It is not a rack-and-pinion like most models. The small aperture and lower resolution allows the telescope to double as a great instrument for terrestrial observations, including bird-watching and other outdoor land targets. Compared to the Celestron PowerSeeker 80EQ: These two telescopes fair quite well against each other: they both have the same aperture and similar price range. You will get sharp images of brighter Messier Objects, Star Clusters, and Galaxies. It is designed to be as, The eyepieces that come with the telescopes have, Meade Polaris 114 Telescope Review: Unstable, Celestron PowerSeeker 80EQ Telescope Review: Better Than Most. Compared to the Celestron 21035 70mm Travel Scope: Both telescopes are lightweight and portable devices well suited to amateur astronomers who travel for the best views. Orion GoScope is slightly overpriced. As a reflector, the SkyScanner needs to be collimated and requires extra attention to maintain the optics. The Observer is more portable and in some aspects is the sturdier instrument, but the PowerSeeker is a good choice for astrophotography. Celestron NexStar 5SE GoTo Telescope Review, Celestron NexStar 4SE GoTo Telescope Review, Orion 10014 SkyQuest XT 4.5 Telescope Review, Celestron 127 EQ PowerSeeker Telescope Review, Orion 10015 StarBlast 4.5 Astro Reflector Review. A while back I bought an Orion 100mm short-tube refractor. The focuser is where this telescope shines. This is not the right telescope for getting the best deep space views. They will prove enough for the beginning. The problem is it sacrifices optical quality while doing that, and in our opinion, it is not worth the portability that comes with it. The red dot finder is common at this price range. It simply projects a red dot in the sky. The reason is that it is a refractor with a short focal length. Zhumell Z114, Heritage 130P, Infinity 80 are all better choices for the same price. The mount is pretty good. The 120mm f/5 Orion refractor is actually a generic import. The mount is great for jumping from one target to the next – performing well with its manual slow motion control – but is not the top choice if you are interested in astrophotography. The instructions are simple to follow and the telescope’s controls are uncomplicated. The telescope’s design makes it easy to setup and start your observations of the sky without any fuss. In our opinion, it should be. It provides pretty good detail with planets. Choosing the best telescope for you may seem like a daunting task. The Orion Observer 80ST certainly provides a generally satisfying viewing experience if you are honest about what to expect. If it was around 100$, we would strongly recommend it. I ended up finding a used OTA for about $200 and it was some of the best money I’ve ever spent. There are three versions of the short tube 80MM that Orion sells. www.telescopestobuy.com is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to www.amazon.com Theme by, The focuser is where this telescope shines. Though the travel scope is slightly more affordable than the Observer, it does fall short in terms of magnifying power. Always store the telescope correctly and transport it with care. The Celestron Travel Scope is also best suited to views of bright and nearby objects, finding its forte within the Solar system. It just projects a red dot in the night sky. The FOV is also perfect for viewing bright clusters, and the Moon is one of the best targets to view through this scope for the same reason. The eyepieces that come with the telescopes have 10mm(35x) and 20mm(17.5x) apertures. It does have its limitations as it is not suitable for most deep sky objects. However, it is ideal for the purpose it was designed for: an affordable and portable telescope that opens up beautiful views of the Solar System as well as images of the brightest and most prominent deep space objects. Orion GoScope 80 is one of the best refractors at its price range. However, the telescope really delivers around the Solar System. With a small aperture, short focal length, and wide field of view, the telescope’s true strength lies in crisp views of The Moon and the planets. Orion Observer 80mm Refractor: Quick Specs Chart. Another feature that makes the 80ST a great choice for beginners is the wide field of view. This make of telescope uses several plastic components which require handling the telescope with care. There are telescopes with much better optics at this price range. Deep space performance is pretty good. The telescope is excellent for familiarizing yourself on how to use a telescope as well as learning more about the Solar System. Amazon and the Amazon logo are trademarks of Amazon.com, Inc, or its affiliates. f/4.3 is too low for a refractor. The optics are well-built, but simply too low powered. How Does the Orion 80ST Compare to Similar Telescopes? It definitely gives detailed images, but color accuracy becomes a problem as you increase the magnification. You can read here for more reviews on the best telescopes for viewing planets. Though this telescope is an excellent choice for beginners, it does not really suit children unless they use the instrument under supervision. The problem is the halo around the planets. The Orion Observer 80ST 80mm Equatorial Refractor can best be described as an introductory telescope. The diagonal prism corrects the images’ rotation. The telescope overall is a delight to carry around. The small aperture and wide field of view make it can excellent instrument for observing targets in the Solar System as well as bright galaxies, clusters and several Messier Objects. Orion ShortTube 80MM Refractor My personal impressions on the Orion 80mm ShortTube F/5 refractor: This scope is tremendous value for the money. It is a delight to use. Chromatic aberration is also a major problem. The Orion Observer 80ST 80mm was made to be a portable and simple to use telescope; ideal for beginners and first time telescope owners. An overall great scope which is also very kind on your pockets. We are a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for us to earn fees by linking to Amazon.com and affiliated sites. It is an 80mm refractor with a 350mm optical tube. Planetary viewing is not that great. Detailed views under high magnifications are tricky due to the wide field of view. This entry level telescope from Orion is made with great quality optics that deliver sharp images of the Moon’s surface, and wide views of the Solar System’s planets and moons as well as bright deep sky objects. It differs from the Observer 80ST in several ways. It is portable and easy to set up, lightweight and very affordable. They are pretty good for the price. The telescope will certainly reveal views of the brightest galaxies, clusters and nebulae, but is not the right choice for deep sky objects overall. Get this scope if portability is a huge concern for you. The only slight problem is it doesn’t rotate 90-degrees up, which might be a problem for deep-sky viewing. You will need a much larger instrument for faint nebulae and galaxies. Even the Orion SkyScanner 100 would provide slightly better images at the price of 100$. Both telescopes are lightweight and simple to store and transport. Pleiades Star Cluster looks mesmerizing. The Orion Observer 80ST is also a great pick if you want something that is easy to move and travel with. With the mount, I paid roughly $450 for it. The red dot finder is a simple accessory. It is designed to be as portable as possible. The Orion 80 ST is an affordable and worthwhile telescope for anyone who has recently gotten into backyard astronomy or any first time telescope buyer. It is ideal for a beginner amateur astronomer, especially if you have never used or owned a telescope before. Equatorial mount suitable for astrophotography, mainly within the solar system. The wide field of view is really useful for being able to find the objects you are hunting quite easily. The result is color inaccuracies around the image. The optics are not powerful enough for the price.