Orion · Dobsonian · 10 inches and up · By 2007 until Orion closed in 2024
Orion SkyQuest XT12 Classic
The XT12 Classic is Orion's biggest solid-tube Dobsonian, a 12-inch f/4.9 with a 1,500 mm focal length. That much mirror shows real structure in bright galaxies and breaks globular clusters into stars under a dark sky. It's also big. The tube is 58 inches long, 14 inches across and weighs 50 lb, and the base adds another 33 lb, so moving it takes a plan, a helper and a large car. The 2007 kit came with a 9x50 right-angle finder, 25 mm and 10 mm eyepieces, an eyepiece rack and a center-marked primary with three collimation knobs. Orion was selling it by 2007 and closed in 2024. If you have the space, it's a lot of telescope with nothing electronic to fail.
XT12 Classic (item 9709)XT12 IntelliScope (XT12i), a separate push-to model
Spec at a glance
- Brand
- Orion
- Type
- Dobsonian
- Made
- By 2007 until Orion closed in 2024
- Aperture
- 305 mm (12 in)
- Focal length
- 1,500 mm
- Focal ratio
- f/4.9
- Design
- Newtonian reflector on a Dobsonian base, BK7 primary
- Weight
- Tube 50 lb, base 33 lb
- Tube
- 58 in long, 14 in across
- Supplied (2007)
- 25 mm and 10 mm Plössls, 9x50 right-angle finder, eyepiece rack
- Also listed as
- Orion XT12, SkyQuest XT12, Orion 12 inch Dobsonian
The full kit
What should come with it
- Optical tube and the base
- CorrecTension springs and knobs
- 9x50 finder and bracket
- Eyepieces (the 2007 kit had a 25 mm and a 10 mm)
- Three collimation knobs on the mirror cell
- Dust cover
Check the listing photos against this list, and ask the seller about anything you can’t see. Plenty of listings are the tube alone or the mount alone, and a missing hand controller, power supply or counterweight should come off the price.
What to check
The mirror coating dulls with age and damp storage. The base is particleboard and swells if it gets wet. The size makes damage in transport the biggest risk, so most are better collected than shipped.
- 01Mirror: Ask for a photo down the tube at the main mirror with a flashlight. It should be bright and even, without gray patches or peeling.
- 02Base: Check the base for swollen edges or loose joints in the photos. It should be square and solid.
- 03Finder: Look for the 9x50 finder and its bracket. Replacing them adds up.
- 04Collimation: Check the three collimation knobs and the center mark are present. Expect to collimate it on arrival.
- 05Springs: Make sure the CorrecTension springs and knobs are there. The heavy tube won't stay put without them.
- 06Pickup: Measure your car for a 58-inch tube before you go. Bring a helper, since the tube alone is 50 lb.
New to used telescopes? How to check a used telescope covers optics, mounts, power and shipping, and what a complete kit looks like helps with tube-only and mount-only listings.
Find one on eBay
We haven’t been through this model’s listings yet. Search eBay and run every listing through the checklist above. Ask for a photo looking into the optics with a flashlight and one of everything included, and pass on any seller who won’t send them.
Search “Orion XT12” on eBay ↗eBay searchCompare with
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- Years made
- Late 2008 until Orion closed in 2024
- Key spec
- 305 mm · f/4.9
Specs and what to check →
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- Years made
- Until Orion closed in 2024
- Key spec
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$850–$850 typical ask
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- Years made
- Key spec
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