Explore Scientific 10" f/5 Hybrid Truss Tube Dobsonian Telescope

The Explore Scientific 10" Hybrid Truss Tube Dobsonian puts a 254mm parabolic mirror on a tool-free truss design that breaks down into carry-friendly components — with two eyepieces, a collimation tool, and a moon filter included. The hybrid upper tube assembly protects the secondary mirror like a solid-tube Dob, while the 8-pole truss structure lets you transport 10 inches of aperture in pieces that fit in a car trunk.

Key Features

• 254mm (10") f/5 Parabolic Primary Mirror – Aluminum-coated with SiO2 protective overcoat on a 9-point flotation cell, delivering 0.46 arcsecond Dawes limit resolution and a 14.7 limiting magnitude for deep-sky galaxies, nebulae, and star clusters
• Hybrid Truss Tube Design – A solid aluminum upper tube assembly protects the secondary mirror and baffles stray light, while the open 8-pole truss below keeps the scope lightweight and collapsible — the best of both designs
• Tool-Free Assembly in Minutes – Eight truss poles attach to the mirror box with thumbscrews, and the upper assembly seats on top — no tools required, 5–10 minutes from packed to observing
• Smooth Manual Alt-Az Dobsonian Base – FRP glassboard-on-Teflon azimuth bearing and laminate-on-Teflon altitude bearings provide smooth, consistent manual tracking at any magnification
• 2" Single-Speed Crayford Focuser – Zero-image-shift design with 1.25" adapter for compatibility with both standard and wide-field eyepieces
• Two Eyepieces Included – 25mm Plossl (51x) for wide-field deep-sky scanning and 10mm Plossl (127x) for planetary and lunar detail — ready to observe out of the box
• Collimation Tool Included – A hex tool for the primary mirror's collimation screws lets you adjust collimation in the field after each assembly — essential for maintaining sharp optics on a truss design
• Complete Starter Kit – Also includes a red-dot LED finderscope, moon filter for comfortable lunar viewing, moon map, and Wil Tirion multi-latitude planisphere

Ideal For

• Observers who need a portable 10" scope — the hybrid truss breaks into a 6.35 lb upper assembly, a 31.5 lb mirror box, a 12.5 lb altitude box and four pairs of truss poles at 1 lb a pair (about 54 lb in all), letting you transport serious aperture to dark-sky sites in manageable pieces
• Deep-sky visual astronomers who want to chase faint galaxies, nebulae, and star clusters under dark skies — 254mm of aperture at f/5 gathers light that smaller scopes can't match, with a 14.7 limiting magnitude that brings NGC objects within reach
• Astronomers stepping up from a smaller scope who want a meaningful jump in aperture without spending $1,000+ — the Hybrid Truss delivers 10 inches of aperture with everything needed to start observing
• Star party and outreach organizers who need a scope that travels easily and impresses crowds — 10 inches of aperture delivers bright, detailed views of Saturn's rings, Jupiter's cloud bands, and the Orion Nebula that leave first-time observers speechless

Accessories & Compatibility

• Explore Scientific Dobsonian Shroud (10" & 12") – Blocks stray light from entering the open truss structure, improving contrast on deep-sky objects and protecting optics from dew and dust during observing sessions