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 — for $700. 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. No other portable 10" Dobsonian comes close at this price.

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 – Alignment cap lets you check and 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 6.5 lb upper assembly, 35 lb mirror box, 12.5 lb rocker base, and eight 1 lb truss poles, letting you transport serious aperture to dark-sky sites without needing a solid 60 lb tube
• 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+ — at $700, the Hybrid Truss delivers 10 inches of aperture with everything needed to start observing, making it one of the most affordable 10" Dobsonians on the market
• 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

Looking for even more aperture? The Explore Scientific 16" Generation II Truss Tube Dobsonian steps up to 406mm of light-gathering power with a dual-speed focuser and dual primary mirror cooling fans — a serious deep-sky instrument for observers ready to go bigger.