Orion Dobsonians have always been known for superb optical and mechanical quality, wonderful ease of use, and remarkably affordable prices. One other thing they - and almost all other Dobs on the market - have had in common: you pushed the telescope to your observing target by hand.
Until now. Orion is pleased to herald another giant leap in Dobsonian evolution with the introduction of the SkyQuest XTg series of fully motor driven GoTo Dobsonians. Now, pointing a Dob to even the most elusive of NGC curiosities is as easy as pushing a button or two on the XTg Dobsonians' illuminated hand controller. High-torque servo motors guided by two pairs of high-resolution encoders then slew the telescope right to your object of interest - any of over 42,000 objects in the GoTo controller?s database. No more nudging the telescope tube continuously to keep the object from drifting out of the field of view, either. The XTg automatically tracks the object's motion, keeping it centered in the eyepiece while you savor the view. What's more, the closed-loop electronics of the XTg let you move the telescope manually - or endure the accidental bump - without losing orientation for accurate, automated GoTo pointing!
The SkyQuest XT12g combines GoTo pointing convenience with excellent portability and an amazingly affordable price (just compare its price to any other 12? GoTo telescope on the market). It features a 305mm (12") aperture, 1500mm focal-length parabolic mirror (f/4.9) made from low-thermal-expansion optical glass, with enhanced reflectivity (94%) aluminum coatings for high-definition images. The mirror is center marked to make alignment of the optics (collimation) easier and more precise. The optical tube comes equipped with a dual-speed 2" Crayford focuser (with 1.25" adapter). The 11:1 fine focus knob ensures that you'll quickly find that ultra-sharp focus point that makes your target object pop with dazzling clarity!
The GoTo base comes with all optical encoders, drive motors, and gears pre-installed, making assembly a breeze. The optical tube drops into the base on a dovetail trunnion and locks in place with a single hand knob. A simple two-star alignment is all it takes to orient the scope to the sky for GoTo operation. Then let the fun begin! And when you're ready to call it a night, just loosen the knob and lift the tube off the base for easy transport or storage. Handles on the base's front and side panels make it easy to lift and carry.
Standard accessories with the XT12g include an EZ Finder II reflex sight, eyepiece rack with holes for one 2" and three 1.25" eyepieces, hand controller mounting bracket, quick collimation cap, a wide-field 28mm DeepView 2" eyepiece, and a 12.5mm illuminated-crosshair Plossl eyepiece (1.25"), which enables ultra-precise GoTo system alignment. The XT12g requires power from a 12-volt DC field battery or AC adapter, sold separately. A DC cable is included that has a car lighter style plug on one end for connecting to your 12-volt DC power source, and a coaxial plug on the other end that fits the power jack installed on the base.
You're going to love plying the night skies with the SkyQuest XT12g telescope. The GoTo hand controller's softly red-illuminated keypad lets you select an object from a variety of intuitive menus, or take a tour of the "best" objects in the sky at any time. The time you'll save by not having to manually search for your targets will allow you to kick back, relax, and spend more time enjoying the magnificent views through the eyepiece.
If you are an intermediate or advanced deep-sky hunter who wants a big-aperture telescope but not the high price tag, a Dobsonian is the way to go. And now, finally, you can have one that offers the convenience of motor driven GoTo pointing - to anything in the heavens you'd like to see! Make your next telescope the Orion SkyQuest XT12g GoTo Dobsonian!
Orion XTg GoTo Dobsonians are not compatible with the Orion IntelliScope Computerized Object Locator.
One-year limited warranty.
