Is this the new Skywatcher Dob 18 ?

[Space Hopper]

Just a small picture of something 'on the horizon'......  alas no, i don't have one....

 

I've heard rumours of them on here and  onCN. I didn't see one at Astrofest today, but neither was i looking for one.

Anyway, picked up their free calendar and was surprised to see this in the July month.

 

The mirror is a 'lightweight honey-comb structure'.

The trusses will be 'collapsable'.

A 'go-to' version is planned.

I believe an 18" and a 20"er will be available. Think they are due this August.

 

How they are going to combat dew and dirt will be interesting....

 

Thoughts people.........? 

Heres the pic from the calendar :

 

[Naemeth]

GoTo 18" dob, could be interesting - and hopefully not too heavy given the ultra-lightweight construction .

[Space Hopper]

Sorry about the duplicate image 

[GuillermoBarrancos]

The whole mirror is completely exposed. Don't like that.

[prairie_stars]

I'm really hoping they'll keep the focal length short. We're entering the era of sub f/4 dobs and I would like SW to embrace that. In other words, why would I buy a 20" f/4 or f/4.5 when I can buy an f/3 from several scope makes already. 

[lphilpot]

Sorry for my US-biased references (appears most here are from the UK), but didn't Orion Telescopes in the US make some noise a couple of years ago about offering some large (25" plus, maybe?), ultra lightweight Dobs? These might be related, since IIRC Sky-Watcher is Synta's house brand and most of Orion-branded scopes are from Synta.

I agree about the exposed optics. I always have to smile when I think about using that kind of scope in our humid subtropical climate here in Louisiana. Not that it's always not, but it's almost always VERY humid!

[Mike73]

 

How they are going to combat dew and dirt will be interesting....

 

 

Just a simple light shroud will tackle those problems for the primary but the secondary will need a heater on it.

Looks like a cross between a Hubble Optics and Obsession UC to me, its great to see these manufacturers listening to what consumers actually want.

[Beulah]

I'll hold out for the 20".

[AlexB67]

I'm really hoping they'll keep the focal length short. We're entering the era of sub f/4 dobs and I would like SW to embrace that. In other words, why would I buy a 20" f/4 or f/4.5 when I can buy an f/3 from several scope makes already. 

I recall the only thing I saw was when they were announced was this little discussion

http://www.cloudynights.com/ubbthreads/showflat.php/Cat/0/Number/6189759/Main/6188654

Assuming it is the same thing, it will be a f/4.12, so around 2m focal length. Some steps will be needed. Good scope for all those tall basket players over in the US that will get away without  steps :0) 

[lphilpot]

Good scope for all those tall basket players over in the US that will get away without  steps :0) 

Does one out of two work? I'm no basketball player, although at 6'2" I'm not the shortest guy either.

I kinda wish scope manufacturers would standardize on eyepiece side, though. I"m most accustomed to it being on the west than east (looking south). Probably no functional difference; I've heard only one semi-logical argument for it being on one side or the other, anyway. I 'grew up' with west-side focusers, FWIW.

[nicks90]

there is one major fundamental difference - using the finder!

with the EP on the 'left' of the scope, you use your right eye on the finder. Maybe those who are left eye dominant wont find this an issue, but the majority of people are either 'right eyed' or just plain used to doing it that way!

[YKSE]

I recall the only thing I saw was when they were announced was this little discussion

http://www.cloudynights.com/ubbthreads/showflat.php/Cat/0/Number/6189759/Main/6188654

Assuming it is the same thing, it will be a f/4.12, so around 2m focal length. Some steps will be needed. Good scope for all those tall basket players over in the US that will get away without  steps :0) 

Weighs around 150 lbs, seems Skywatcher has some dieting to do for this 18", despite of the skinny look.

[AlexB67]

I think in that thread at CN there was some argument over the 150 lbs more likely to be wrong, and that it will/should be less than that.

[Naemeth]

there is one major fundamental difference - using the finder!

with the EP on the 'left' of the scope, you use your right eye on the finder. Maybe those who are left eye dominant wont find this an issue, but the majority of people are either 'right eyed' or just plain used to doing it that way!

I, for one, am left eye dominant. So this won't be an issue for me .

[YKSE]

I think in that thread at CN there was some argument over the 150 lbs more likely to be wrong, and that it will/should be less than that.

You're right about that there're arguments over the 150 lbs might be wrong, but these arguments seems to come from other telescope owners or vendor, while the SW vendor who promised to weigh the scope doesn't seem to come with feedback to confirm anything.

[lphilpot]

I, for one, am left eye dominant. So this won't be an issue for me .

I use a right-angle finder, so the finder isn't an issue for me, really. I'm left-dominant, so that's the eye I use for everything.

The argument I heard was that since most northern hemisphere observers spend the majority of their time looking in a more southerly than northerly direction in general, having the eyepiece on the west side of the OTA means you'll be pulling the scope toward you more often than not, rather than slowly pushing it away and possibly becoming overbalanced with a big dob on a tall ladder... Probably true although a relatively small percentage of the time. Accurate or not, I've heard the idea attributed to Rick Singmaster of Starmaster telescopes... ?

[RT65CB-SWL]

IMG_2786.JPGIMG_2786.JPGJust a small picture of something 'on the horizon'......  alas no, i don't have one....

I've heard rumours of them on here and  onCN. I didn't see one at Astrofest today, but neither was i looking for one.

Anyway, picked up their free calendar and was surprised to see this in the July month.

The mirror is a 'lightweight honey-comb structure'.

The trusses will be 'collapsable'.

A 'go-to' version is planned.

I believe an 18" and a 20"er will be available. Think they are due this August.

How they are going to combat dew and dirt will be interesting....

Thoughts people.........? 

Heres the pic from the calendar :

It's my birthday in July!

Would make a nice present.

[Daniel-K]

I better start saving for the 18" now then

[RogerTheDodger]

more pictures

[scarp15]

Looks interesting and yet as with the very functional astrozap shroud option for the flextube, this will require a dedicated shroud to be manufactured either by Skywatcher or another company to become a complete marketable success I would have thought. Certainly opens up the prospect of large aperture portable scopes becoming a common activity pursuit amongst the amateur astronomy community like never before. 

[estwing]

I agree Iain the more the merrier,the bigger the better....

[Mike73]

Completely agree with Iain, the biggest problem with big apertures in the past has been unless you pay mega bucks for a custom made scope they have always almost too big to take to dark sites.

Will be interesting to see how they are priced?

[Pingster]

Hey guys, looking at the photos of it, it appears the top cage can be dropped or extended a few inches? Could that be becuase they are making them bino friendly? So you can drop the cage when using bino?

[Digger1895]

I think these weigh a little less

http://gondwanatelescopes.com/karee-strut-ultralight

[quaoar]

Here is a link to Mr Pinbouts tour of one at NEAF earlier in the year. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CLKJ0jhZHdI

I have a 18" f4.2 Plettstone with Zambuto Mirror, Argo Navis and Servocat, Telrad, Feathertouch focuser, Protostar ( secondary, dew heater and spider ). I bought it secondhand straight off Astromart. It cost US$6900 plus shipping. I recently bought a 20" f4 Zambuto mirror off Astromart for US$3500 and a complete Ultralight for a 20" f4 landed in Australia from UK for AU $2000. I guess my point is that with a bit of searching bargains are there to be had in the secondhand market. The price difference between a new skywatcher 18" or 20" with no fruit vs a secondhand fully loaded 18" or 20" with premium components is small when looked at over a lifetime. I see bargains in this range on Astromart all the time. True you have to pay shipping and taxes and there is some risk but my own experience has been very rewarding. Not an option for everyone I realise but may be worth considering for some. My 2 cents.