Discovery 10" f/6 Premium

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Brand and Model:Discovery 10" f/6 Premium
Price ($USD):$879.00
Type:Newtonian
Attributes: un-checked Go-To un-checked PEC
Aperture:254mm (10")
f Ratio:f/6
Focal Length:1500mm
Finder:Telrad/or/7x50mm
Electric Power:
Mount:Dobsonian
Tripod:
Weight (lbs):lbs.
Dimensions (w/h/d):
Description:Pyrex Mirror.
upgraded 94% aluminum coations on both primary and secondary
mirrors.
thin four vane secondary mirror support.
2" Crayford focuser with 1.25" adapter
real wood mount, Birch, with Telflon bearings

Vote Highlights Vote
Discovery 10" f/6 Premium
This is one great scope. The optics are figured almost perfect the views are outstanding. The mount is of very high quality like the rest of the scope. It's movement is very smooth in both directions the smoothest i have seen in a tube dob. This has to be the best value out there in a high quality telescope. I had trouble installing the digital setting circles and called discovery and their customer service was excellent to deal with. I highly reccommend this scope.

Overall Rating: 10
Optics:10 Mount:10 Ease of Use:10 Value:10
Weight: 6 (Veritable Vote)
Date:
By:
Link to this vote: http://www.excelsis.com/1.0/displayvote.php?voteid=85429

Discovery 10" f/6 Premium
I have had this telescope since 12/29/00. Finally got some clear skies on 1/3/01 and had my first looks through it. (See first comment in thread). Now that I have had a chance to really use the 'scope for awhile, I am really REALLY
impressed! Star tests are very good. When this telescope is collimated, stars appear as very tight, almost refractor like. The images this 'scope delivers up on the planets is nothing short of breath taking. I stared at Jupiter for an hour and still kept seeing more festoons and cloud detail. Saturn details rivaled anything I have ever looked through, and with 27 years in this hobby, I've looked through a few! The images actually rival very good large refractors. The only other reflector I've seen that comes close (without being masked down) is an 8 inch f/7 Cave that our club owns.

I have not had a chance to chase down many galaxies with it yet, but all the "M" ones around Ursa Major were easy pickings with great amounts of detail.
To sum up the way I feel about the optics of this 'scope takes only one word.... WOW.

I do have one little nit to pick. The telescope moves very easy in altitude, so the sliding balance system will need to be adjusted if your are going to use any large two inch eyepieces, or even just a big 1.25 with a barlow. Having had experience with a couple of 'scopes from a large well known mail order house
(my daughter has one, as does our club) I'm kind of spoiled in that regard. Four "s" hooks and a couple of door springs should take care of this problem.

To the guys at Discovery.... WELL DONE!!! I believe that this will be one of those 'scopes that people will hold in high regard for years to come.

Overall Rating: 10
Weight: 6 (Veritable Vote)
Date:
By:
Link to this vote: http://www.excelsis.com/1.0/displayvote.php?voteid=40663

Discovery 10" f/6 Premium
I received my 10" about January 3, 2001. With shipping and packing, the total cost was about $1000. Two plossels, a 7X50 finder, and end cap were included in my package.

The telescope is large...much larger than my sold/old Celestron 8" starhopper dob. The Discovery tube is 12" by at least 60", and with the mirror and other accessories, it weighs in somewhere over 50#. The mirror cell is an open design and has three wingnut style nuts to adjust collimation. The secondary is held by a 4 vane spider, and adjusted by 4 thumbscrews. It holds collimation well. I would have preferred a three screw adjustment, but secondary collimation is an infrequent event, so it is not much of an issue. The tube handles are thickly padded and do not cut into your hand when you are carrying the tube. The slide balance feature is simple and quick to use as well. I opted for the 7 X 50 finder over a telrad. This finder is sharp and bright, and several deep sky objects are easily visible. Adjusting/alignment is fair. The finder bracket has only one bolt attachment hole, which may lead to misalignment through an occasional bump, so I may be considering a removeable dovetail bracket later...not enough of a nusiance to deduct any points.

The base is very nice, especially when compared to the fiberboard construction of the other manfacturers. It weighs less than 20# and is easier to carry than the base of my old Celestron. Movement is very slick in both alt and az. and high power (250x and up) tracking is easy.

Cool down is fast, especially with a house fan setup behind the tube.

The optics are excellent. Views of Saturn at 380X showed the crepe coloration in the inner ring, as well as mellowing color in the planet bands. The detail bested the views given by my 90mm fluorite refractor.

With the f/6 focal ratio, there is no sign of coma, and the views of larger targets, are flat to the edge.

Rather than give a wave error estimate, I would say that the system is just about on par with my refractor, I will need to make some more bright star observations before giving a final value comment.

Overall, I think the telescope is an excellent value.

Reid Williams

Overall Rating: 10
Weight: 6 (Veritable Vote)
Date:
By:
Link to this vote: http://www.excelsis.com/1.0/displayvote.php?voteid=40662

Discovery 10" f/6 Premium
I got my discovery 10f/6 PDHQ 2 weeks ago and only took 6 weeks to come in. Mine i wanted to be handpicked and i really did get a superb mirror. I have seen thru a Zambuto and this discovery is 90% of what the best there is. I used a 6mm UO ortho at 254x for the star test on Ploarius. Pinpoint stars with a inner concentric ring. I mean refracter -like. Can,t wait for Jupiter and Saturn later this year . The movement is VERY smooth on both axis and the tube is not heavy with the large rubber handgrips on the side of the tube. I say this is a best value for the money and With No Coma and No astigmatism it,s just a great scope for both DSO and the planets. WILL report later on the planets. BILL Larsen was very easy (C0-Owner) to get what i wanted to be modified A 10 for sure dale telescope8@hotmail.com

Overall Rating: 10
Optics:10 Mount:10 Ease of Use:10 Value:10
Weight: 5 (Veritable Vote)
Date:
By:
Link to this vote: http://www.excelsis.com/1.0/displayvote.php?voteid=130301

Discovery 10" f/6 Premium
superb optics and a graeat scope deal!

Overall Rating: 10
Optics:8 Mount:8 Ease of Use:7 Value:9
Weight: 3 (Unreliable Vote)
Date:
By:
Link to this vote: http://www.excelsis.com/1.0/displayvote.php?voteid=94352

Discovery 10" f/6 Premium
first reveiw. just received my 10 in pdhq last week arrived UPS in perfect condition. easy to put togeather. i have now had 2 killer clear nights to test the scope. movement rates a 10. balance a 10. focuser JMI of course a 10. optics 10. for this amount of money discovery has become the best value in scope's. now you can spend more money on the starmasters obssession and they are very good. but you can acheive 95% of these scope with a discovery. i like the 10 in so much that i ordered a 15 in .thanks bob

Overall Rating: 10
Weight: 3 (Unreliable Vote)
Date:
By:
Link to this vote: http://www.excelsis.com/1.0/displayvote.php?voteid=40669

Discovery 10" f/6 Premium
I GOT A CHANCE TO LOOK THROUGH SOMEONE ELSES NEW SCOPE LAST NIGHT AND
THE OPTICS ARE EXCELLENT.SCOPE LOOKS GREAT,MOVEMENT TO DIFFERENT OBJECTS
IS SMOOTH AS BUTTER.USEING MY 35MMPANOPTIC NO NEED TO AJUST BALANCE.
THE ONLY THING THAT I DID NOT LIKE ABOUT SCOPE IS THAT LOOKING THROUGH
THE OPTICAL FINDER AND FOCUSER IS THAT THEY ARE ON THE WRONG SIDE OF THE TUBE
FOR ME WHICH MAKES YOU HAVE TO LOOK THROUGH YOUR LEFT EYE WHEN LOOKING
THROUGH THE 50MM FINDER.FOR SOME ONE WANTING A VERY NICE DOB I HIGHLY
RECCOMEND THIS SCOPE. IF YOU ORDER ONE AND YOUR LIKE ME TELL THEM TO MOUNT
FOCUSER AND FINDER ON LEFT SIDE OF TUBE AND YOU'LL BE A HAPPY STARGAZER.
NOTE I HAVE A NEW C9.25 AND THE OPTICS IN THE DISCOVERY ARE SHARPER
ON ALL OBJECTS.

Overall Rating: 10
Weight: 3 (Unreliable Vote)
Date:
By:
Link to this vote: http://www.excelsis.com/1.0/displayvote.php?voteid=40666

Discovery 10" f/6 Premium
My telescope arrived in late december, all but 1 of the boxes
had holes poked
through the sides I was worried till I opened them up and saw
that the way everything was packaged so well that even major
abuse from drivers in the xmas rush couldn`t damage the thing.
the scope went together well only a missing azimuth pivot nut
which Discovery sent out to me two days later with an extra
dust cover for the bottom of the tube that I asked them about
was also sent free of
charge, their customer service is first rate and appreciated.
the parts quality is excellent, I ordered the Telrad finder it`s
illuminated target can place the object you are targeting in
the middle if the 10mm eyepiece.
the base is all wood and moves smoothly as dose the focuser.
I have a tip if you plan on buying heavier 2" eye pieces, taking
the tube out of the base
and adjusting the counter balance is a pill, if you
go the the hardware store and get a heavy magnet and put it on
back of the metal mirror cell you can add heavier eyepieces on fly.
and the views?
the planets are beautiful, the 10" mirror yields bright, sharp
views, try using a Takahashi 5mm LE eyepiece to get the best views
my second scope choice was a 4" refractor it`s upside are light
weight and clock drive but when you seen how much brighter a high
magnification 10" mirror is over a 4" scope!!
ty

Overall Rating: 10
Weight: 3 (Unreliable Vote)
Date:
By:
Link to this vote: http://www.excelsis.com/1.0/displayvote.php?voteid=40664

Discovery 10" f/6 Premium
I have owned this telescope for 2 years and its a winner.
The parts quality is far better than anything at this price.
I was thinking about a refractor before I bought this one,
but in the end you have to spend as much as this scope costs
just for a good mount. Images of both planets and stars are
first rate. This is a large telescope 10" its as large
as you can get and still move it by yourself. The length of
the tube also places the eyepiece at excellent height for
adults, this is important if you plan on long viewing
sessions. After living with this this model for 2 years
I have found nothing that would give me any reason to think
about replacing it.


on moving it by themself should

Overall Rating: 10
Optics:10 Mount:8 Ease of Use:10 Value:10
Weight: 1 (Unreliable Vote)
Date:
By:
Link to this vote: http://www.excelsis.com/1.0/displayvote.php?voteid=346013

Discovery 10" f/6 Premium
Just a coment to add to my review. I fixed the sticky altitude problem. Use an ArmorAll wipe(the pre-moistened ones) and wipe down the teflon bushings and the bearings. Let it dry good a few minutes then put the scope back on the bearings and it moves like a dream. Don't know how long it will last, but it will be no problem to do this every time I observe if needed.

Overall Rating: No Vote
Weight: 1 (Unreliable Vote)
Date:
By:
Link to this vote: http://www.excelsis.com/1.0/displayvote.php?voteid=52550

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