Dobsonian telescopes are based upon the Newtonian reflector design which uses a parabolic mirror (primary) to gather and bring to focus a large amount of light from faint and distant celestial objects such as nebulae, star clusters and galaxies. Furthermore, the focal length of Dobsonians is usually 1000 to 1500mm which also makes them useful for observing details on planets and the Moon. Meaning that Dobsonian telescopes are good all purpose visual telescopes.

The Dobsonian telescope tube is mounted on a simple rotating base which can be moved up-down and left-right either by hand or electronically in order to point the telescope to celestial objects. A small flat mirror (secondary) centrally located near the top of the telescope tube directs light gathered by the primary mirror sideways into an eyepiece for observing.

Dobsonian telescopes are designed to easily disassemble into two or more parts to facilitate handling, storage and transport, say, to a dark sky site.

For the above reasons Dobsonians are the most recommended telescope for both beginners just starting out in the hobby and experienced amateur astronomers interested in visual observing.

The classic Dobsonian telescope is a "keeper" that will provide a life-time of service even for experienced observers.

"Classic telescopes" are designed to be manually pointed meaning the user will need to star hop to objects in the night sky in order to view them. Star hopping requires a sky map and using a finderscope to navigate to celestial objects. It's a useful skill and easy to learn.

Tabletop designs are available which are much smaller/compact and more affordable than traditional Dobsonians. Tabletop Dobs need to be placed upon an elevated surface such as a small table or a sturdy camera tripod. They are an ideal telescope for young and not-so-young astronomers requiring a lightweight telescope with a good aperture.

Go-To versions are also available which are computerized and fitted with servo motors to automatically point the telescope to celestial objects. Go-To telescopes are more costly and complex compared to "Classic" designs but the added capability is welcomed by owners. Go-To Dobs usually include collapsible designs to make them more compact for transport and storage.

Below are listed a number of recommended Dobsonian telescopes from each of these three sub-categories. Click the links to read the reviews of owners.

More Info & Prices (may vary): High Point Scientific

Notes:

• Apertura Dobsonians include several useful accessories compared to other models. Watch the HPS video for details of upgraded features.

More Info & Prices (may vary): Amazon or High Point Scientific

More Info & Prices (may vary): Amazon or High Point Scientific

Notes:

• Sky-Watcher also sell a version of this telescope without the hand controller. In its place the free SynScan app is used to control the telescope.

• The collapsible design of this telescope means that it will likely require optical collimation more often than a fixed tube "Classic" Dobsonian. Inexpensive tools are available to facilitate the collimation process which is easy to do once learnt.
  • Recommended: 1.25-inch Collimating Cheshire Eyepiece (Amazon)

More Info & Prices (may vary): High Point Scientific

Notes:

• This is a very good basic telescope for young and not-so-young astronomers seeking a more affordable, compact/lightweight, quality telescope with a good sized aperture.

• The eyepiece holder on this telescope is of a plastic helical design that may wobble. Some owners have successfully applied plumber's tape to the focuser threads to tighten the focus action.

More Info & Prices (may vary): Amazon or High Point Scientific

Notes:

• This is a very good Go-To telescope for young and not-so-young astronomers seeking a more affordable, compact/lightweight, quality telescope with a good sized aperture.

• The telescope can be used manually if desired, but it's the Go-To capability that makes this telescope a joy to use. It's powered by 8 AA batteries (internal battery pack) or an external 12V power pack (not supplied). The telescope mount has inbuilt WiFi and is controlled wirelessly with Sky-Watcher's free SynScan app.

• The SynScan app first helps align the telescope to the night sky using 2 or 3 stars. The user then directs the telescope to slew to a selected object for viewing through an eyepiece. This is the same computerized Go-To technology that Sky-Watcher uses in its larger more expensive Go-To telescopes.

• A great feature of the Sky-Watcher Virtuoso telescope design is the ability to remove the original telescope tube and to attach a different small telescope to the Go-To mount.

• The eyepiece holder on this telescope is of a plastic helical design that may wobble. Some owners have successfully applied plumber's tape to the focuser threads to tighten the focus action.

• 10-inch (250mm) and larger aperture Dobs are a better choice for viewing the faintest of celestial objects because the larger the aperture (mirror diameter) the greater the light gathering power of the telescope. However, large aperture telescopes are very much heavier making handling and transport a lot more cumbersome. This is a very important factor to consider before committing to buy a 10-inch or larger aperture telescope.

• Telescopes with mirrors require optical collimation from time-to-time (often after transport) to ensure peak performance. Inexpensive tools are available to facilitate the collimation process which is easy to do once learnt.
  • Recommended: 1.25-inch Collimating Cheshire Eyepiece (Amazon)

• Light pollution will adversely impact the visibility of many celestial objects thus limiting the visual performance of telescopes used in city or urban locations. Sky watchers need to visually observe from a dark sky site to get the best performance from telescopes.
  • Link: Scrollable Global Light Pollution Map

• Eyepieces bundled with lower cost telescopes are often of poor to average quality. While good enough to get you started, standard eyepieces are best replaced with better options.
  • Recommended: Baader 17mm Hyperion Eyepiece (High Point Scientific)