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The offer is valid from September 23rd to November 28th, 2024 and only while supplies last!
Posts Tagged 'dobson'
On galaxy hunt: Get your Omegon Advanced X Dobson now at a Spring discount
February 20 2024, Marcus Schenk
Imagine a clear Spring night, countless stars twinkling in the sky, and you are ready to explore the depths of the Universe. With a telescope that captures the light of distant galaxies and ignites your spirit of exploration.
For a limited time we are now offering you the Omegon Advanced Dobson X telescopes at interesting prices. With apertures of 203mm, 254mm, and up to 304mm, these light-gathering giants allow you to dive deep into the wonders of Space.
Save yourself a 10% discount on the 10- and 12-inch models and even a 17% discount on the 8-inch model!
These robust companions are known not only for their easy handling, but also for their outstanding quality. The simple construction and intuitive maneuvering of Dobson telescopes allow you to quickly get started with observations without losing valuable hours being involved in complicated preparations.
- The precisely adjustable Crayford focuser provides you with the necessary comfort and focusing accuracy, even when it comes to higher magnifications.
- The parabolic primary mirror guarantees sharp and detailed images – from the craters of the Moon to the spiral arms of distant galaxies.
As a hobby Astronomer you know that choosing the right telescope for observation is crucial. With the Omegon Advanced Dobson X telescopes you are making a choice that not only satisfies your desire for gathering knowledge, but also makes the splendor of night sky journeys tangible for visual observers.
Don’t miss out on this opportunity! The spring promotion is valid only until March 31, 2024 and while supplies last…
Explore Scientific 16-inch Dobsonian at a special price!
January 29 2024, Stefan Taube
You can currently get the largest model in the Ultra Light Dobsonian series from Explore Scientific at a special price!
It is the Dobsonian telescope N 406/1826 Ultra Light Generation II
Explore Scientific offers lightweight aluminium Dobsonians that are optimized for transport and a rapid set-up:
- The secondary mirror holder can be operated without tools and is with stable adjustment
- The primary mirror can be adjusted from the front during observation and sits in a modern cell with radial roller bearings and a 9-point system
- Large altitude wheels allow jitter-free movement even at higher magnifications
- Cover and altitude wheels fit into the rocker box, the mirror box is equipped with a lid for transport, so you only have to transport two aluminium boxes and a bundle of rods
- Extremely rigid construction!
- Dew-resistant thanks to all-aluminium construction: No more negative influence from humidity thanks to the exclusive use of aluminium and other metals
- Two radial main mirror fans for rapid ambient temperature adjustment
You can find more information about the large 16-inch model here in the shop.
The offer is valid until 28th February 2024 and only while stocks last! Take advantage of it now!
Dobsonian telescopes with special Bresser enhancements
June 28 2022, Stefan Taube
Messier-series telescope with add-on sun filter
Bresser’s Messier-series Dobsonian telescopes stand out from the crowd due to their features, which cannot be found on other brands of comparable telescopes:
- The telescope tube is held in place using tube clamps. This means the tube can be rotated along its axis to find the perfect eyepiece position. It can be optimally balanced by adjusting the tube within the tube clamps. You can also fully demount the tube and use it with an equatorial mount, for example.
- The altitude bearings have a comparatively large radius. This facilitates finer adjustments along the vertical axis. Many Dobsonian telescopes in this price range do not have proper altitude bearings!
The altitude bearings with tube clamps glide along the rockerbox.
- The so-called rockerbox, upon which the telescope is placed and which enables rotation in azimuth, is fitted with quick-release fasteners on the Messier Dobsonians, the kind you are familiar with from furniture. This enables the box to be quickly and simply assembled. In this way, the box can be disassembled again and again.
- The Hexafoc focuser is superior to focusers on comparable telescopes by other manufacturers.
The large Hexafoc focuser does not cast a shadow on wide-angle eyepieces.
- A compatible solar filter is supplied with the product. As the tube is closed, no sunlight can enter the telescope from the side. This makes it possible to safely view the Sun.
In addition to these features, you also receive a Messier Dobsonian with high-quality optics and a parabolic mirror which is fully adjustable. This makes it possible to start a lasting relationship with the night sky. The Messier Dobsonians are available in two sizes. You can find both models here in our shop.
The optics are fully adjustable.
Note: These telescopes are named after Charles Messier (1730-1817), whose “Catalogue of Nebular Objects” contains a number of celestial objects which you can observe using these telescopes. A modern guide to Charles Messier’s objects can be found in Cambridge University Press’ book The Messier Objects.
The Skywatcher Heritage FlexTube telescope, now available as GTi
September 22 2021, Stefan Taube
The Heritage FlexTube telescope is a much-loved Dobsonian with a table-top tripod. Its very compact mount is easier to transport due to a collapsible upper part – it doesn’t get more compact!
The manufacturer Skywatcher now offers this handy Dobsonian with computerised controls: the Heritage FlexTube Virtuoso GTi telescope
Skywatcher Dobson N 150/750 Heritage FlexTube Virtuoso GTi telescope
The Virtuoso GTi’s mount hones in on selected objects and follows their path across the sky, so that they are always visible in the eyepiece.
The mount also has its own WiFi to which your smartphone can connect. Using the free SynScan app for iOS and Android, you can then set up and control your mount. Once the app is installed on your smartphone, you no longer need an internet connection to control the mount.
Manual controls are also not required and are therefore not included.
The motorised version of the Dobsonian is also very compact and easy to transport.
As with the non-motorised version, the Virtuoso GTi telescope also uses tried and tested 150/750 Newtonian optics. This 6-incher with a convenient aperture ratio reveals faint nebulae in the night sky, such as the famous Orion Nebula, the Messier 13 globular cluster or the Andromeda Galaxy, 2.5 million light years away.
By the way, you can also mount the Heritage FlexTube Virtuoso GTi on a camera tripod or an astronomical tripod with a photo thread, such as the Skywatcher tripod with 3/8″ mounting bolt.
Improved Version of the Dobson LightBridge by Meade
February 7 2019, Stefan Taube
No other telescope produces the natural experience of the night sky as directly as a Dobson. Completely without a camera or any other electronic deflection – armed only with an infra-red lamp and star chart – discover nebulae, star clusters and galaxies.
Apart from good weather, two things are necessary to enjoy observation: As large a telescope as possible and a dark night sky. A Dobson is a reflector telescope with a relatively simple base. So, for your money, you’ll get a telescope that is bigger than others. The problem with the dark sky is, however, more difficult to solve. The Dobson telescope should fit in a car so you can drive to a good location for observing.
A large telescope that fits in a car is a contradiction in itself. This is resolved by the Dobson wire-mesh tube:
This Dobson in the LightBridge series can be taken apart without tools.
As the figure shows, the telescope can be taken apart into relatively small parts. From left to right, you can see the rocker box, the mirror case, the tube rods and the carrier ring with the secondary mirror. On location, the truss tube Dobson can be built in a few minutes without any tools.
The manufacturer, Meade, was one of the first, with the Dobson telescopes in the LightBridge series to use this form of construction and at a price that is affordable for amateur astronomers. We can now offer the improved version, the LightBridge Plus.
Meade Dobson Telescope N 254/1270 LightBridge Plus
The new LightBridge Plus has an improved rocker box. It is somewhat lighter, has notched carry handles, a pre-installed eyepiece tray and a friction brake for the height axis. The box can be taken apart without tools so it can be easily transported. Meade now fits these telescopes with an improved eyepiece holder that has a fine-adjustment knob for precision focusing and comes with a high-quality 2-inch eyepiece with a 26-mm focal length.
As with the previous version, the LightBridge Plus has a main mirror fan for faster alignment of the mirror with the ambient temperature. As expected, the optics are fully adjustable. Thanks to the fast aperture ratio, the tube is relatively short and the viewing height at the zenith is not too high.
If you’ve always wanted a telescope with a large aperture, but just didn’t know how you’d carry it around, a LightBridge Plus is a very good choice at a fair price!
Is a Dobsonian telescope right for me? | with product recommendations
December 30 2018, Marcus Schenk
A simple Dobsonian or a GoTo telescope? – a question whose answer you first have to decide on. You should also choose your telescope based on what you would like to observe or experience in the night sky.
Did you know that there is also a system with something like ‘a bit of GoTo’?
But how do you find out if a Dobsonian telescope is right for you? In Part 1 of this post, we’ve put together a few questions to help you find your preferences.
Following on, in part 2, there are product recommendations for three different telescope series, with you can use to explore the night sky.
Part 1
Are you an observer for whom a Dobsonian telescope is suitable? Or do you need a telescope with an equatorial mount? Decide which using the following questions:
1. Do you only want to observe or also to take photos?
There are two types of observing: the visual and photographic. Which do you prefer? If you are a visual observer, then a Dobsonian would probably be the right choice.
1 Yes I want to observe visually.
2 I do not know yet, maybe both.
3 Taking photos is more important to me than observing visually.
2. What do you value more? – the optics or the mechanics and electronics?
Dobsonian telescopes consist of a wooden box with plain bearings, called a ‘Rockerbox’, and a Newtonian mirror OTA. A clear emphasis here is placed on a larger OTA diameter. The mechanics remain simple. The advantage – you get a large aperture telescope for relatively little outlay, with which you can observe a lot.
1 I put more emphasis on a great optics for a low price.
2 I cannot commit myself, maybe both.
3 I am a fan of complex mechanics that controls my telescope via slow motions and worm gears.
3. Quick assembly or precise alignment?
Dobsonian telescopes consist of only two parts. The advantage – just two parts can be quickly transported and reassembled at the observing site. They are often much quicker to put together than a telescope with a tripod, equatorial mount, several counterweights and the OTA itself. You do not have to align a Dobsonian telescope to the celestial north pole, you are tracking in both axes’ directions.
1 I want to set up my telescope quickly, I can’t be bothered with all the complexity of assembling and observing with an equatorial set up.
2 I would like to have GoTo, but only if the setup does not take too long.
3 I’d rather spend more time putting the system together and precisely aligning it.
4. Do you prefer observing the Moon and planets, or observing galaxies?
A medium to large Newtonian telescope is of course also suitable for planetary observing. But the strengths of a large mirror lie in its greater light-gathering power. This makes many Dobsonian telescopes suitable for observing nebulae and galaxies. Bu if you are more interested in the Moon and planets, then a refractor telescope would be the better choice.
1 I want to observe nebulae and galaxies.
2 I want to observe nebulae and galaxies, but how am I supposed to find them?
3 I am interested in the Moon and the planets, but there is so much light pollution where I live that I cannot observe galaxies very well. An automated telescope would have to find them.
5. Exploring the night sky with a star map or using a GoTo system?
Dobsonian telescopes are almost always manually controlled instruments. In other words, there is no GoTo system here that slews to objects at the push of a button. You have to guide the telescope purely manually to the object of your choice with the help of a star map and then track it manually. But what is the advantage of that? Quite simply – the night sky will eventually become your familiar hunting ground that you know like the back of your hand. You’ll become a real expert at finding deep sky objects. And you will develop a feeling for tracking objects. The other thing is that it’s a lot of fun, and every time you find an object there is that little thrill of achievement.
1 Of course, I want to find the objects myself using a Dobsonian telescope.
2 I’m afraid that I’m not so good at orienting myself.
3 I’m not really interested in star hopping – there are GoTo telescopes for finding astronomical objects.
6. Naturally experiencing the night sky using only a little technology?
Observers repeatedly report that they can enjoy a natural experience to the maximum with a Dobsonian telescope. There is no complicated technology here that needs to be made to work. No, naturally experiencing the night sky without any motor noise is the most important thing.
1 I want to visibly experience the night sky in a clear simple and natural way.
2 I would like to be able to to add a little technology if I want.
3 No, this manual control idea is not for me. State-of-the-art technology and GoTo systems would be my first choice.
Your answers
If you answered most questions with a 1, then you are definitely a ‘Dobsonau’. You should immediately buy a Dobsonian telescope – perhaps one of the three examples detailed below?
If you’ve answered most questions with a 2, then you’d like to observe with a Dobsonian, but GoTo systems also tempt you. The Onmegon Push+ Telescope with object navigator (see below) would be the way to go.
If you answered most questions with a 3, then you’d better use a GoTo system. Here, we have a large selection.
Part 2
We have three Dobsonian telescopes in our program: the Omegon Advanced X Dobsonian telescope for beginners, the Omegon ProDob for intermediates and experts and the Omegon Push+ with push-to-technology.
Omegon Advanced X Dobsonian telescope – for getting into deep sky observing
These telescopes are a great way to start visual deep sky observing. Explore star clusters, hydrogen nebulae, planetary nebulae, and even galaxies with their spiral arms. With a 200mm lens aperture, this telescope will show you hundreds of interesting objects. If you want even more light, you can also use the Omegon Advanced X N 254/1200 or a real ‘light cannon’, the Omegon Advanced X N 304/1500. Of course, ‘excursions’ to the Moon and the planets are also possible.
If you do not want to spend a lot of money, but are looking for a great value-for-money telescope, then an Omegon Advanced X is the instrument for you.
The Omegon ProDob – deluxe Dobsonian with an excellent friction system
ProDob Dobson telescopes come with a particularly good 2″ Crayford focuser and a deluxe friction system. Once an object is centred in the eyepiece, tracking is even more accurate and precise – even at very high magnifications. There is no juddering or anything (as with instruments with Teflon bearings), as when slewing the telescope it almost floats to the next object. The reason for this is a ball-bearing system in the elevation axis and roller-bearings in azimuth. And also, the friction level can be set to your needs. High magnifications are also possible with a Dobsonian.
The ProDob from Omegon comes in a range of apertures:
– ProDob N203/1200 with 8“ diameter
– ProDob N254/1200 with 10“ diameter
– ProDob N304/1500 with 12“ diameter
– ProDob N406/1850 with 16“ diameter
Omgeon Push+ – control a Dobsonian telescope using your smartphone
With the Omegon Push+ Dobsonian, you can travel to the planets, nebulae and galaxies in the universe whenever you wish. You do not even need to be very knowledgeable about the night sky, because the telescope guides you using a push-to-system to any object you wish to observe. All you need is an Android smartphone and the SkySafari 4.0 app.
The Omegon Push+ and Push+ Mini telescopes bridge the gap between a purely manual Dobsonian and a GoTo telescope. So to speak: ‘A bit of Goto’, so to speak – as the Push+ can still be slewed manually, as is common with Dobsonian telescopes, but also using your smartphone and built-in fine-step encoder in the telescope,
The high-resolution encoders allow the system to take you to any astronomical object you desire. Your smartphone functions as a display screen and at the same time orients you in the night sky. A crosshair shows you the position of your telescope in real time. You can decide, at any time, whether you want to use the push-to-system or prefer to control the telescope completely manually – it’s nice to have the choice!
The Omegon Push+ is available with a 200mm (8″) OTA or as a Push+ Mini with a 150mm (6″) OTA:
– Omegon Push+ mini N 150/750 Pro Dobsonian telescope
– Omegon Push+ mini N 150/750 Dobsonian telescope
– Omegon Push+ mini N 150/750 Skywatcher Dobsonian telescope
New Explore Scientific Dobson with 20-inch mirror!
March 6 2018, Stefan Taube
With the Ultra Light series, Explore Scientific is offering telescopes with the Dobson construction that can be taken apart easily for transportation. This means you can travel to dark observation sites with Dobson telescopes. For an unimpeded look into the night sky!
The latest model in the series has a 20-inch mirror: Dobson N 500/1800 Ultra Light telescope.
It’s no longer quite so ultra-light. There needs to be two of you to set it up at the observation site. But apart from that, it can be taken apart into practical parts just like the smaller models.
Other features of the Dobson N 500/1800 Ultra Light Hexafoc telescope:
- Truss tubes made from solid aluminium: Very high level of stiffness
- Main and secondary mirrors made from quartz with a test certificate
- Low viewing height of just 1.63 m at the zenith
- The main mirror can be adjusted from the top, and hence, during observation
- Very transportable thanks to the small packaging dimensions
- Large 2.5-inch eyepiece holder with 1:10 fine adjustment
- Large powder-coated adjustment wheels for wobble-free tracking
The telescope is made in Hungary and Germany
New telescopes from Omegon: On the right track with Advanced X and ProDob Dobson
October 6 2017, Stefan Taube
The new Omegon telescopes are impressive instruments for any visual stargazer. With the Advanced X and ProDob Dobsonian telescopes, gazing at planets, nebulae and galaxies becomes a lot of fun. Just as with other equipment? No. Because these telescopes are in many ways a lot better than other Dobson telescopes.
Both new series are equipped with a particularly good mirror with up to 94% reflection for bright images. And with a fan which allows you to start observing even earlier.
The Dobson telescopes from Omegon consist of only two parts. Even if you have a stressful day and little time, these telescopes will provide you with many pleasant stargazing hours. Because set up only takes a few minutes, you can start stargazing almost instantaneously. And all this for a lower price than comparable models on an equatorial mount.
Omegon now offers two new Dobson series – in excellent workmanship.
Omegon Dobson telescope Advanced X
A fast telescope for easy observation of planets, star clusters, nebulae and galaxies. Excellent workmanship, consisting of only two parts and very easy to operate. Suitable for any Astro beginner, because no axes need to be aligned. A simple principle: Set up and watch.
- Teflon pads in height and azimuth axis
- Primary mirror with 94% mirror coating
- Primary mirror fan
- 2” Crayford focuser
- 8×50 finder
Omegon Dobson telescope ProDob
To make sure that you always stay on track when observing!
Omegon Pro Dobson telescopes for successful stargazing nights.
The new friction system makes the exact alignment and tracking of sky objects an even simpler task. The axes run in needle bearings in azimuth and ball bearings in the height axis, instead of Teflon pads.
This allows even lighter navigation of the telescope and extremely soft following of your movements. Keep celestial objects in your field of view, even with high magnification. An unbeatable advantage! For this purpose the range of high-quality accessories includes: e.g. the Omegon SWA 32mm eyepiece. It is of a much better quality than many other eyepieces, which are normally part of the scope of delivery of other telescopes. Our customers’ reviews: “Super!”, “Simply high-class.” or “[…] just perfect and good”.
- Friction system: ultra-soft and precise movement
- Needle bearings: soft and exact movement in azimuth – even with just one finger
- Primary mirror with 94% mirror coating
- Primary mirror fan: quicker cooling, ready faster for stargazing
- Red dot finder Deluxe, premium eyepiece 2” SWA 32mm
No matter whether you’re a beginner or an advanced stargazer: With an Omegon Dobson under the dark sky, you will experience everything the universe has to offer. If you are looking for a telescope for visual observations you should buy a Omegon Advanced X or ProDob telescope.
Now available: Stargate Dobsonian with 508 millimetre mirror!
June 20 2016, Stefan Taube
With Dobsonian telescopes its the size that matters! These telescopes serve the sole purpose of observation and not photography. The size of the light gathering mirror surface therefore is the decisive criterion. Dobsonian Telescopes from Skywatcher have been very popular for years. The Stargate series from Skywatcher stands for giant Dobsonians with light tube in metal truss tube design.
Telescopes with a high WOW factor!
The first model of this series was the Stargate-450P-Dobsonian, which we can currently offer for €4599.-. You save € 400.- compared with the recommended retail price!
Skywatcher Dobson telescope N 458/1900 StarGate-450P DOB
New to this series is the currently added GoTo variant Stargate-450P with ynscan and its big brother: The Stargate-500P with Synscan – a GoTo telescope with an 0.5 meter primary mirror! In order to be able to fully utilize this big opening, you should be mobile: Two stargazers will be able to conveniently transport and assemble this giant sky eye quickly under a dark sky.
Make use of the night!
The Synscan GoTo system helps you to quickly focus on the desired object without having to search for a long time. For this purpose you can choose from more than 42,000 sky objects in the extensive Synscan database! The motors not only move to the object, they also keep it in the eyepiece. Neither of the two Stargate series Synscan models needs to be manually guided to follow the rotation of the sky.
“Freedom-Find”-Dual-Encoder
The possibility to move quickly from one object to the next and to make large panning movements in the sky is one of the major attractions of all Dobsonian telescopes. This is also no problem with the motorized Stargate models: Simply decouple the motor from the mount with a twist and you will be able tow slew the mount by hand: This is soundless, quick and prolongs the lifetime of the powerpack. Due to the installed Encoders the alignment will not be lost by such a manual movement. Even if you have moved the telescope by hand, the integrated computer will still know to which object the mirror had been aligned.
With the Stargate series Skywatcher offers portable Dobsonian telescopes in a new dimension. Use Stargate to enter into new galaxies!