Orion SkyQuest XT6 Classic Dobsonian Telescope for Adults - High Powered Beginner Astronomy Telescope for Moon, Planets & Deep-sky Objects

Great telescope for the beginner or novice!Assembly: Assembly was a breeze but definitely helps when you have a pair of helping hands. It states the assembled weight is roughly 35lbs. Moving and transporting the scope and mount assembly is a little nerve wrecking at first because the mount seems to be made of simulated wood instead of the real thing, and only has a single handle on the front mounting panel. I personally am an avid weight lifter so I don't personally have a problem moving this around, however, if you don't think you can handle the weight of the assembled product, you might want to look into something a little smaller.Quality: Aside from the mount, which although seems sturdy, I have to somewhat question how durable this is through frequent and time tested usage. Simply put, I can't let it lose a star because it hasn't yet been a problem. You're already moving a quite sensitive piece of equipment, so you already know to be gentle and take care!Lining up the view finder with the scope: It was simple. I preferred to use multiple objects at mid length range like smoke stacks on a building, a stop sign about a 1/4 mile out, and smaller objects as well in the DAYLIGHT to adjust the view finder properly. It really isn't difficult at all and once aligned, it is a BREEZE to go ahead and locate just about any object. I planned to originally use the moon, however, considering the moon moves relatively quickly across the sky, I opted for stationary targets.The scope comes with a 25mm lens, and that's about it. Decent for viewing the moon in full and easily, wider range views, and seeing SOME minor planetary features. I saw the rings of Saturn, and even FAINTLY saw cloud belts on jupiter and three of its moons. A slightly higher magnification lens will definitely be added to my arsenal in the near future, as well as a barlow. A Moon filter will be vital for looking at the moon for any length of time in its brighter phases as it can easily distort your vision and appears VERY bright. I do not have the best viewing conditions where I am located, but so far, I have been about as pleased as I could be with this purchase, without any additional accessories. My first night out was partly cloudy and I live within 50 miles of chicago and the city I live in is also quite bright and populated. I still found Saturn in decent viewing, Jupiter and its moons, our moon, mars, etc.Versatility: Versatility is ok for what it is, considering its tremendous size. The bolt on the bottom that allows you to move the scope on its azimuth can be adjusted easily to modify how easily or difficult it is to move it. I actually over-tightened it at first and it was difficult to move it without turning the entire assembly. On the flip side, under tightening it will allow it to move too freely which is probably even worse for alignment purposes. I wound up building a small table to mount the scope on. I am 5'11 and found that when viewing objects low on the horizon I had to bend a bit too much and it gave me a lower backache. My table was built to a height of 12.5" and it solved this problem. I even added a shelf for storage of my future lenses and the lens caps!In comparison/closing: This is a fantastic scope for it's value! Years ago, I purchased a tripod Celestron 70AZ scope and the mounting system was very unstable and horrible to keep aligned as the scope always dropped off of whatever I was viewing. I returned it that same week as defective as no matter how hard I tightened the thumbscrews it was never enough. If you have the extra money, you may want to consider the XT8, but then again, if you had that extra money you'd probably be considering the XT10 or larger. I definitely recommend a good barlow, some filters and also some various sized lenses, as much like a camera, the lens makes a huge difference!

I did a lot of research before I bought this telescope - I have no experience with them and very little knowledge of the stars. But I knew I wanted to explore the moon and stars now that we live in the country and the nights are very dark and the heavens seemingly bursting with stars.I decided to buy the Orion SkyQuest XT6 based on the overall excellent reviews of the Orion brand, and this telescope in particular. It was at the limit of what I could afford, but I didn't want a child's toy or any of the cheaper ones that don't really work well. The free shipping (at the time) was the final deciding factor.It arrived in two large boxes and I was shocked at the size of it. I truly didn't expect it to stand almost 5 feet tall when assembled, but maybe I'm just showing my ignorance. I unpacked everything and was very happy with the quality of the contents and paperwork. The assembly/instruction manual was very easy to use, and it only took me about 40 minutes to completely put it together. They even sent the screwdriver, allen wrenches and other items you need to assemble it.The base is very heavy and sturdy, and I like the solid feel of it and the way it rotates 360 degrees. There's a handle mounted on the base for "ease" of transport, although there's no easy way to lug a 35 pound telescope. No matter, I set up a low table on our front deck and took the telescope outside to test it the first night.Several tips - if you're going to view the stars on a cold night, take the telescope outdoors 20-30 minutes beforehand so it won't be fogged up when you use it. Also, for most average sized people, you'll need a LOW table or stepstool to set it on. A regular sized table will put the eyepiece about 6 feet in the air. Also - and this will make experienced star gazers laugh - take the lens cap off. It's on the end where the eyepiece is, not the other end. And be sure the lens end is pointed at the stars, not the other end. (blush)Rookie issues aside, I was blown away by the view of the moon! The craters and lines and colors are so close and clear, it's amazing! I haven't had time and clear nights yet to find Orion's belt or Saturn and admire them, but I can't wait! I had the telescope set up last night, in preparation for the lunar eclipse, but it ended up too cloudy to see anything.I highly recommend this telescope for anyone who wants a "real" telescope. Maybe the XT8 is better but this is a great size and magnification and price for a hobby type wanna-be astronomer. Definitely not a child's toy, this is a toy for adults. Although my kids have loved seeing the moon with me.Edited 4/15/11: I'm still very pleased with this telescope, but I wanted to add a note about some extras that make it even better. I bought a 3x Barlow lens (about $50) to add to the standard eyepiece - it triples the magnification of the basic lens and allows the user to see our closer planets in greater detail. I also bought a moon filter (about $30) to take some of the brightness out of the moon. That allows me to see the study the surface of the moon without being blinded by the light. It seems that there is an endless list of small extras that add to the viewing experience, but I've been happy with these two extra purchases.