Skywatcher Skyliner 350P (14") FlexiTube Dobsonian Telescope

[johninderby]

Skywatcher Skyliner 350P (14") FlexiTube Dobsonian Telescope

In case you're interested here's the specs for Skywatcher's new 14" dob due out this summer. No pics but assume it will look like the 12". Also no mention of Goto or push to.

SPECIFICATIONS:

Optical Design Newtonian (Parabolic)

Lens Material Pyrex

Diameter 356mm

Focal Length 1700mm

Scondary Mirror Diameter 70mm

F/ratio F/4.7

Highest Practical Power 610x

Faintest Steller Magnitude ?

Resoving Power 0.38

Finderscope 9X50 right angle

Focuser diameter 2" with 1.25" adapter

Eyepiece(s) 1.25" Super 25 and 10*

Mount Type Dobsonian

Slow-motion Control n/a

Counterweight(s) n/a

Accessory Tray n/a

Ground Board Diameter 632×740

Ground Board Weight(s) 18.5Kgs

Motor Drive n/a

Goto n/a

Tube Weight 26Kgs

Tube Dimension(dia. x length) 450×(920-1400)

Shipping Weight ?

Shipping Carton Dimensions 106x56x55(cm3) / 78x74x15(cm3)

[MartinB]

Ooh, that's interesting!

[James]

Faintest Steller Magnitude 21

I think someone got carried away there...

[SteveL]

http://skywatcher-india.com/dob_14inch_collapssible.htm

[tinvek]

http://skywatcher-india.com/dob_14inch_collapssible.htm

LOL at " recomended for first time buyer"

[johninderby]

Have to see how the real specs compare when it's actually released vs. these early published ones. The rest of the page on the Skywatcher India site is just a copy from the other Flexitube dob sizes, only the specs section refers specifically to the 14".

John

[calibos]

Ooh, that's interesting!

http://www.mts.net/~ducharm1/dob/dobproad.jpg

[eccentric]

Nice! What magazine was that in calibos?

[calibos]

I don't think its one of the big 3. Might be a USA or Canadian only publication. Someone scanned the advert and posted it on CloudyNights forums.

[coolhandluke]

Any1 know what the price is going to be?

[johninderby]

I'd be surprised if any Skywatcher dealer has a firm price yet, but going on comparision with other manufacturers I would expect a 14" to be at least 1.5x the price of a 12" So maybe £999.00 to £1,199.00, although that's not including the effect that any new production tooling costs for a new size scope might have, but if they can keep it in that price range it should be a big hit.

John

[FLO]

John is right.

We tried very hard to source one for the SGL4 Star Party but it will not arrive in time

We don't yet have an eta or price - sorry.

[Haligazer]

That image is from Skynews. The scope is the 254mm, if you look at the info in the magazine just under focuser you can see it. The magazine is a canadian publication and there is NOTHING on the website about this telescope. I even called official canadian dealers that deal with Skywatcher and they heard nothing of it. The picture is there, maybe just a teaser. It would be interesting to see how it turns out, GOTO and Tracking for a Dob? nice! But can the tube be moved the "traditional" way? Push and Go

[athlon]

is there any more news on this?

[FLO]

Sadly not!

Skywatcher's importers are tight-lipped when it comes to new models, I often hear about them first here on SGL

[Beulah]

LOL at " recomended for first time buyer"

Arrgh, the baseline keeps moving!!!

The way things are going, in about 5 years' time, the 24" will be the "beginner's telescope"...

[Keithp]

Just out of interest...when these flex tubes are set up..the ota that is.. would a set of tube rings, say maybe three connected with dovetails allow the flex tube to be mounted on an equatorial?

So the dovetails clamp around the three struts I normally see on these flex tubes.

Assuming everything is locked up tight and suitable sized tube rings that is.

Or is that a totally stupid idea?

Regards

Keithp

[MichaelM]

Has anyone heard any further information about the release of the 14" SW dob?

[johninderby]

The last I heard was Spring 2010, but there's not much Spring left so it looks like they're putting back the release date yet again.

John

[russ]

Skywatcher always seem to be one or two steps behind Orion USA. At least we can look at the XX14i for specs and likely optical performance. Or perhaps forget the Skywatcher and buy the XX14i instead.

[johninderby]

Skywatcher always seem to be one or two steps behind Orion USA. At least we can look at the XX14i for specs and likely optical performance. Or perhaps forget the Skywatcher and buy the XX14i instead.

The only problem with buying the Orion 14" instead is that it will cost quite a bit more than the SkyWatcher in the UK (based on price differences on other Orion v Skywatcher gear). As Synta owns both brands is the SkyWatcher release being delayed so that Orion can have it first?

John

[AlexM]

There have been price cuts in the last month on the skywatcher auto-dobs on a couple of websites(I think FLO is one of them). Paving the way for a new development perhaps....

[MichaelM]

The last I heard was Spring 2010, but there's not much Spring left so it looks like they're putting back the release date yet again.

John

Let's hope that SW is taking so long to release their 14 because they are doing somthing inovative with the design rather than trying to force somthing that is inherently problematic.