hotnews - 16 inch GS dob coming soon

[h0ughy (David)]

Just had a very interesting talk with Andrews Communications (Lee) this afternoon . It seems as though he will be getting very shortly a new product to sell. A 16" GS F4.8 dobsonian with BK7 glass with Crayford focuser and it will retail between $2000-$2500 .

This should be available inthe next 3 to 6 months. Just in time for christmas for me, santa will have some trouble stuffing that one down the chimney!

But don't ring him now, he is going to china tomorrow for a few weeks on holiday.

[ving (David)]

er... like I say to every other thread displaying new wares...

buy me one plz!

16 incher hey? well well!

[ausastronomer (John Bambury)]

Originally posted by h0ughy
A 16" GS F4.8 dobsonian with BK7 glass with Crayford focuser and it will retail between $2000-$2500 .

This should be available inthe next 3 to 6 months. Just in time for christmas for me, santa will have some trouble stuffing that one down the chimney!

Hi Houghy,

I assume you are talking about the 16" tubed version here ??? I know of someone currently working with Jim Sheng (from GSO) on a 16" truss scope but that is still on the drawing board and very early days.

I would be counting on the 16" scope for Xmas 2006 and not 2005. Experience tells me the likely timeframe will be more like 12 months if the release of the 16" scopes follows a similar path to the release of the 12" scopes. The 12" scopes actually appeared in the marketplace at least 12 mths after the 1st prototypes were run, and 12 mths after Lee's estimated availability schedule, may have even been longer than 12 mths actually. The early prototypes for the 12" scope were for a 2 piece tube and this caused some major design issues with the scope ultimately being released as a single tube design. I can see this again being an issue with the 16" scope and getting the 2 piece design right may take some time, unless GSO are happy to release the 16" scope as a single tube with the non existent portability of the 16" Meade Starfinder, which I doubt. The other issue that delayed the availability of the 12" scopes was sourcing the blanks for the primary mirrors. GSO had a lot of difficulty sourcing 12" mirror blanks at the time the 12" scopes were due to be released and could not source Asian made 12" blanks. I believe all of the early production scopes used American sourced Pyrex blanks as opposed to Asian sourced BK7 blanks. I am not sure what the sourcing of the 16" blanks will be and whether any issues will present.

Not trying to put a dampener on things but merely to give people some thoughts as to what may be a realistic timeframe for the release of these scopes.

CS-John Bambury

[slice of heaven]

Lee mentioned the 16" to me in early March. At the time he gave me the impression the release date was more along the lines of
Aus' post.
The 4" jump doesnt get me excited though. A 20" would be better.

Slice

[Starkler (Geoff)]

Originally posted by slice of heaven

The 4" jump doesnt get me excited though. A 20" would be better.

For me a 16 inch truss dob would be ideal and about as big as I would want to set up and use single handedly. F4.8 is going to require a step for viewing at zenith methinks.

[ausastronomer (John Bambury)]

Originally posted by Starkler
For me a 16 inch truss dob would be ideal and about as big as I would want to set up and use single handedly. F4.8 is going to require a step for viewing at zenith methinks.

Geoff,

Yup, eyepiece height at the zenith of about 6' 4" without an equ table.

CS-John B

[slice of heaven]

Starkler
The jump from a 10" to a 16" would be great.
I've had my eye stuck in a 12" for so long I need a bigger than 16" ap to get that WOW factor to justify the step up.
I was being conservative in stating a 20" by the way. That still falls way short of what I really desire.

Slice

[h0ughy (David)]

Originally posted by ausastronomer
Hi Houghy,

I assume you are talking about the 16" tubed version here ??? I know of someone currently working with Jim Sheng (from GSO) on a 16" truss scope but that is still on the drawing board and very early days.

I would be counting on the 16" scope for Xmas 2006 and not 2005. Experience tells me the likely timeframe will be more like 12 months if the release of the 16" scopes follows a similar path to the release of the 12" scopes. The 12" scopes actually appeared in the marketplace at least 12 mths after the 1st prototypes were run, and 12 mths after Lee's estimated availability schedule, may have even been longer than 12 mths actually. The early prototypes for the 12" scope were for a 2 piece tube and this caused some major design issues with the scope ultimately being released as a single tube design. I can see this again being an issue with the 16" scope and getting the 2 piece design right may take some time, unless GSO are happy to release the 16" scope as a single tube with the non existent portability of the 16" Meade Starfinder, which I doubt. The other issue that delayed the availability of the 12" scopes was sourcing the blanks for the primary mirrors. GSO had a lot of difficulty sourcing 12" mirror blanks at the time the 12" scopes were due to be released and could not source Asian made 12" blanks. I believe all of the early production scopes used American sourced Pyrex blanks as opposed to Asian sourced BK7 blanks. I am not sure what the sourcing of the 16" blanks will be and whether any issues will present.

Not trying to put a dampener on things but merely to give people some thoughts as to what may be a realistic timeframe for the release of these scopes.

CS-John Bambury

John,

I was just reiterating what discussion took place. Ultimately it is the manufacturer that controls everything. But it is great to dream that you can get a scope that size for around that price. Whether is comes this year or early next year doesn't matter. What does matter is that it is going to happen (sooner would be great, later is ok)! But i don't think that Lee andrews would drop such a big news item like this for nothing. there must be some substance in it, after all it will mean more orders for him and more $$$. Given Celestrons "demise" and meade's market share i would say the "new kid on the block " is looking to get more of the current market. What better way than a cheap quality light bucket. Just add an argo narvis and everything is sweet! its a pushto!

[MiG]

Is there any point using BK7 over plate glass (thermal characteristics are very similar)? At that size Pyrex would be getting pretty useful wouldn't it?

BTW, don't forget that the 4" increase results in 1.78x more light gathering area, though I suppose that isn't that much of a jump either. Still, it's more responsible to build up the product line rather than making an enormous leap in size.

[h0ughy (David)]

MiG

if you can get to sydney in a 1972 datsun (plate glass), or you can get there in a well for arguement sake lets say a GMH 2005 monaro(BK7), what woud you take. ( no sentimental the datsun would be an experience answers accepted!)

[slice of heaven]

Cheap 'quality' light bucket , Houghy.
'Cheaper'..maybe...quality..I doubt it.
Quality means; straight out of the box ,no major improvements necessary.
gs have yet to bring out a scope like that.

Slice

[h0ughy (David)]

Slice

GS or synta? if you only had a few dollars which would you choose?

[slice of heaven]

If I only had a few dollars (and sometimes that's the case) I'd hire a good DVD and watch it with the Kids.
If your talking TWO AND A HALF THOUSAND dollars I'd be looking around the buy and sell marts and see what comes up.
There are absolute bargains to be found for those who have patience and search.
I've done it twice. One of my scopes I purchased for less than a cheap ep. The other I purchased for less than a 2x Powermate.
Both TOP quality OT's.
IF gs and Synta were the "only" lens/mirror manufacturers available I would choose Synta for the lenses and gs for the mirrors. IF that was the case I'd surely hope they'd both improve on their standards for their 'completed' products.
But seeing as other brands of optics ARE still available, a larger mirrored scope of mine would have optics sourced from a better
company.
But that's the same difference as you stated before
A $50 72 datto or a $50,000 s/hand Monaro.
You (hopefully) get what you pay for.

Slice

[h0ughy (David)]

Very true. But for those who seek bang for bucks, it seems like good value for me. I'm nowhere near the handyman type so for me my choice was easy, a meade 12" LX200. But once i finally get it set up in that imaginary observatory I keep telling myself about, I will need a scope to attend star parties and school visits. To get something like this would be a bonus. I do agree you get exactly what you pay for, but occasionaly you can get a rose amoungst the thorns!

[slice of heaven]

Your observatory is in the research stage Houghy, its not imaginary. As is my larger scope. We're not dead yet so we can still say "One day".

Slice

[RAJAH235]

I wish you guys would take it easy on US, that's us, Datsun owners. I have a '78 200B wagon.(cost me $270 back in '93). Does me O.K. I can fix almost everything on it. But it never breaks down. Just gotta keep chasing the %#%^&&*$# RUST!
As for the larger DOBs, one member had a Meade 16", but he had a 1 ton table-top at the time, so he didn't have any transport probs.(Company stuffed him tho., they gave him a car. Had to sell the 1 ton & the 16").
Ended up with an 8" Celestron.
Will be interesting to see the 'new' DOB when it is released, & the actual optics they pick. Surely they would have to use 'PYREX' for that size! L.

[iceman (Mike)]

Interesting! 16" sure is some light gathering power.. in my opinion it would make a significant difference when viewing faint fuzzies..

A tube for a 16" dob is going to be hell to transport though.. they'd surely need to make it in 2 pieces like the Meade 16"ers.

I can't see it being released soon but it's an interesting prospect for those with aperture fever.

[h0ughy (David)]

maybe it could be a truss design as John said. It would make it more portable.

[ballaratdragons (Ken)]

At $2500 I would rather get Goto on an EQ for my 12".

[Starkler (Geoff)]

What does $2500 normally buy you ?

Half of an LX200 10 incher?
Two thirds of a C8 ?

If you can get 16 inches of good quality aperture for $2500 its a damn good buy. If the mechanicals are otherwise ok it could even be worth getting Mr Suchting to resurface the mirror to make it a premium job.
If you import an obsession dob of this size I think they run about $7000AU