Sky-Watcher Dobson 16" Flex Tube Go-To telescope (SW-1324)

Sky-Watcher is a global leader in telescope manufacturing, especially known for Newtonians on Dobsonian mounts. For years, the company has prioritized the highest optical quality, resulting in stunning views of the universe and countless positive reviews worldwide. With experience dating back to 1990, Sky-Watcher’s Dobsonian telescopes are built with elegance, maturity, and classic style, making them some of the most affordable and accessible on the market. While many have tried to imitate, no brand matches Sky-Watcher’s blend of optical excellence and affordability in Dobsonian telescopes.

The Dobson 16 is a powerful reflector telescope and a dream for astronomy enthusiasts. With a 40 cm aperture, it enables spectacular observations of all types of celestial objects. Its performance is usually limited only by atmospheric stability, not optical capability. The massive light-gathering power reveals distant nebulae, galaxies, and star clusters with remarkable clarity under dark skies.

Go-To System
This telescope is equipped with a Go-To system for automatic object finding and tracking. Precision stepper motors make observing much more comfortable. Objects can be selected from a menu and the telescope is positioned with electronic micro-movements. Dual-axis encoders and removable locks allow you to manually move the telescope without losing tracking. After pointing to a new object, tracking resumes automatically.

The GoTo system is precise enough for planetary imaging with a simple camera or specialized CCD cameras. It also allows short-exposure deep sky astrophotography and live HD image streaming to a monitor for educational or demonstration purposes, once equipped with a suitable CCD camera.

Please note: The kit does not include a power supply. Purchase a suitable AC or battery power supply separately.

Optical System
This is a classic Newtonian design. The parabolic primary mirror is made from Pyrex, measuring 406 mm in diameter and 1800 mm in focal length. It features an aluminum coating protected by a quartz layer for resistance to oxidation and scratches. The secondary mirror is similarly coated. With a fast f/4.4 focal ratio, this telescope delivers very bright images at low magnification and wide fields of view, making it outstanding for observing nebulae and galaxies.

Flex-Tube Collapsible Design
Sky-Watcher’s unique collapsible design means large Dobsonians can be compacted for storage, saving significant space. The sliding tube sections allow setup in seconds, without tools or disassembly. The mechanism is precise enough to keep collimation between sessions.

Pyrex Mirror
All Sky-Watcher Dobsonians 8" and larger use PYREX mirrors with low thermal expansion, which provides superior image quality compared to standard glass. The innovative ribbed cone mirror design reduces weight, speeds cooling, and eliminates the need for a complex floating cell. The large secondary mirror provides full illumination across wide fields of view, ideal for wide-field eyepieces.

Mount
The Dobsonian alt-azimuth mount features azimuth bearings for smooth movement. Its simple and stable design allows easy rotation in both azimuth and altitude. The fork mount and low center of gravity deliver much greater stability than typical equatorial mounts.

Focuser
A 2" Crayford focuser with microfocusing and a 1.25" adapter is included. The Crayford focuser is smooth and free of backlash. The focuser comes with both 2" and 1.25" extensions, used one at a time. It is compatible with Sky-Watcher autofocuser drives.

Astronomical Observing
The Sky-Watcher Dobson 16" is an extremely capable instrument. The brightest deep sky objects—like the Orion Nebula (M42), Double Cluster in Perseus, and Hercules Cluster (M13)—are displayed spectacularly. Under dark skies, subtle colors in nebulae and planetary nebulae (reds, greens, blues) become visible, usually only seen in photographs. Even under average skies, many objects are impressive, and the combination of a large aperture and dark skies guarantees unforgettable views.

Deep Sky
Messier globular clusters resolve into thousands of stars, emission nebulae like Veil or M42 show delicate, cloud-like structure, and galaxies reveal not only their bright cores but also sweeping spiral arms. Double and multiple stars are easily resolved, and the vivid colors of systems like Albireo are breathtaking. An experienced observer can find hundreds of galaxies, clusters, and nebulae—including objects from the Caldwell, Herschel, Abell, and Sharpless catalogs.

Solar System
The enormous 40 cm aperture brings extremely high resolution, making planetary and lunar observing truly spectacular. Jupiter, Mars, and Saturn are shown with outstanding color and detail—atmospheric bands, the Great Red Spot, shadow transits, ring structure (including the Cassini and even Encke divisions on Saturn), and storm systems on Mars. Uranus, Neptune, and Mercury’s disks, Venus’s atmosphere, and surface detail on the Moon are all easily visible. With skill, you can even spot Pluto. This telescope is not only for deep-sky (“DSO”) observing; it is also a planetary observing powerhouse, competing with far more expensive SCTs in image quality.

Recommended Accessories
Because of the fast f/4.4 focal ratio, use only high-quality eyepieces capable of handling the steep light cone from the fast parabolic mirror. Top choices include Tele Vue Nagler, Delos, Ethos, Vixen LVW, Pentax XW, and Baader Morpheus. These pair perfectly with the large mirror. For astrophotography or wide-field visual observing, a coma corrector is recommended. UHC and narrowband nebula filters such as OIII or H-beta are also highly recommended, especially for planetary nebulae and faint emission nebulae.

Warning: When using solar filters on Sky-Watcher Dobson Flex Tube telescopes, always use a light shield to prevent sunlight from entering the side of the tube. Lack of a shield can damage the filter, telescope, or your eyesight. Safety is critical during solar observation.

Note: The primary mirror is shipped separately from the optical tube for safety and size reasons. The mirror is pre-mounted in its cell and ready for installation.

Power supply is not included in the kit; only a car adapter is provided. The recommended AC adapter is ESPE 12V/3A.

Included Accessories

• Collapsible Dobsonian mount

• Super Plössl 10 mm eyepiece

• Super Plössl 25 mm eyepiece

• AZ SynScan controller

• 9x50 finderscope

Specifications

Catalog Number: SW-1324
Optical Design: Newtonian
Mount Type: Dobsonian
Aperture: 406 mm
Focal Length: 1800 mm
Focal Ratio: f/4.4
Limiting Magnitude: 15.6
Maximum Useful Magnification: 812x
Maximum Resolution (Rayleigh): 0.35"
Maximum Resolution (Dawes): 0.29"
Light Gathering Power: 3364x
Tube Weight: 31 kg
Mount Weight: 45 kg
Total Weight: 76 kg
Tube Length: 1680 mm
Tripod Type: Dobsonian
Tripod Height: 850 mm
Mount Control: SynScan Go-To
Focuser Type: Crayford
Focuser Diameter: 2"
Focuser Micro-motion: No
Secondary Mirror Diameter: 100 mm
Electronics Warranty: 24 months
General Warranty: 60 months