Start here · Essential guide
Dobsonian Telescope for Beginners: Why It Is a Great First Scope
A plain-language guide to Dobsonian telescopes for beginners: how they work, the downsides, which size to pick, and what you can realistically see.
Choosing a Telescope
Dobsonian Telescopes
5 guides, starting with Dobsonian Telescope for Beginners: Why It Is a Great First Scope.
Best Dobsonian Telescopes
How to choose the best Dobsonian telescope: which sizes and designs suit different observers, features to check, and what each size can show.
How to Make a Telescope Mirror: Grinding and Polishing
An overview of how amateurs make a telescope mirror: rough grinding, fine grinding, polishing, figuring, testing and coating, plus safety and time.
How to Use a Dobsonian Telescope
Step-by-step guide to using a Dobsonian telescope: setup, aligning the finder, choosing eyepieces, focusing, tracking objects and basic collimation.
Making a Dobsonian Telescope: Parts and Build Overview
An overview of making a Dobsonian telescope: the main parts, buying versus making the mirror, tube and rocker box options, build order and first collimation.
Related topics
More in choosing a telescope
Telescope Types 7 guides, starting with Telescope Types Explained. Choosing a Telescope 6 guides, starting with How to Pick a Good Telescope: A Buyer’s Guide. Telescope Optics & Specs 6 guides, starting with What Is Aperture on a Telescope? Why Size Matters. Eyepieces & Finders 5 guides, starting with Telescope Eyepieces Guide: Types, Sizes and Choices. Telescope Filters 3 guides, starting with Telescope Filters Guide: Which Ones Are Worth Buying.