Olivon T800
With its sturdy outer armour combined with nitrogen gas-filled optics, this spotting scope is ideal for observing while staying protected from dew
The spotting scope is an instrument that’s not very well associated with stargazing – it is most commonly used by the avid nature watcher who takes great delight in observing birds and other forms of wildlife. Given our experience with the T800 though, we found it to be an ideal companion for observing the night sky, in particular the Moon and notable star clusters, including the fine globular cluster Messier 7 in the constellation of Scorpius, close to the ‘stinger’ of the Scorpion.
Taking the spotting scope out of its box, we admired the care that had been put into packaging it: the box is sturdy and there is plenty in the way of padding to ensure that the instrument is sufficiently protected. The T800 comes with a protective case as well as a 20-60x zoom eyepiece. In order to get a steady view, you’ll need a suitable tripod, something that unfortunately needs to be purchased separately. If you do not own a tripod then we strongly recommend that you purchase the T800 either with a TR150-10 tripod included in the package (£419.99/$535.34) or complete with a TR154-11 tripod (£489.99/$624.49).
The spotting scope has a very versatile 1.25” eyepiece holder that makes it ideal for use with astronomical eyepieces. The T800 has been manufactured to be waterproof, allowing nature lovers to watch wildlife in a variety of conditions, and features a fully waterproof, rubber-coated body to protect the aluminium body and optics. For that added security there is also nitrogen fog-proofing inside the armour. Astronomers know all too well about the condensation and dew that a change in temperature can cause observations and the damage to the coating on the objective lens and optical system if it isn’t removed carefully. The T800, despite its body armour, is also quite light.
During our review, we were treated to the show that June’s planets put on at dusk: Venus and Jupiter were in the process of drawing ever closer together and a waxing crescent Moon wasn’t too far behind them in the western sky. The sight was spectacular to the unaided eye, but we were keen to test the T800’s mettle on these objects. Starting at the Moon, we took advantage of the terminator, which played up several of the lunar surface’s
craters – Hipparchus, Halley, Klein and Faraday were revealed beautifully in the light and shadows in the T800’s field of view. The full multi-coated lens, along with the BAK4 prism, ensured clear and crisp views across a very good proportion of the field of view using the high-quality zoom eyepiece. This is something that can often disappoint with cheaper spotting scopes. Operation of the zoom eyepiece is smooth, similarly with the twist eye cup, which has very good eye relief for those with or without glasses. The angled orientation of the spotting scope made for very comfortable viewing.
When it came to removing the zoom eyepiece, it did take a degree of effort initially. However, despite this, we were glad of the secure fit. The same could be said for when we slotted 1.25” telescope eyepieces into the spotting scope, and we appreciated the snugness. With our selection of astronomical eyepieces we had the option of increasing the magnification and also obtaining a wider angle of the field of view, making the spotting scope ideal for obtaining larger star fields and star clusters, as well as bright Solar System targets and bright nebulae.
Leaving the waxing crescent Moon, we slewed to Jupiter and Venus. In our field of view, we couldn’t wait to observe the brighter of the pair, Venus, which shone at a magnitude of -4.4. The second planet from the Sun appeared as a bright disc, devoid of any detail, as expected. Since the target was bright there was a touch of glare around the object, but otherwise the view was pleasing enough. Turning our attention to Jupiter, we had much of the same – an obvious disc with a degree of glare, yet an otherwise steady and clear view. The Galilean moons – Io, Ganymede, Europa and Callisto – could be seen as points of light either side of the gas giant. We couldn’t see a great deal of detail on the planet, however. Finding our way around the night sky was made slightly more difficult without a finderscope – something that many beginners to astronomy will more than likely find frustrating.
With clouds beginning to cover the sky, we quickly left the planetary conjunction and headed over to the open cluster Messier 7 in the constellation Scorpius. The member stars popped into view as impressive white, clear and crisp points of light. Several stars in the cluster appeared to take on a slight orange-red colour, which gave the cluster a beautiful two-toned appearance.
The T800 is an ideal instrument for those with an interest in both nature and astronomy that’s limited to the brighter targets. If you’re solely an astronomer or someone who is just learning your way around the night sky, then you are better off purchasing a pair of binoculars or a telescope that comes as a more complete package. However, if you’re looking for an instrument that’s easy to carry and that compliments your existing kit, then the Olivon T800 is certainly worth a look.
“Craters were revealed beautifully in the light and shadows in the T800’s field of view”