I hope this guide has been able to clarify and outline the major differences between a Dobsonian and Reflecting Telescope and you now know precisely what a Dobsonian is.Īs mentioned, the major distinctions are the Mount, Tubes, Mirrors and Price. These are not typically popular or widely available so I wouldn’t get too hung up on these variants. You’ll also find Reflecting variants of the Cassegrain, Gregorian and Nasmyth telescopes but that is a subject for another time. There are several Reflecting telescope types (including the Dobsonian) as this guide has covered which can be primarily identified and classified via its mount. It is the secondary mirror that projects the image through your telescope eyepiece so that you can observe objects in the sky.Īs mentioned, due to the design, a Reflecting telescope will be cheaper than a Refractor. Reflecting Telescopes operate via collecting light on from a larger mirror and ‘reflecting’ it back onto a smaller secondary mirror. This is certainly true in the amateur astronomy market, who are more careful in their investment not knowing if they will pursue the hobby for any extended period of time. They were designed by Isaac Newton which is why you may see the original designs marketed as Newtonian’s.įor the most part, the main distinction between a Reflector and a Refractor is that Reflector use mirrors and Refractors use lenses.įor this reason, Refractors are typically more costly which accounts for the growing ownership of Reflecting telescopes over the years. Reflector telescopes get their name due to the way the way the optics work within them.
So if you’re considering to get a new telescope then a good place to start your research will be comparing the difference between reflectors and refractorsand then other Catadioptric telescopes. As the Dobsonian is technically still a Reflector, it has all of the same mechanisms and components of all other reflectors. Regarding its performance and the optics. To use the Alt-Azimuth, all you need to do is move it up and down and left and right compared its on a two-axis system. Today, the main way we understand a Dobsonian from another type of telescope is primarily the mount (which is far easier to use). The result is that this saving is passed onto us, and we can get our Dobsonian a lot cheaper.
This makes them a lot cheaper to manufacturer than Pyrex mirrors (used by other telescopes). In regards to the optics, Dobson also included thinner mirrors on the Dobsonian. These tubes are equally as strong and do not effective performance, but enable the price of the telescope to be reduced dramatically. However, if you want to learn more about a Dobsonian and why it has become so popular of late, then stick around as I will now discuss this telescope type in greater detail.
That’s the very basic overview of the difference and hopefully it will have helped you understand the major distinctions between a Dobsonian and a Reflector. The Dobsonian typically utilizes an Alt Altazimuth mount, whereas general Reflectors make use of an Equatorial Mount.ĭespite the differences in the mounts, the optics and way they are designed are the exact same when you compare a Dobsonian to a Reflecting telescope. The only true difference is that just uses a different mount to your average Newtonian reflector. So what is the difference between a Dobsonian and a Reflector? Theoretically, a Dobsonian is a reflector. Two of the most popular types of telescopes are the Dobsonian and Reflector.
This is why it is so crucial to conduct some research ahead of time and ensure you know what you need to get to observe what you want. When it comes to choosing a Telescope – there’s actually quite a few different styles and types to consider. If you’re looking to get into Astronomy, then there is quite a lot to take in, especially all of the different names and acronyms.
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