Sky-Watcher N 355/1600 Skyliner FlexTube BD SynScan DOB GoTo Dobson telescope

The primary goal in Dobsonian telescope acquisition has always been securing a sizable aperture without breaking the bank. Enter Sky-Watcher's BlackDiamond Dobsonian, a classic reimagined with a fresh approach. Featuring a novel patented sliding rod design, transportation becomes notably simpler. Additionally, this innovation offers the flexibility to adjust the focus point by sliding the rods in or out.

Tracking objects manually has long been a challenge, with them often drifting out of the eyepiece's view shortly after being positioned. Dobsonians were thus primarily utilized for low-magnification deep sky observation. Sky-Watcher has introduced a new solution with their BlackDiamond Autotracking and BlackDiamond GoTo Dobsonians, featuring automatic tracking capabilities. This eliminates the need for tedious manual guiding, even during high-magnification planetary observation.

Let's delve into the telescope and mount:

This BlackDiamond truss tube Dobsonian boasts a 14-inch parabolic mirror. Despite its substantial light-gathering capacity, it remains relatively easy to transport, providing 36% more light collection compared to a 12-inch model. The difference is immediately noticeable, offering views beyond the usual range of objects. With favorable conditions, nearly all objects in the NGC catalogue become visible. Featuring an aperture ratio of f/4.9 and a finely adjustable 2-inch focuser, this telescope is well-suited for photographing brighter objects. Detailed views of planets are achievable under optimal conditions, with Saturn showcasing its moons and ring gaps.

Equipped with a smoothly operating Crayford focuser, precise focusing adjustment is effortless. A T2 camera connector is included, though a camera-specific T2 adapter is required for DSLR use, available separately.

Truss tube Dobsonians are highly favored by dedicated observers for their exceptional portability. Sky-Watcher's FlexTube Dobsonians take this convenience further, collapsing swiftly with only three tubes. Upon arrival at the observation site, extending the tubes yields a fully operational and aligned instrument within seconds. Despite its simplicity, the telescope remains rigid even when fully extended, ensuring stable collimation.

The built-in tracking capability enables photography of brighter objects, with no focus position issues common in standard Newtonians. Focus position can be flexibly adjusted, and the large light-gathering power opens up intriguing options for lunar eclipses and planetary astrophotography. Servo-motors on both axes, controlled via the handbox, move the telescope at various speeds.

The Sky-Watcher Dobsonian GoTo version features SynScan control, allowing selection of objects from a database of 42,900 fully automatically.

Included in the package:

• Optics with a collapsible tube
• Reinforced rocker box
• 10mm and 25mm eyepieces (1.25")
• 2-inch Crayford focuser with 1.25-inch adapter and T2 camera connector
• 9x50 quick-release finder for easy object location
• Primary mirror with central marker for easier collimation
• User manual

Specifications:

Optics: Reflector (Newtonian)

Aperture: 355mm

Focal length: 1600mm

Aperture ratio: f/4.5

Resolving capacity: 0.32 arc seconds

Limiting magnitude: 14.6

Light-gathering capacity: 2570

Max. useful magnification: 710x

Tube weight: 23.5kg

Tube construction: Truss Tube (500mm diameter)

Main mirror construction: Parabolic

Focuser: Crayford, 2-inch, 1:10 gear reduction for fine movement

Mount: Dobsonian GoTo

GoTo control: Yes

Power consumption: 1700mA

Power supply: 12V

Weight: 48kg

GoTo control features: Database of 42,900 objects, SynScan hand controller and software, multilingual interface, USB 2.0 interfaces

Series: Skyliner FlexTube

Recommended for advanced users; suitable for Moon, planets, nebulae, and galaxies.