For beginning amateur astronomers looking to purchase their first serious telescope, or even the seasoned veteran looking to expand their roster, the Apertura AD8 8″ Dobsonian Telescope is a great choice. This telescope has led many review lists as the best telescope for the price, with Astrobackyard naming this the best overall telescope for beginners. Much of the accolade granted to this telescope is thanks to the quality that Apertura has packed into its design as well as the wide array of accessories that come included, worth well over $200 on their own. For the very affordable price of $549.95, you will not be disappointed with this Dobsonian package.
Traditionally, Dobsonian telescopes are designed specifically with the goal of making astronomy accessible to the average person. The first models were designed by John Dobson in 1965, and thanks to their low manufacturing costs, easy to operate design, and impressive mobility, this style of telescope is easily one of the most popular around. They are essentially a Newtonian Reflector telescope mounted onto a lazy-Susan styled altazimuth rocker box. While many companies offer some version of a Dobsonian telescope, they are often very similar in their design and capabilities, coming from the same manufacturing plant. What sets the Apertura AD8 8″ Dobsonian Telescope apart from its competitors is the swath of accessories that come with the telescope, at a lower price than any of the name brand telescopes.
This is partially due to Apertura being one of the newest telescope manufactures on the market, the company having been founded relatively recently in 2011. Apertura has gone on to make a name for itself as a high quality and trustworthy telescope manufacturer, who can deliver the same quality products as Meade, Orion, and Sky-Watcher, but at a more affordable cost. The company was built by amateur astronomers with a love for the hobby, and true to such, they have made it a point to focus on crafting a line of Dobsonian telescopes that work as a superior entry point into the hobby. Apertura also offers one of the best warranty agreements in the business.
Along with the Apertura AD8 8″ Dobsonian Telescope in the AD line, there is the AD10 10” Dobsonian, which sells for $729.95, and the AD12 12” Dobsonian, which sells for $949.95. Should your budget and special constraints allow it, you might consider upgrading to the larger aperture models to avoid succumbing to aperture fever later on down the line.
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Optical tube assembly with unique tension control and easy collimation
The Apertura AD8 8″ Dobsonian comes equipped with Apertura’s unique tension control system, a nice quality of life improvement over the traditional Dobsonian design that allows for easier balance along the altitude axis. This is accomplished through two knurled knobs on either side of the telescope’s rocker box that can be adjusted as needed to support the weight of the optical tube assembly and any additional accessories. Reducing the need for counterweights, this tension control system ensures that your telescope will remain perfectly balanced throughout your viewing session, and allows the telescopes optics to shine.
The eight inch aperture of the Newtonian optical tube is ideal for both planetary and deep-sky viewing. Both the parabolic primary mirror and the secondary mirror of the telescope are coated with Apertura’s signature aluminum and silicon dioxide blend. This enables ninety-three percent reflection of incoming light, and along with a focal ratio of f/5.9 and a focal length of twelve hundred milliliters, offers a limiting magnitude of fourteen, meaning that even the dimmest deep sky objects are within reach. Along with the sleek black finish, this telescope will be one that your friends and family can appreciate both in beauty and aesthetic as well as its technical capabilities.
Collimation is also made easy thanks to the included laser collimator, as well as tool free design of the Apertura AD8 8″ Dobsonian Telescope’s collimation process. The mirror rests at the end of the optical tube assembly, is what is known as a mirror cell. Typically, collimation requires either the use of a screwdriver or an Allen Key, but this telescope is designed with two knobs that work to adjust the mirror. This is the rare exception where the only tools needed for collimation is your hands, making the process quick and easy.
As with all Dobsonian telescopes, the Apertura AD8 8″ Dobsonian Telescope is rather large, standing at just under fifty-two inches when fully assembled—or, just about four and one-third feet. The optical tube and rocker base are able to be disassembled from one another, making transport easy. The optical tube weighs in at twenty-four and a half pounds, while the rocker box weighs in at just under twenty-eight pounds, comparable to most competing Dobsonians. Because it can be broken down into two parts, the telescope can easily be transported in any sedan.
Includes a battery operated cooling fan
A unique feature that sets the Apertura AD8 8″ Dobsonian Telescope apart from similar telescopes is the inclusion of a battery operated cooling fan. When taking a telescope out into the field, your best viewing results are only obtained after allowing the telescope to adjust to the ambient air temperature surrounding your setup. With this cooling fan, this process is expedited, allowing you to get to viewing with quickness and ease. The cooling fan operates on eight AA batteries, and attaches to the back side of the telescope near the mirror cell.
Comes with a wealth of accessories
The Apertura AD8 8″ Dobsonian Telescope also comes packaged with more accessories than are typically included with a telescope. Aside from the battery operated cooling fan and the laser collimator, you will also receive a number of additional and helpful tools that are valued at over $200.
You will receive a two inch Crayford style Dual Speed Micro Focuser that allows easy focusing on celestial targets, as well as a one and a quarter inch adaptor that will allow you to use two inch eypeices, filters, and other accessories, adding to the versatility of the telescope. You will receive an eight by fifty Right Angle Correct Image Finder and Bracket, which prevents you from needing to crane your neck to use the focuser, making acquisition of your celestial targets much more comfortable. You will receive two eyepieces—one 1.25” 9mm Super Plossl Eyepiece, which provides medium to high magnification, and one 2” 30mm Super View Eyepiece, which provides a sixty-eight degree field of view. You will receive a thirty-five millimeter Extension Tube that adds more focal length to your optical assembly, and helps create suitable conditions for astrophotography. You will also receive a one and a quarter inch Moon Filter, enabling outstanding views of the lunar surface. To store all of your eyepieces, you will receive a four slot eyepiece tray for organization and convenience.
Typically, you might receive an extra eyepiece or two with a new telescope. This wealth of accessories, which many consumers applaud for their quality, goes far beyond what many of Apertura’s competitors offer, and highlights the company’s devotement to accessible consumer astronomy.
Features and specifications
- The Apertura AD8 8″ Dobsonian Telescope features an easy to use classic Dobsonian design with a rocker base and optical tube that features a floor-based manual alt-az mount and large, smooth-movement altitude wheels
- The telescope features a large eight-inch aperture and a f/5.9 Focal Ratio, allowing for a bright and bold viewing experience that costs much less than telescopes of similar design
- The telescope utilizes aluminum and silicon dioxide coated primary and secondary mirrors that allow for reflection of ninety-three percent of incoming light and prevent spherical aberration
- The telescope is able to detect stars with as low a magnitude as fourteen, and has a focal length of twelve-hundred millimeters
- The telescope includes a battery operated cooling fan that allows the telescope’s mirror system to reach ambient temperature with ease
- The telescope weighs just over fifty-two pounds when fully assembled, and can easily be broken down into two pieces for transport and storage
- The Telescope includes a wealth of accessories, such as a 2″ Crayford-style Dual Speed Micro 10:1 Focuser, a 1.25″ Adapter for the focuser, an 8×50 Right Angle Correct Finder Scope and Bracket, two eyepieces—one 1.25” 9mm Super Plossl Eyepiece and one 2” 30mm Super View Eyepiece, a 35mm Extension Tube, a 1.25″ Moon Filter, a 4 Slot Eyepiece Tray, and a battery operated laser collimator
- The Apertura AD8 8″ Dobsonian Telescope also comes with Apertura’s transferable two year warranty against product defects, and additional three year warranty accident replacement plan
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User impressions
The Apertura AD8 8″ Dobsonian Telescope is featured on a number of different retailer sites, including Highpoint Scientific, where it has earned a rating of 4.9/5, and Telescopes Plus, where it has earned a rating of 5/5.
Users agree that the Apertura AD8 8″ Dobsonian Telescope is “a great purchase” that provides “excellent quality for the cost.” Experiences amateur astronomers insist that “when it comes to buying your first telescope, a Dobsonian is the right choice” as “it is very easy to use,” and “it doesn’t require any advanced skill or knowledge”. Beginners support this assertion, as supported by one user who remarked that the Apertura AD8 8″ Dobsonian Telescope was “my first telescope and I got it set up and fully functional within the hour” and “once I took it out, it took all of thirty minutes to collimate it and get Saturn in my sights to see it’s rings.”
The fact that this telescope is “super easy to put together using the online directions” and “able to be used that same night” is echoed by a vast number of users. User have spent “plenty of evenings being blown away by this” product and its capabilities. They report that although it is “a big item and a little unwieldy”, it is a “great telescope for any level user.” The Apertura AD8 8″ Dobsonian Telescope “comes with everything you need to get started” thanks to “the extra accessories [which] are impressive”. The “cooling fan is both quiet and stable and the laser collimater even came with batteries”, while the “Apertura bearings — both horizontal and vertical movements — are superior and appreciated” when compared to similar products, and provide for “exceptionally smooth rotations”. Likewise, users are also “extremely pleased with the balance, focusing controls in both the Finder Scope and Focuser, and clarity of all images.”
Overall, users are in agreement that “if you want a great telescope,” you should get the Apertura AD8 8″ Dobsonian Telescope” and that “with all the extras you can’t go wrong”. The telescope is “a dream to use” and user would “HIGHLY recommend this telescope” to anyone who wants “some jaw dropping views” at an affordable price.
This point is proven even further by the sparse number of criticisms aimed at the telescope, the most prominent of which is that the instructional manual is only available via PDF download, rather than included with the package. While no one commented on this, it is worth noting that the telescope does not come with the eight AA batteries required for its operation. Another user was concerned about the construction of the base, which is made with “particle board” that seems to “draw moisture quickly”, a problem they were able to resolve “with a few coats of Thompsons water seal.”
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In summary, the Apertura AD8 8″ Dobsonian Telescope is easily one of the best manual Dobsonians on the market, and combined with the high number of quality accessories, it is also one of the most affordable. This telescope was ranked as Astrobackyard’s best overall telescope for beginners, and offers enough in terms of quality and construction to make it a viable addition for seasoned amateur astronomers looking for a new Dobsonian. The inclusion of the battery operated cooling fan is an addition that sets the Apertura AD8 8″ Dobsonian Telescope apart from the competition.
Comparable telescopes
While we endorse the Apertura AD8 8″ Dobsonian Telescope, you might also consider the following products:
Additional accessories
Here are some accessory suggestions that will improve your experience with the Apertura AD8 8″ Dobsonian Telescope:
- David Levy 16″ Planisphere for 30-60 Degrees North
- Blue Fireball 2″ to 1.25″ Twist Lock Self Centering Eyepiece Adapter
- Baader Contrast-Booster Filter – 1.25″
