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This is a simple yet elegant form of an alt-azimuth mount designed to carry a Newtonian reflector and was popularized by John Dobson way back in the late 1970's and this classic design has stood the test of time. In its simplest form, the Dobsonian mount consists of a box which allows the optical tube assembly to pivot in altitude, while the box itself is swiveled on a base in azimuth. Normally such mounts are moved by hand rather than motor driven. Their main advantages are low cost, fast easy setup and their ability to provide a quality cost effective mount to support larger tubes.
AOE supplied Saxon Dobsonian Telescopes includes 150 mm x 1200 mm (6") 203 mm x 1200 mm (8"), 254 mm x 1200 mm (10") and 304 mm x 1200 mm (12") Newtonian-based models. All models have a "parabolic" primary mirror to eliminate spherical aberration and a four-arm, secondary- mirror bracket with fine supports (0.5 mm thick), to reduce diffraction spikes and light loss. In addition, all models include a 2" crayford style focuser with a 1.25" adapter, allowing the use of either 2" or 1.25" eyepiece size. The Dobsonian base is laminated and the tube is generously painted with a quality paint finish. A fine astronomical instrument which will give many years of viewing enjoyment.
The new adjustable TENSION CONTROL HANDLE (Patent pending) providing superior stability.
The secret of the design is to correctly balance the optical tube with special designed handles on the base. The design adds enough friction and tension to allow the tube to move easily when nudged but to stay in position when not. Users can easily add or reduce tension by turning on the handle. This feature solves the common balance problem found on many Dobsonians.
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