Beacon Hill Telescopes
THE DOBSONIAN TELESCOPE
The Dobsonian Telescope is a standard Newtonian reflector mounted on a simple alt-azimuth wooden base. If the standard round tube or round section aluminium skeleton tube is used then the telescope can be transferred to an equatorial head at a later date. The main advantages for the Dobsonian are as follows:
- Ease of setting up - the base does not even have to stand on particularly level ground.
- Most of the cost goes into the tube assembly - you therefore end up with a larger telescope than you might have thought.
Our usual choice of optics is available. Up to 12" aperture we would normally supply in a standard aluminium tube. Larger diameters would require a skeleton tube.
The base is made from 0.75" M.D.F which is glued and screwed together. It is then primed, undercoated and glossed in high quality paint. Polypropylene disks of suitable size rest on Teflon pads to afford a very smooth elevation movement. The whole base rotates on Teflon pads resting on Formica around an adjustable central bolt in azimuth. The Dobsonian can be moved about in two parts only. Alternatively the base can be of aluminium design.
The base can be carried about and set down almost anywhere, then the tube assembly can be carried out and dropped into the base. You are then ready to go. A 16" is probably the largest Dobsonian one could handle alone. For purely visual use we do not think that the Dobsonian can be beaten, we are sure that you will be pleased with its performance.
