Explore Scientific 10" f/5 Hybrid Truss Tube Dobsonian Telescope

Great clarity on a budget

The 10" hybrid truss tube Dob is a fascinating telescope to say the least. I have used it about six times now and have become pretty familiar with assembly, disassembly, use, quirks, strengths, weaknesses, and overall ease of use. Strengths: Price is amazing given the clarity of the views. Relative portability, with some caveats. A lot of thought must go into storing and transporting all of the pieces, but it is far more transportable than many other telescopes with a similarly sized mirror. relative ease of use, materials make for a relatively decent smooth using experience. Focuser is decent, and the accessories are passable for a beginning experience. As with all dobsonian telescope, there is great potential for a myriad of customization for this model. Truly, an avid user can transform this telescope from a entry level beginner scope to something incredible. Weaknesses: Heavy, probably requires any serious user to contemplate solutions for transporting the telescope into and around an area. Very low angle to ground makes viewing objects closer to the horizon an awkward mess. This will likely require adult users to come up with some solution to comfortably use the telescope. The solution to secure the mirror to the back mount of the telescope is not what I would call "elegant". The manufacturer epoxy's three nylon straps to the edge of the mirror and uses thumb screws to attach them to the aluminum mirror holder in the rocker box. Build quality of some of the pieces are not fantastic. A good example is the rolling aluminum semi-circle frames had quite a few metal debris from fabrication. While I have overall enjoyed the product, please make sure that you understand that this is a flawed product and will require quite a bit of your time to come up with solutions to overcome the myriad problems with using this kind of telescope. I hope this review helps.