TRG – Telescope Review Guide

Orion’s Skyquest XT4.5 is the smallest in their Dobsonian line of telescopes that includes the XT6 , XT8 , and XT10. Newcomers to the hobby are always surprised at how large amateur telescopes are, but to experienced observers, this XT4.5 is considered a very small scope. Tiny, in fact (It’s so small, astronomers are buying them just because they think they’re so cute). Make no mistake, though–the XT4.5 is a full-fledged telescope, and is a serious observing tool that could last you for years.

Your money buys you a lot in this case. Included are a good-quality 4.5″ f/8 primary mirror, two eyepieces, a finder, and a CD-ROM with a stripped-down version of The Sky, a software guide to the sky. The scope comes in two cartons. One contains the optical tube, and the other is a flat-packed box containing the base, which you assemble yourself. Orion includes all the hardware and tools you need, and the instructions are well written. Allocate about 30 minutes to assemble and align everything.

There are a couple of cost-cutting measures. The primary mirror is spherical, not parabolic (this is not likely to affect the views, however). Also, the focuser is plastic. Plastic focusers are naturally less robust than metal ones. Finally (and this may be the most serious concern of all), the scope is a little short for an adult. The eyepiece is only 3 feet off the ground, which may force you to stoop over (hint: try sitting on a short chair or stool while observing). On the other hand, the height is ideal for a child, making this a great telescope for kids.

Under the stars, the XT4.5 exhibits excellent performance. Once properly collimated (aligned), the optics give clear, sharp, contrasty views.  Jupiter’s cloud band and four moons are no problem to see, nor are Saturn’s rings. The Orion Nebula is a glowing fan of green gas, with a quartet of tiny stars at its core. Under dark skies (and with some diligence) the XT4.5 can even pull in some of the fainter deep sky objects, like the brighter galaxies in the Virgo Cluster.

As recently as a few years ago, the old adage regarding telescopes was that you must spend at least $300 to avoid buying junk. While this is still mostly true, Orion’s little XT4.5 breaks the price barrier in a big way. As long as you can deal with the short eyepiece height, it’s a great starter scope.

So now you have a brand spanking new pair of Bushnell or Zhumell binoculars. Now what? Just what can you expect to see with them? You’d be surprised! What follows is sights 10-6 of my Top 10 list of things to see.

10. Meteors and Satellites

Find someplace where you have an unobstructed view of the sky. Try to pick a night with a new or crescent moon. Lay on a chaise lounge or even the ground. Be comfortable! Scan the sky with your binoculars. Before too long you should be rewarded by the flash of a shooting star! Most months have at least a minor meteor shower. April has the Lyrids which, as I pointed out in me last article, could put on a good show this year since the moon will be crescent during the peak of the shower.

Satellites are perhaps even more fun to view with your binocular than meteors since they don’t flash across the sky in an instant as meteors do. I will never forget the first time I saw the International Space Station fly over, Space Shuttle attached! Sure I could see it with my unaided eye but when I trained my Bushnell on them, I swear I could count the rivets! Simply breathtaking. Satellite hunting doesn’t have to be a hit or miss proposition either. Sebastian Stoff has a wonderful cardware program called Orbitron that will tell you when you’ll have a satellite viewable from your location.

9. The Beehive Cluster

The Beehive Cluster

The Beehive Cluster is an open star cluster found in the constellation Cancer. It should be on your list of must sees because it was one of the first things Galileo viewed with his telescope.

8. The Double Cluster

The Double Cluster is two clusters located close together. Located in the constellation Perseus, the Double Cluster makes an attractive target because it’s fairly large and telescopes have a hard time imaging both clusters at once. With your binoculars, you won’t have any trouble seeing both clusters!

7. Jupiter

Jupiter and the Galilean moons as you might see them with your binoculars

Sure, your friend with the telescope might be momentarily miffed at your ability to simultaneously image both clusters of the Double Cluster but he will soon turn his ’scope to Jupiter and challenge you to beat him. Of course, you probably won’t be able to but you will be able to reproduce Galileo’s efforts and watch the four largest moons of Jupiter, the so-called Galilean moon’s, in their nightly waltz around that gas giant!

6. The Moon

The Moon

Sure you can see the Moon, and plenty of it, without any aids at all. You haven’t really seen it though, until you’ve seen it through binoculars! Don’t try to view when the Moon is full, or nearly full, as the brightness will wash out the fine details and may be too bright to be comfortable for your eyes. Instead, view when the Moon is half or smaller. The shadows will reveal mountains and valleys like you’ve never dreamed! Look at the Sea of Tranquillity and imagine Neal Armstrong and Buzz Aldrin walking across that dusty surface. Has it really been 40 years since that amazing feat?

 Check back soon for my Top 5 list of things to see with your Bushnell or Zhumell binoculars!

Venus is getting close to the Sun and is hard to spot right now. In  about a week it will become a morning object. Early risers can witness Venus in all of its glory for most of the rest of the year.

Saturn has just passed opposition but is still near its brightest for the year. Unfortunately the rings are nearly edge on right now and so are not very visible. Disappointing as that is, Saturn is still an impressive target and you should be able to pick out some of its moons even with a smaller telescope.

Mars and Jupiter are close together in the early morning sky with Jupiter being the far brighter of the two. A good

Jupiter and the Galilean Moons

telescope should pick able to image the Great Red Spot as well as at least four of the 63 known Jovian moons. The four largest moons are called the Galilean moons as they were first observed by Galileo on January 7, 1610 when he trained his home made telescope on Jupiter.