Laurence StO's Stats
- Review Count2
- Helpfulness Votes35
- First ReviewJuly 15, 2010
- Last ReviewAugust 10, 2010
- Featured Reviews1
- Average Rating4.5
Reviews Comments
- Review Comment Count0
- Helpfulness Votes0
- First Review CommentNone
- Last Review CommentNone
- Featured Review Comments0
Laurence StO's Reviews
Superb high-power performance, compact lightweight design, sharp high-contrast view, and clearly defined photographs make the Orion 180mm Maksutov-Cassegrain perfect for the advanced observer or astrophotographer.
I received my Orion 180 Mak about three weeks ago. It's been quite cloudy here in New Mexico during the current summer 'monsoon" season but I have managed to get in some night viewing and more during the day. All I can say is this scope is spectacular!I accessorized mine with a correct view eyepiece mount for correct left-right/up- down views plus an Orion zoom eyepiece. Oh Boy! What a thrill to kick this baby up to 300 plus power and see the mouths and tongues of little swallows in their nest between a power pole transformer and the pole more than 100 yards away. I can see the down on the chicks and count the feathers on mama as she feeds them grasshoppers. Something else. To say I'm pleased would be a gross understatement! The 180 Mak mates perfectly with my Orion Atlas EQ-G tripod/mount and is a joy to use in GoTo mode. My son-in-law and I watched Saturn the other night for two hours. What a thrill to see the rings better than ever before and we were both amazed by the resolution. The moon and Jupiter would be impossible to describe in words viewed through this scope because they are so vivid and clear. I give this scope five stars with no hesitation. Laurence St.Onge
Share:
+4points
4of 4voted this as helpful.
The Orion SkyQuest XT12g Dobsonian is perfect for the advanced viewer that wants to see details on the moon and planets as well as faint deep-sky objects. Fully computerized GoTo system finds and automatically tracks any of 42,000 celestial objects.
Rating
XT12g Pros and Cons
PostedJuly 15, 2010
Overall, I am very pleased with my Orion goto 12" Dob, however, the shipments were two weeks apart. I received the base and mirror in late June and the tube didn't arrive until 13 July, two weeks later. That was a long two plus weeks with my assembled base sitting there lonesome and waiting. When the tube finally did come in, it had a sizeable dent at about the midpoint. The dent was egg shaped and approximately one-half inch deep in the center. I applied ice cubes (a car repair trick) and reached inside the tube with a plastic hammer at the same time to tap on the dent. I was able to 'pop' it back out so it virtually vanished. Otherwise, the scope is gorgeous and so are the views through it. My other issues, which result in my four star rating, are the manual and the finder. The manual jumps back and forth and leaves some complex issues to the imagination or experience of the user. An example is collimation which leaves out some critical information which could get the user in trouble. The finder is atrocious! These sorts of scopes are often pointed high into the sky and it then requires a contortionist to use the finder. I have already ordered a right angle finder from Orion to replace the 'cheapie' red dot provided with the scope. Big pluses are the optical performance (wow!), the obvious overall quality, and the mechanics. The goto performs superbly and is quiet and precise. I'm amazed my little 12 volt Orion portable pack can turn and tilt this monster with ease and for hours! All in all, I'm happy with my purchase but, as with most products, some improvements could be made. I must add that it is always a pleasure to deal with the Orion sales and technical people on the phone. They're great. Laurence St.Onge
Share:
+31points
31of 31voted this as helpful.
Laurence StO's Review Comments
Laurence StO has not submitted comments on any reviews.