by which most telescopes are described; hence an 6" telescope has a primary mirror of 6 inch (15cm) in diameter.
The light entering the telescope is gathered at the Primary Mirror and then reflected forward in a converging beam, to the elliptical Secondary Mirror that is positioned near the front of the telescope. This Secondary Mirror is supported in a tilted position so that to the light path the obstruction appears circular. The Secondary Mirror diverts the light from the Primary Mirror to the side and beyond the Focuser. The Secondary Mirror is attached to an adjustable Mirror Cell, and this assembly is held in place by a four vane Spider; this assembly is shown above and to the left as seen from the front of the telescope. The light from the Primary mirror is then reflected out to the side of the telescope achieving focus at a point beyond the focuser. An eyepiece for viewing, or camera for photography is placed at the focuser.
The mirrors must be precisely positioned within the OTA in terms of centering, tilt, and spacing. The overall alignment ("collimation") of the one optical element to the other, and their placing the focal plane (the point where the image comes to focus) at the correct position beyond the focuser are critical. The optical axis of the telescope should be closely parallel to the mechanical axis of the tube assembly too. Company Seven chose Orion's SkyQuest™ telescopes in part because of their consistently well engineered, good quality mechanical components, and partial assembly at the factory that facilitate collimating these telescopes precisely upon delivery, if needed.
A well made reflecting telescope offers the best view per the dollar of the faint, deep sky objects where light gathering power is essential. Light gathering power increases are more important and come quicker than one may think; consider that a 6"f8 reflecting telescope may show objects about 335X fainter than the unaided eye, while an 8"f6 may offer more than 600X the light gathering power over the unaided human eye - in astronomy size can matter! The ratio of aperture to focal length is f/8. The f8 focal ratio of this telescope allows the owner of the telescope to obtain very satisfactory performance across the full useful range of magnifications with relatively less complicated, and less costly eyepieces. The Dobsonian telescope is characterized by its' simple to use Alt-Azimuth mounting, a lightweight primary mirror and modestly priced components. This concept was developed in the 1970's from San Francisco sidewalk astronomer John Dobson. His goal was to get the most telescope possible into the hands of the amateur observer for the lowest relative cost. This arrangement has since become known as the "Dobsonian" or "Dob". The modern Dobsonian telescope usually consists of an optical tube assembly riding on a wooden alt-azimuth platform. The optical tube may be made of tube up to 18 or 20" in diameter. These tubes are typically made of Sonotube/cardboard, or plastic, or rolled metal. In the case of the better made larger Dobson telescopes (12-1/2 inch and larger), a Truss arrangement is employed in order to facilitate disassembly into a more manageable and compact package. The Orion XT telescopes employ a rolled metal enameled tube finished internally in an anti reflection paint. This tube holds optical collimation well even with temperature or humidity changes. This thin wall tube permits the designer to select a smaller secondary mirror/obstruction. And this keeps the tube lighter weight and more compact than heavier sonotube tubes. Our best-made Dobson telescopes up to 10 inch aperture are those offered by Orion. While our larger Dobson telescopes include the Truss tube telescopes made by Astro-Systems. Working with Gravity: The center of gravity lies directly over the center of rotation in both directions, so no matter to where the telescope is pointed, the weight is evenly distributed through the mount to the ground. This characteristic, and sound design results in almost complete elimination of unwanted vibration and oscillation; the inevitable downfall of many poor telescope mounts. Whereas in many economical telescopes the image seems to bounce around forever after the scope has been touched, this is not the case with well made Dobsonians. In addition to getting some help from Newton's Law, Orion engineers developed and now refined the original CorrecTension Friction Optimization system. This new system is a mechanism to adjust the tension or drag on the altitude bearings to compensate for varying loads of eyepieces, cameras, finders, etc. Bearings molded from ultra-high molecular weight (UHMW) polyethylene and Teflon provide silky smooth motion of the telescope on both axes. Orion's engineers not only streamlined the rock-stable Dobsonian base, but they also provided a lighter weight contemporary structure to the Base Side Arms.
Right: XT8 IntelliScope™ pointing to M5 Star Cluster by Bob Fuller, M8 Nebula by Coombs, and M33 Galaxy by Lorenzi. (127,639 bytes). Click on image to see enlarged view (268,752 bytes). The IntelliScope™ system is an advanced form of digital setting circle providing a digital readout of position, with information about celestial objects in the database. This system features an electronic position indicator (Encoder) which is affixed to each of both axes of the telescope Base (or Carriage). The Azimuth (left-right) motion Encoder is provided with each Intelliscope Base when you buy the telescope. As you assemble the Base you may install the Azimuth Encoder, or if you pick up the telescope at Company Seven then you may have the instrument assembled with the Encoder(s) already installed for you. To activate the full benefits of these "digital setting circles" all one needs to do is buy the optional IntelliScope™ Computer Controller, install the provided Elevation (up-down) Encoder onto the Base, plug in the IntelliScopeª Computer Controller, and go! Left: IntelliScope™ Controller with Cable (32,298 bytes). Click on image to see enlarged view (56,680 bytes).
When the IntelliScope™ series telescopes were introduced in 2003 the IntelliScope™ Computer Control system was an option, so the telescope could have been ordered with or without this system. But since virtually everybody who buys these telescopes wanted the IntelliScope™ control and encoder system, the
The SkyQuest XT6 IntelliScope gives amateur stargazers speedy access to manually quickly guide their telescope onto a diverse catalog of celestial objects which appear with the push of a button on the optionally available IntelliScope Computer Controller. If you want to view the Andromeda Galaxy? Then press the button labeled "Messier" ... select M31 ... and whoosh! Wow! In seconds, there it is, dead center in the eyepiece. It's that easy to locate and view object after object - so many more in an evening than most people could ever find before.
Full IntelliScope™ object-location functionality can be added at any time with purchase of the optional plug-in Controller.
The XT-6 Base includes a convenient Eyepiece Accessory Tray. This standard eyepiece holder is provided with slots for up to four 1.25 inch accessories. To keep dew or other contaminants from marring eyepieces set on this tray Company Seven suggests you keep eyepiece caps in place and consider the use of dew prevention devices including our Kendrick heaters.
Right: Elevation Bearing with optional Holster for the IntelliScope™ Control (32,298 bytes). Click on image to see enlarged view (56,680 bytes).
And if you tire of holding the lightweight controller, you can holster it and take a break with the optional Holster!
A Hands-On Telescope: The Dobsonian is a telescope you can push around - literally. You point it by simply nudging the tube on its Base up or down, and left or right by hand. Trunnions on the tube rotate on low-friction plastic bearings, allowing the telescope optical tube assembly to move up and down (altitude). The Base rotates horizontally (azimuth) around a center pivot permitting the observer to move the telescope smoothly up and down, left and right on Teflon/Nylon altitude and azimuth bearings. A gentle nudge is all it takes to point the scope right where you want it. The motion on both axes is "buttery smooth," letting you guide the scope with just the lightest touch from one part of the sky to another. Exploring the heavens is relaxing and fun for everyone, the way it is meant to be.
The XT6 like all our other SkyQuest Dobs, features the innovative Correct-Tension Friction Optimization system. It provides just the right amount of friction on the altitude bearings to ensure smooth motion and perfect tube balance. You donÕt have to rebalance the scope every time you change eyepieces or add a barlow lens or other accessories. No need for fishing sinkers, stacks of washers, or other clumsy counterweights as required with other Dobs!
You do not need to loosen and tighten clamps when targeting objects, as you must with other mounts. Dobsonians are not equatorially mounted and so they are generally moved only by hand. While it is possible to add motors and computer control (to automatically find and track stars) it is generally not necessary or cost effective on smaller Dobsonians. Some companies do sell Dobs complete with tracking systems however, even these factory made tracking Dobsonians are not completely satisfactory for deep-sky astrophotography.
Nor do Dobsonian telescopes usually have setting circles for locating objects by their cataloged coordinates. Many people find the beauty of a Dob is in their no-frills simplicity - they just work however, the modularity of the IntelliScope™ give you the choice. The Dobson design remains the first choice among serious deep sky observers, and it is not uncommon to find custom or home made "Dobs" of up to 36 inch aperture in use at dark sky observing sites around the world.
Noteworthy features of the SkyQuest™ XT6 include:
"Starry Night Special Edition" is a basic version of the more capable "Starry Night" version 5.0 astronomy software series; this software will help you learn the night sky, see what is up day or night, now or in past millennia, plan your observing sessions, and print out charts and information about the celestial wonders. The set also includes "SkyTheatre", a DVD by Imaginova so your television or PC becomes a spaceship on a voyage through our Solar System. The set is compatible with both Macintosh computers running OSX version 10.3 or later, and with Windows XP for PC. Your personal planetarium and guide to the night sky!
Left: CD-ROM "Starry Night Special Edition" with bonus "SkyTheatre" DVD suite (43,322 bytes).
XT6 Telescope Specifications:
Orion has been quite good at making the factories overseas produce a great value. But once in a while something less than perfect slips by; a part is not glued just right, something is installed a bit off, or a component is damaged in transit. If you receive one of these telescopes and if you know enough to recognize an anomaly then it is a simple matter to call Orion or Company Seven for a prompt exchange or replacement parts. We both have very good reputations for after sale support and a money back guarantee.
When we assemble the XT we evaluate cosmetics, often cleaning off surplus glue or dirt. We install the Primary Mirror making those first and most time consuming adjustments to assure each optical and mechanical component is nominally installed. We are happy to provide you with the optional tools to collimate a telescope when it becomes necessary (after all some years from now you will probably want to pull the mirror for cleaning) and more importantly we will teach you how best to proceed. As we have worked on so many of these instruments we have developed a good sense of how a properly made and adjusted Focuser should feel. We know the tricks to make the telescope move smoother up and down, left and right. We know how to make it last longer - in fact we change out some components with superior alternatives. There are a few techniques we have devised along the way to improve reliability when we install the optional IntelliScope™ Controller and Encoders. We find the quality control problems however, while we do not expect a "Rolls Royce" fit and finish on the XT telescopes, we work so that the telescope will perform as well as experience shows it can. And as we process the telescope we perform some tests that will reveal to our experienced eye whether or not the optics were made and collimated as they could be. And finally, we generate additional information that is provided to the owner; this will characterize the potential of the telescope for visual applications, and with an optional Equatorial Mount what the XT may accomplish photographically.
One will never read a sad tale from someone who actually bought their IntelliScope™ at Company Seven. We invite you to attend a Star Watch activity of any regional astronomy club and compare a telescope that bears the Company Seven acceptance label with those from elsewhere. In fact more and more we hear accounts of people at such events who bought their "Orion XT clone" elsewhere being convinced it was a great value until they felt the motion of our telescopes and gazed through the eyepieces we recommended.
Company Seven's customers tend to progress further in the hobby than others. This is in part because we are helping them as we wish someone else would have helped us. We are not archetypical salesmen, instead we are experts who can teach you about the instruments and provide the sincere good counsel.
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Left: Parabolic Primary Mirror of an Orion Dobson telescope in it's Cell (12,056 bytes).
