Skywatcher HERITAGE-100P Tabletop Parabolic Dobsonian Telescope

Product Information

Another benefit of dobsonians is their unrivalled light gathering capabilities when compared to the cost. Another telescope with the same size and aperture such as a Schmidt would cost twice as much. Seasoned astronomers know that the more light you can gather, the further away you can see and the more you’ll be able to explore. Unfortunately, Dobsonian Telescopes tend to be quite heavy. Key Considerations when Purchasing a Dobsonian Telescope i) Consider the Aperture The Heritage Skywatcher 100 P telescope is a super light and convenient grab and go scope that is perfect for your first unit. But don’t be fooled by the low price, this scope really holds its own out there. The high quality 100 mm parabolic optics lets you see the bright planets and moon as well as other distant nebulae and star clusters. Collecting 319% more light than the human eye, the Heritage 130 is a powerful tabletop dobsonian capable of delivering stunning views of planets, galaxies and nebulae while remaining affordable. Each mirror is constructed of durable borosilicate glass with our signature Radiant ™ Aluminum Quartz (RAQ™) coating. The Heritage 130 uses a unique system that allows it to be collapsed for easy portability and storage while retaining collimation.

The collapsible patented FlexTub system has been incorporated, making it even more convenient to transport and store.

The money you’re spending on a telescope should be going as much towards the aperture (size of the objective lens or mirror) as possible. When you’re spending only a few hundred dollars on a computerized telescope, half your money is going to go to the drive systems and controller, and as a result, you get rather little actual “telescope” for your money. If you live in the city you’ll definitely want to prioritize aperture. A small telescope will show little under severe light pollution, but in general, you’re going to want to get as far away from cities as you can when you sky watch anyways. The Heritage 150P attaches to its tabletop Dobsonian mount with a standard Vixen-style dovetail bar bolted directly to the lower half of the tube. Thus, you could theoretically put the telescope on another mount, but it’s possible this could result in the focuser/eyepiece being located in an awkward position. Accessories The Heritage 150P uses a tabletop “Dobsonian” mount—technically not a true Dobsonian but rather a one-armed fork design, with the tube pivoting up and down on a plastic pad and ball bearing and swiveling like any other Dobsonian using three small Teflon pads on the laminated base. The tube attaches to the mount with a Vixen-style dovetail rail and clamp, and can be slid along the clamp for optimal balance. There’s also a built-in handle. You can adjust the friction of the altitude axis by tightening a large knob, while adjusting the friction in azimuth requires a pair of pliers or wrenches. Controller: Free SynScan App for iOS and Android mobile devices or Synscan Hand Controller (available separately) Many's an eager beginner on the hunt for their first telescope has opted for a high-end Dobsonian or Newtonian that requires assembly or collimation, and soon their scope is relegated to its permanent home of the attic or garage.

Lastly, a narrowband Ultra High Contrast (UHC)/ OIII nebula filter can significantly improve your views of nebulae, such as the Orion Nebula, when using almost any telescope, including the Heritage 150P. This filter also enhances the visibility of planetary nebulae by reducing the brightness of surrounding stars, making it easier for you to locate them at low power. Furthermore, it provides enough contrast improvement to reveal previously invisible targets, such as the Crab Nebula and Veil Nebula supernova remnants, when using this telescope under dark skies. What can you see with the Skywatcher Heritage 150P?

For a significantly higher price are a variety of full-sized, free-standing 6”, 8” and 10” Dobsonians which all provide great views in a simple and portable design format. Some of these telescopes can be a lot of money, so you want to make sure you are investing in a great product … especiallyif this is your first one! Our comprehensive list contains the absolute best telescope for its corresponding price. Basic Guide On Choosing The Best Telescope For You

The Ursa Major 8″ f/6 Dobsonian is a simple 8” Dobsonian, which boasts an impressive light gathering capacity – almost twice that of its 6″ counterparts and four times the light collecting prowess of the Heritage 100P. Despite this, its weight and bulk are only marginally greater than a 6″ f/8 Dobsonian We enjoyed wide-field views of galaxy pair M81 and M82 - Bode's Galaxy and the Cigar Galaxy - in Ursa Major. We also measure the Power with our systems which is essentially the error from the reference sphere to the test optic. The reference sphere we use on our system is a very high quality sphere so the closer to zero the Power, the less error between the 2 elements thus ensuring a higher quality optical surface. The StellaLyra 8″ f/6 is the most exceptional value 8″ Dobsonian you can acquire and comes with all the necessary accessories. It is one of our top selections for a telescope for nearly any task. The StellaLyra 8″ f/6 includes two eyepieces: a 2″ 30mm SuperView (40x) and a 1.25″ 9mm Plossl (133x). The StellaLyra 8″ f/6 is the finest 8″ Dobsonian available, alongside our top overall choice for a beginner telescope, and nothing surpasses the sheer value in its price range; some of the other 8″ Dobsonians from brands like Bresser or Sky-Watcher may cost marginally less, but just the dual-speed focuser is easily worth more than double the price increase of the StellaLyra 8″ f/6. The StellaLyra 8″ f/6 Dobsonian is the telescope we most frequently recommend to novices. AlternativeThe Sky-Watcher AZ5 Stainless Steel Tripod (code 20316) is also available for use with this telescope. Size Comparison: This is a good scope for the money. I use it on an old Manfrotto tripod at the lowest extension and its just the right height. Its easy to collimate with the supplied collimation cap. Your secondary mirror will be aligned when you can see the full reflection of the primary with a complete ring encircling it. The Sky-Watcher Heritage 100P is of course pretty much the cheapest acceptable telescope one can find. Lower-priced 76mm f/4 tabletop scopes have flawed spherical primary mirrors and often sub-par accessories, while most tripod-mounted scopes are just completely unacceptable. The Zhumell Z100 and Orion SkyScanner 100mm, if available, are identical optically and mechanically to the Heritage 100P, albeit equipped with slightly different accessories.