Orion · Dobsonian · 5 to 8 inches · Until Orion closed in 2024
Orion SkyQuest XT8 Classic
The XT8 Classic was Orion's 8-inch Dobsonian, the scope forums told beginners to buy for years. It's simple: an 8-inch parabolic mirror at f/5.9 in a steel tube about 45 inches long, sitting in a particleboard base with smooth bearings, and CorrecTension springs that keep the tube balanced when you change eyepieces. There's nothing electronic to fail. The primary has a center mark to make collimation quick, and the 2-inch Crayford focuser takes big eyepieces. Orion closed in July 2024, so there are no new ones and no factory support, but the design is so basic that a used one rarely needs more than collimation and a clean. Note that the Classic can't be upgraded to IntelliScope push-to.
XT8 Classic (item 08945)XT8 IntelliScope (XT8i), a separate push-to modelXT8 PLUS
Spec at a glance
- Brand
- Orion
- Type
- Dobsonian
- Made
- Until Orion closed in 2024
- Aperture
- 203 mm (8 in)
- Focal length
- About 1,200 mm
- Focal ratio
- f/5.9
- Design
- Newtonian reflector on a Dobsonian base, parabolic mirror
- Focuser
- 2-inch Crayford with 1¼-inch adapter
- Weight
- Tube 19.6 lb, base 18.7 lb
- Extras
- CorrecTension balance springs, center-marked primary
- Also listed as
- Orion XT8, SkyQuest XT8, Orion 8945, Orion 8 inch Dobsonian
The full kit
What should come with it
- Optical tube and the assembled base
- CorrecTension springs and their knobs
- A finder (a red-dot sight on late kits)
- At least one eyepiece (late kits shipped with a 25 mm)
- Dust cover for the front of the tube
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 main mirror's coating dulls with age and damp storage, so it's the part to look at. The particleboard base swells if it gets wet. Collimation drifts with every move, which is normal and easy to fix with the center-marked mirror.
- 01Mirror: Ask for a photo down the tube at the main mirror with a flashlight. It should look bright and even, with no gray patches or peeling.
- 02Base: Look at the bottom edges of the base in the photos. They should be flat and solid, not swollen or crumbling.
- 03Springs: Check both CorrecTension springs and knobs are there. Without them the tube won't hold its position.
- 04Movement: Ask the seller to swing the tube up, down and around. It should move smoothly without sticking or jumping.
- 05Collimation: Expect it to need collimating after the trip. Check the mirror's center mark and the adjustment knobs are present.
- 06Accessories: Look for the finder, an eyepiece and the dust cover. A kit without them needs a few small purchases.
- 07Pickup: Measure your car for a 45-inch tube and a separate base. Local pickup is easiest, and shipping needs two boxes.
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 XT8” on eBay ↗eBay searchCompare with
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