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A refractor bends light through a lens at the front of a sealed tube. A Dobsonian is a Newtonian reflector, a mirror at the bottom of an open tube, on a base you push and tilt by hand. In our catalog there are 16 Dobsonians and 6 refractors with eyepieces. The largest Dobsonian aperture is 305 mm; the largest refractor 102 mm.
Price per inch of aperture
Lowest price divided by aperture in inches [calc]. The cheapest Dobsonian inch costs $52, the cheapest refractor inch $44, but on a much smaller telescope: read the aperture column.
| Telescope | Design | Aperture | Lowest price | Price per inch of aperture [calc] | Heaviest piece | Prices (cheapest first) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sky-Watcher Heritage 150 Tabletop Dobsonian | Newtonian | 150 mm (5.9 in) | $309 | $52 | 15.5 lb | Sky-Watcher USA $309 High Point Scientific $309 |
| Sky-Watcher Heritage 130 Tabletop Dobsonian | Newtonian | 130 mm (5.1 in) | $269 | $53 | 13.5 lb | Sky-Watcher USA $269 High Point Scientific $269 |
| Celestron Lumina 130mm Tabletop Dobsonian | Newtonian Reflector | Parabolic Primary Mirror | 130 mm (5.1 in) | $299 | $58 | 7 lb | Celestron $299 |
| Sky-Watcher Classic 150P Dobsonian | Newtonian | 152 mm (6.0 in) | $449 | $75 | 25 lb | Sky-Watcher USA $449 High Point Scientific $449 |
| Sky-Watcher Classic 200P Dobsonian | Newtonian | 203 mm (8.0 in) | $629 | $79 | 25 lb | Sky-Watcher USA $629 High Point Scientific $629 |
| Sky-Watcher Virtuoso GTi 150P | Newtonian Reflector | 150 mm (5.9 in) | $469 | $79 | 10.9 lb | Sky-Watcher USA $469 High Point Scientific $469 |
| Sky-Watcher Virtuoso GTi 130P | Newtonian Reflector | 130 mm (5.1 in) | $429 | $84 | 10.9 lb | Sky-Watcher USA $429 High Point Scientific $429 |
| Celestron StarSense Explorer 130mm Tabletop Dobsonian | Newtonian Reflector | Parabolic Primary Mirror | 130 mm (5.1 in) | $429.99 | $84 | 11 lb | High Point Scientific $429.99 Celestron $479.95 |
| Celestron StarSense Explorer 150mm Tabletop Dobsonian | Newtonian Reflector | 150 mm (5.9 in) | $509.99 | $86 | 16 lb | High Point Scientific $509.99 Celestron $599.95 |
| Sky-Watcher Classic 250P Dobsonian | Newtonian | 254 mm (10.0 in) | $869 | $87 | 28 lb | Sky-Watcher USA $869 High Point Scientific $869 |
| Sky-Watcher Flextube 200P Collapsible Dobsonian | Newtonian | 203 mm (8.0 in) | $739 | $92 | 26 lb | Sky-Watcher USA $739 High Point Scientific $739 |
| Sky-Watcher Flextube 250P Collapsible Dobsonian | Newtonian | 254 mm (10.0 in) | $999 | $100 | 33 lb | Sky-Watcher USA $999 High Point Scientific $999 |
| Celestron StarSense Explorer 8" Dobsonian | Newtonian Reflector | 203 mm (8.0 in) | $879 | $110 | 22.8 lb | Celestron $879 High Point Scientific $879 |
| Celestron StarSense Explorer 10" Dobsonian | Newtonian Reflector | 254 mm (10.0 in) | $1,199 | $120 | 29.2 lb | Celestron $1,199 High Point Scientific $1,199 |
| Celestron StarSense Explorer 12" Dobsonian | Newtonian Reflector | 305 mm (12.0 in) | $1,599 | $133 | 49.8 lb | Celestron $1,599 High Point Scientific $1,599 |
| Sky-Watcher Flextube 200P SynScan GoTo | Newtonian | 203 mm (8.0 in) | $1,399 | $175 | 33 lb | Sky-Watcher USA $1,399 High Point Scientific $1,399 |
| Celestron Travel Scope 70 | Refractor | 70 mm (2.8 in) | $119.95 | $44 | 1.8 lb | Celestron $119.95 |
| Celestron AstroMaster 70AZ | Refractor | 70 mm (2.8 in) | $199.95 | $73 | 7.9 lb | Celestron $199.95 High Point Scientific $199.95 |
| Celestron StarSense Explorer LT 80AZ | Refractor | 80 mm (3.1 in) | $229 | $73 | 5.4 lb | High Point Scientific $229 Celestron $249.95 |
| Celestron AstroMaster 102AZ | Refractor | 102 mm (4.0 in) | $359.95 | $90 | 7.9 lb | Celestron $359.95 High Point Scientific $359.95 |
| Celestron Inspire 100AZ | Refractor | 100 mm (3.9 in) | $379.95 | $97 | 8 lb | Celestron $379.95 High Point Scientific $379.95 |
| Celestron StarSense Explorer DX 102AZ | Refractor | 102 mm (4.0 in) | $429 | $107 | 9.2 lb | High Point Scientific $429 Celestron $489.95 |
How we compare: criteria, sources and dates
What each design asks of you
- Refractor: no mirror to align, and Celestron notes that refractors "don't require regular alignment (also known as collimation)" (How to Buy Your First Telescope). Small apertures, light tripods.
- Dobsonian: the most aperture for the money, but heavier pieces (an 8-inch Dobsonian base weighs 22.8 to 26 lb, published) and an occasional collimation. Tabletop Dobsonians shrink the base to a carry-on size.
Same aperture, different focal length
A 102 mm refractor at 660 mm and a 102 mm Maksutov at 1325 mm have the same resolution (Dawes: 116 / 102 = 1.14") but very different fields: with a 25 mm eyepiece and a 50° apparent field, 26x and 1.9° against 53x and 0.94° [calc]. Compare any two in What will I see? and check weights in Will it fit? All models: telescope comparison.
Frequently asked questions
Is a Dobsonian better than a refractor?
For aperture per dollar, our catalog says yes at every size above 4 inches: the largest refractor we found is 102 mm, while Dobsonians go to 305 mm. Refractors are lighter and need no collimation, which is why small ones stay popular.
What is the difference between a Dobsonian and a Newtonian?
A Dobsonian is a Newtonian reflector tube on a simple push-and-tilt base. The optics are the same family; 'Dobsonian' describes the mount.
Why is the cheapest price per inch a small refractor?
Because a very small telescope is cheap in absolute terms: the price per inch rewards the smallest kits. Look at the aperture column too: the gap that matters is how much aperture you can buy for your budget.