Ed in Miami's Stats
- Review Count2
- Helpfulness Votes18
- First ReviewFebruary 16, 2010
- Last ReviewFebruary 16, 2010
- Featured Reviews1
- Average Rating5
Reviews Comments
- Review Comment Count0
- Helpfulness Votes0
- First Review CommentNone
- Last Review CommentNone
- Featured Review Comments0
Ed in Miami's Reviews
The Orion 9mm Expanse is a low cost, high power wide field of view telescope eyepiece that is perfect for detailed views of nebula and planetary objects. It delivers sharp, true to color images and has great eye relief, good for eyeglass wearers.
Within the first couple of weeks of owning my XT6 I decided I wanted a more powerful eyepiece to complement the 25mm Plossl that was supplied with my scope. After much research and thought I decided on the 9mm Expanse. This size is powerful enough to give good magnification to view planets and good resolution of deep-sky objects. However, it is not so powerful that it will be useless in all but perfect seeing conditions. In fact, this is the eyepiece I most often use, even though I now have several in my collection. Construction is first-rate, with quality evident throughout. Internally it is well baffled and finished in a durable flat black. Externally the plating and annodizing are excellent. The coating on the lenses appeared uniform without any defects. This is a nicely constructed eyepiece. The view through this eyepiece is excellent. I appreciate the wide field of view and the fact that I'm not looking through a "pinhole". Eyeglass wearers will also appreciate the great eye relief. Objects appear well focused and crisp, without any distortion toward the edges. One thing I really like is the contrast this eyepiece has. It makes deep-sky objects really stand out. I have not seen any internal reflections or glare. This is a really good eyepiece, especially for the money, and one I find myself using more than all others. It compliments the 25mm eyepiece supplied with the telescope. I recommend it.
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+12points
12of 12voted this as helpful.
Are you looking for your first Dobsonian? The SkyQuest XT6 is a classic entry-level reflector at an amazing price. The XT6 is very portable, has a stable mount, is easy to operate and is affordable, making it a perfect telescope for the beginner.
Rating
SkyQuest XT6
PostedFebruary 16, 2010
I have been using my XT6 since early December 2009 in the heavily light polluted suburbs of Miami. This instrument is incredible. I have observed several winter Messier objects, including the Andromeda galaxy and it's two dwarfs, the Double Cluster in Perseus, as well as the Trapezium in the Orion Nebula and the two Red Dwarfs E and F. The light-gathering ability and image clarity is great, especially considering the light-pollution I have to contend with. The supplied 25mm Plossl eyepiece is excellent and will keep you busy observing all types of deep-sky objects. I soon bought the 9mm Orion Expanse eyepiece (highly recommended) for better resolution of double stars, planetary observation, etc. The telescope and base are packaged very well for protection during shipment. Assembly of the base was easy enough, as was integrating the optical tube to the base. The instructions are very clear. Once assembled I suggest you familiarize yourself with the instrument before taking into the dark. Adjustment of the finder is easy, no harder than adjusting windage and elevation on a rifle scope. The mirror was well collimated, but I purposely threw it out of adjustment to learn how to do the collimation. It was not that difficult at all. Just follow the supplied instructions. The best telescope is the one that you use the most. This telescope is easy enough for a fit person to carry in one piece, although you can separate the base and tube for easier handling or transporting in a car. Middle-age and older persons, like me, appreciate the portability and ease of handling. This is one great telescope that is built to last and is very well thought out. It is big enough for serious astronomy, and is supplied with everything you need to keep you happy for a long time. I can see why all the reviews I read before buying raved about this telescope. This one is a keeper and I highly recommend it.
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+6points
6of 6voted this as helpful.
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