16 inch DOB ?

[Geoff]

Hi All,
I heard rumors that a 16 inch DOB will be available soon ie Guan Sheng?.
Has anyone any info on this?
It would be 2.5 times the apature of my 8 inch! :)
Cheers
Geoff

[astro_nutt]

H Geoff,
In the Jan/Feb issue of Aust Sky and Telescope page 31...Andrews has a 16" f/4.8 dob..(coming soon in March 2006!) and is priced at $2,499.00..pretty sure it's made by Guan Sheng...haven't seen one though!!
Hope this helps!

[sejanus]

the size of those things scare me :D never looked through one though!

[ving]

i recon they'll be great :)
meade are bringing out a 16" light bridge too, so keep an eye out for that too :)

[astro_nutt]

Definitely a ladder job...would be a bugger to transport unless you have it mounted on a tralier!!!...I would have it set up permanently on a motor-driven Alt-azimuth mount...and enjoy the view!!

[ving]

nah astr-nutt, apparently the lightbridge is f4 or something very fast so it'll be about the same height as the 12".

[rmcpb]

Dave, you are right about the speed, it would cost you more in eyepieces than the scope because they would have to be really good ones :)

But I think I will have to try to scrape some spare petty cash together for one one day, or at least a 12".

[ving]

i'd probably just go standard plossls if i bought the 16"... getting good wide fields would be too expensive.

[astroron]

:hi: A 16" scope gives you 4 times the light gathering capability than an 8" scope . good eyepieces nearly always enhance your observing, but you don't have to buy the most expensive ones to get the benefit of the extra inches of your scope.:thumbsup:

[xelasnave]

16 would have near double light gathering of a 12 (close enough);)
I hope they arrive soon I am begginig to lose hope sortta sounds too good to be true at the price ( I started looking at 16 s etc 4 years ago) Cant remember the price but it was a lot more than the projected 16 coming
alex

[ving]

yeah but the 16" will be almost twice as fast. edge performance will be an issue

[xstream]

Interesting new link on the front page of this Site. (http://www.bintel.com.au/)

Pity there's no mention of the price though.

[xelasnave]

How big would you have to go to EQ mount it...sigh
alex

[ving]

theres plenty of eq platforms that'll handle it alex :)

[Rodstar]

Hate to pour cold water on the parade, but I have heard some less than complementary things about the side bearings of the 12" Lightbridge. I would hope that the 16" version is made of tougher stuff to carry that much weight.

[rmcpb]

Easy enough to make a cradle with large bearings for any scope. At that price it would be a very small task to have to undertake.

[cahullian]

Even their 8" dobs need a bit of tweeking so why would a 16" be any different?

Can't wait until they come out as I have been doing a lot of overtime to buy up big soon.

Gazz

[ballaratdragons]

Did the kids drop out of school Gazz :rofl:

;)

[Geoff]

Thanks for the info guys,
I hope the f ratio is about 4.5, The F4 would have to be spot on.
I don't intend to transport it at this stage as I have nothing to move it in, I could put wheels and a towbar on it and tow it I suppose.:lol:
I intend to rebuild the mount similar to my 10 inch Dob mount in the article "Geoff's DOB mount". And put a small shed on rails around it. I will be stuck in light polluted sky's I know but it should be good.
I built a setting circle on the 10 inch Dob mount and an inclinometer on the tube. Using the Laptop with a red screen, and with Starry night, I can find anything within the capabilities of the scope. When properly set up, I look up the Alt Az of an object and move the scope to those settings and most times the object is in the field of view of the 32 mm eyepiece or very close.
This "Push TO" is great as I still learn the sky by the laptop and the red dot on the scope. No electronics to go wrong, and 10 min to set up.
I hope to set up a 16 inch in the same way if I get one.
Cheers
Geoff :)

[Apocrisiary]

Bintel have added the 16" Lightbridge on their website....under $3000.
I think I will join the queue....is a 16" TOO big to start with? ;)

[cahullian]

Hi Apocrisiary

Go for it, 16" might be a frustrating at first but you will get the hang of it soon enough.

LOL Ken one has finished school now and another has quallified for Aus study.Lightens the load on my wallet a bit.

Gazz

[Apocrisiary]

I think I might Gazz. I thought it would be easier to use than many other telescopes. I dont think I need an EQ mounted scope as I will just be eyeballing. Besides anything over 6" on EQ looks like a job to set up and pack away. The 16" even looks like the eyepiece would be at a reasonable height for most observing. From what I've seen at open nights even an 8" dob looks like a back breaker or a knee scraper.
There are only 2 things that bother me...the weight and the wait.

[rmcpb]

Apo,

Don't even think about is as a starter scope. Go for an 8-10" for your first scope, learn to handle it then progress. The 16" is a monster that will need experience to handle and enjoy.

Start smaller then progress, remember, the best scope is the one you use the most and a 16" monster is not a grab and go by any stretch of the imagination.

BTW Welocme to IIS

[janoskiss]

That's cos you haven't seen my 8" Dobs yet! The regular 8" f/6 GSO is very easy grab and go. All it needs is a couple of well placed handles on the either side of the mount for grabbing, lifting ... and going. I grab and go with it down a flight of stairs to the backyard no probs. OTOH a 6" on an EQ is a two-trip job.

[JethroB76]

Hi Geoff, if you're able could you post a pic or two, and perhaps some details of the inclinometer that you have used in your setup?
I have read on CN about such a setup but would be interested in your take on it.
Cheers,
Jeff

[CoombellKid]

I have had a small/cheap Saxon 8" for a few years now, Yup! I'm well
into apperture fever, But I found out from the start what the investment
in good premium ep's are like. So the last few years I have been slowly
plugging away at the Ep's I wont. I figure you will probably change scope
more than you really want to be on the never ending trading/buying/selling
ep I see people do. It just seem a waste... I found what I wanted and I
saved until I got it. even if that meant $20.00 away each week, but I still
got want I wanted. It worth it Ving to go the extra mile, a good ep you'll
have for life and it'll work in anything.

Most folks dont want to look in an 8" scope, but they will when they see a
XW or a T5 sitting in there. And I'm very much looking forward to using
them in a 16"+ scope.

regards,CS sunny days

Rob

[AstroJunk]

My 20" is the easiest telescope I've ever used - I know it's counter intuitive, but the dobsonian design seems to work better with a little weight behind it. I can't speak for the quality of the Meade of course, but if it comes in under $3000 it will be a bargain even if it needs tweaking. No problem for a beginner - don't waste money on a smaller telescope if you've already got 'the feaver'.

Lot's of people sell smaller scopes for larger, but only a few go the other way!

The only issue will be moving it outside, and only then if you have to strip it down every time...

[mickoking]

I think thats a good piece of advice. But I would like to add, get a second smaller scope as well for when you can't be botherd setting up a large instrument.



Tell me about it. I went from large to smaller telescope, not one of my better moves :P

[janoskiss]

I've split the debate about SCTs Newts and COs to a new thread: http://www.iceinspace.com.au/forum/showthread.php?t=14102

[rmcpb]

I know plenty of people who have larger size scopes and often its too much trouble to set them up for a quick look, hence the recommendation to have a smaller scope for that grab and go time.

[Don Pensack]

Geoff, aperture (note spelling) increase is by area.
A 16" has 4X the light gathering of an 8".
That's WAY more than a magnitude gain (which is 2.5X) on an 8".
One and two magnitude gains from an 8" base are approximately at 12.5" and 20" apertures.
Be warned, though, that a 16" scope, even a truss tube, is a heavy scope, and difficult to move by yourself.
Don

[Gargoyle_Steve]

Just confirming details : I spoke to someone at Bintel yesterday (Friday) and they have already placed their initial order for the 16" Lightbridge, arrival expected late January, possibly early February, price $2995. By the sounds of it they have ordered stock well above the number required to fill existing customer orders, ie should be spares available if you haven't ordered yet!

[xstream]

I now see Andrews Communication have theirs advertised at $2499, in the latest S&S.

But still know indication of what it will look like

[chrissara]

It is a truss dob according to Lee - 3 poles - I think straight, unlike the Meade which has the cross over type poles.

[spacezebra]

Interesting, would like to see it in action.




Cheers Petra

[spudrick]

email from Lee re: 16"
Hi Terry,
Yes, I saw it when I visited GSO about 10 days ago. It's very impressive - far more than even the 12" Dob! It's also very substantial and well-balanced - quite smooth to use. Jim Sheng says shipping will commence to Australia late December/early Jan - which means Jan/Feb delivery by seafreight.

Regards,
Lee Andrews. www.andrewscom.com.au (http://www.andrewscom.com.au/)

I asked for phtos but did not get a reply on that! :(

[CoombellKid]

Makes me wonder how rigid the three pole setup will be. I would think
(being a rigger) with no other bracing there will be some flex, unless
the poles a rather thick and of tubular design even then it wont be
too hard to get some flex. But I suppose we'll have to wait and see.

regards,CS sunny days

Rob

[chrissara]

I hope Lee doesn't mind me posting here but this was his reply:

Delivery will be late Jan or early Feb., according to Jim Sheng of Guan Sheng Optical when I saw him in Taiwan a few weeks ago. I also saw the GSO 16" Dob. there and it is of a truss tube design, having three straight vertical tube supports. These are the same oval aluminium "TPL" tubes which as used the tripod legs with Guan Sheng's SkyView 2 equatorial mount.This is GSO's general export version. The Meade version will be a6 tube zig-zag truss tube design - same as the smaller aperture Dobs.
Weight is unknown at the moment, but it seems a fair bit heavier than their 12" Dob. and I'm told it will be packed into two boxes, with the main box being about the same volume/shape as for their 12" Dob.
Price will be a little higher at $2699, as Jim told me first-up that his raw material costs have increased a lot of the past few months due to the Chinese mainland's insatiable demand for such materials - and energy.


I also meant to say that the 16" Dob is unlike the smaller ones from GSO (which Meade also sells) in that it is much larger, much heavier, much more substantial overall - and it does feel much smoother and better balanced when moving the tube around. It looks and feels "professional" in every way.

Yes, there is a large knob at the top and bottom of each of the three "TPL" vertical truss support oval tubes, so it can indeed be disassembled in a matter of minutes.
In fact, that would take less time than GSO's Meade version because my (general export) version has six tubes, even though it still has the same number of knobs - six - I think.
It is essentially the same telescope as GSO's Meade version, aside from the truss tube set-up and the differing optional inclusions, such as finderscope, eyepieces and so on, all of which vary from importer to importer, as to what they feel is best for their market at the time and so on...
I haven't finalised those optional inclusions with Jim, yet. However, be assured it will be optioned to the highest spec. possible - and at no extra cost to you, of course, Chris. I really don't want to offer a low (accessories) spec. version of this magnificent telescope at all.

[janoskiss]

Wait and see I guess.

I myself am thinking of replacing both my 8 and 12" GSO Dobs with just one 10" f/5 Dob. But the 10" would still have to be grab-n-go-able in one piece like my 8" is, which might be too much to ask from a 10" scope. And a long way down the track I might invest in a monster folded Newt on a Dob mount.


I'm sure Mike will find out soon enough if Lee does mind, but my guess is that he was kind of hoping you would spread the word. ;)