”I have used a great number of telescopes; some are good, some mediocre and some bad. To me the Sky-Watcher range of instruments are very good indeed, and suited to amateurs of all kinds – and they are not priced out of the market! Excellent value.
Use them and enjoy them.“
Sir Patrick Moore CBE FRS
Note: The Sky-Watcher telescope models and mountings that have been tested, endorsed and recommended by Sir Patrick Moore are labelled accordingly in their respective sections on this website.
SKY-WATCHER ASTRONOMICAL TELESCOPES
Ade Ashford Says...
"Having tested and reviewed a wide range of astronomical telescopes over the last couple of decades, for me there's one manufacturer that's risen above the rest in terms of delivering a coherent range of uncompromising, well-conceived designs, embodying consistently good optics and sensibly engineered mounts at very competitive prices — that's Sky-Watcher!!" Ade Ashford BSc
Ade Ashford has tested and reviewed astronomical equipment in a professional capacity for several publications, including Sky & Telescope, Astronomy Now & BBC Sky At Night Magazine. He is currently living in New Zealand and is an astronomer at Mt John Observatory, Lake Tekapo.
FANTASTIC ACCESSORY SET OFFER!!
Buy ANY Sky-Watcher or TAL telescope from ANY UK dealer & buy this superb
Sky-Watcher Eyepiece, Filter, Night Vision Torch & User Guide Set for just £79.00 (SRP £149.00) directly from OVL!!
Kit Comprises: 2mm, 5mm, 15mm & 20mm Long Eye Relief Eyepieces, Four Threaded Light Filters (Amber, Blue, Neutral Grey & Moon Filter) Dual - Beam LED Night Vision Torch, Astronomical Telescope User Guide, in lockable, foam-padded Aluminium Case
Terms of Offer Just send a photocopy of your receipt with a cheque (payable to OVL) and covering note to us at the address below. Order must be placed within FOUR MONTHS of telescope purchase. Please provide a daytime telephone number and an address, for guaranteed acceptance of delivery, between 9am-5pm Mon-Fri as the goods will be delivered by carrier. FREE delivery to any UK address!!
Offer commences 22nd. March 2011.
Post to: Accessory Set Offer, Optical Vision Ltd, Unit 3 Woolpit Business Park, Woolpit, Bury St.Edmunds, Suffolk, IP30 9UP
(Please note: We reserve the right to discontinue this offer at any time without prior notice)
These instruments offer an incredible aperture-to-price ratio. The Dobsonian mount, popularized by John Dobson in the late 1970’s, is a very simple but effective method of mounting a Newtonian Reflector, based on the alt-azimuth principle. Fast and easy to set up, the Dobsonian mount consists of a box-type mounting which allows the telescope to pivot in altitude, while the box itself is rotated on a base in azimuth. The secret of the design is to correctly balance the optical tube and to use frictional materials, which allow it to move easily when nudged but to stay in position when not. The mount is designed to be driven by hand as opposed to slow motion controls.
Tube material: Aluminium.
NEW!!
SKYLINER FlexTubeTM DOBSONIANS
Sky-Watcher are proud to introduce a new range of truss-tube dobsonian models. The new FlexTubeTM Dobsonians all feature retactable OTA’s, making them easy to transport and store, offering the ultimate flexibility for owning an otherwise large telescope. They all feature 2-part telescope tubes attached with 3-arm supports. When in use the tube is fully extended and each arm’s axis is clamped to ensure a rigid optical system. After use, the clamps can be loosened and the tube retracted into a convenient compact size. Owning a large telescope has never been so easy!!
HERITAGE-76 76mm (3") f/300 mini Dobsonian Telescope
“International Year of Astronomy Special Edition”
The Sky-Watcher Heritage-76 has been specially designed to celebrate the International Year of Astronomy (IYA) and the 400th Anniversary of Galileo’s first telescope. This is not only a highly functional precision optical instrument but also a beautiful collector’s piece, desk or shelf ornament, and ideal gift.
The beautiful, luxurious tube graphics depict a richly historical theme. The images have been specially designed to symbolise Galileo and his conflict with the Catholic church. Galileo Galilei’s public championing of Copernicus’ theory of heliocentrism, which was contrary to the geocentric beliefs at the time, eventually led to him being denounced to the Roman Inquisition. He was subsequently tried, suspected of heresy, forced to recant, and spent the rest of his life under house arrest. Of course Galileo, “The father of modern science” and “The father of modern observational astronomy” was proved right in the end.
The telescope tube is also adorned with the words “Galileo 400” and “International Year of Astronomy” as well as key dates in the lifetime of Galileo.
The telescope comes equipped, as standard, with a 5x magnification Finderscope, for the easy location of night sky objects. Also the two supplied eyepieces have been specially upgraded to higher quality Super Modified Achromats to increase your viewing pleasure. The telescope accepts standard 1.25” accessories so the magnification range can easily be extended additional 1.25” eyepieces and/or Barlow lens.
The uncomplicated manually operated Dobsonian alt-azimuth mount makes it a convenient, highly portable, grab-and-go system. The complete telescope & mount comes fully assembled straight out of the box.
Supplied in presentation Giftbox.
The Heritage-130P has been specially designed to celebrate the International Year of Astronomy and the 400th Anniversary of Galileo’s first telescope. This is not only a highly functional precision optical instrument but also a beautiful collector’s piece and ideal gift. The telescope tube is adorned with the names of many famous figures that have made significant contributions to the advancement of astronomy over this 400yr period, including Galileo Galilei himself.
Housing the same superb Parabolic Primary Mirror as our highly-renowned Explorer-130P, this telescope is an excellent and capable all-rounder which will provide wonderful views of both the Moon & Planets as well as Deep-Sky Objects. The collapsible patented FlexTube™ system has been incorporated making it even more convenient to transport and store. The uncomplicated manually operated Dobsonian alt-azimuth mount makes it a superb, highly portable, grab-and-go system. The complete telescope & mount comes fully assembled straight out of the box. Supplied in presentation Giftbox.
"For the largest aperture telescope and light-gathering capability for your money, look no further than a Sky-Watcher Dobsonian. The Skyliner range feature the same high-precision Newtonian optical tube assemblies found in the Explorer series, coupled to a stable, non-motorised mount that's intuitive to use. A rugged, no-nonsense design for the practical observer that delivers all-round performance on the Moon, planets and dazzling deep-sky performance -- especially in the larger apertures." Ade Ashford BSc
Sky-Watcher Dobsonians feature a unique patented Tensioner/Carrying handle. By lifting the handles together, you can easily carry the whole unit in an upright position with the help of a friend.
"“The Skyliner 200’s flat-packed base is very easy to build and set up, and comes with excellent instructions….The optics were sharp across 80% of the 1 degree field of view….We were very pleased with the appearance of al the test objects – we even managed to find the Crab Nebula, M81 and M82 in near-full Moonlight, whereas the other scopes were struggling. Under darker skies the Double Cluster had that ‘Wow’ factor when it was centred using the 25mm eyepiece, as did M35. The Pleiades (M45) was just a bit too large to fit in the field of view, but the main central stars looked stunning….Turning to Saturn, the view really took our breath away: we saw five moons, a clear-cut Cassini Division and a colour difference between the A and B rings. Not only that, but Saturn also displayed a prominent belt – with this scope planetary detail is certainly not compromised….Fans of deep-sky observing would certainly find the Skyliner satisfying….The Skyliner was a joy to use.”" BBC SKY AT NIGHT MAGAZINE
Prod. Code
SKYLINER-200P
10717
SRP £ 299.00
Gallery Images
Click on images for larger view of photos taken using this telescope model
ADVANCED FEATURES
All Sky-Watcher Dobsonian models feature 0.5mm Ultra-Thin Secondary Mirror Supports to reduce diffraction spikes & light loss, and high quality Paraboloidal primary mirrors to eliminate spherical aberration.
PYREX MIRRORS The SKYLINER 250PX models feature Paraboloidal primary mirrors made of Low Thermal Expansion Pyrex Glass resulting in substantially shorter cooling times.
“The Sky-Watcher Skyliner range offers some of the best-equipped instruments of this type….Cools down surprisingly rapidly for such a large instrument….Jupiter displayed a wealth of detail despite its low altitude….The Moon surface was replete with sharply defined rille, craterlet and mountain detail….The Skyliner-300P really showed its mettle on the deep-sky. The Hercules globular cluster M13 was a magnificent sight….At 300x the scope clearly showed even diffraction rings around all four components of Epsilon Lyrae….This instrument offers a staggering specification for the money with an optical performance that would be the envy of many a manufacturer. With equipment like this available at such reasonable cost, observers truly have never had it so good.” ASTRONOMY NOW MAGAZINE
ADVANCED FEATURES
All Sky-Watcher Dobsonian models feature 0.5mm Ultra-Thin Secondary Mirror Supports to reduce diffraction spikes & light loss, and high quality Paraboloidal primary mirrors to eliminate spherical aberration.
PARABOLIC PRIMARY MIRRORS All Sky-Watcher f/4 & f/5 Newtonian Reflectors feature High Quality Parabolic Primary Mirrors to eliminate spherical aberrations. The mirrors are parabolized to bring all the light rays to the same focal point to produce sharp, contrasty images, which are full of detail.
"Despite their great performance to cost ratio, Dobsonians can be rather bulky in larger apertures, but Sky-Watcher have addressed this with their innovative and aesthetically-pleasing Flextube range. With their collapsible tube design, these versatile instruments are easy to store and can be readied for observation at a moments notice. Ideal for deep-sky viewing, these 'scopes will also deliver stunning planetary images." Ade Ashford BSc
"A precision instrument that breaks the stereotypical Dobsonian mold to deliver stunning planetary and deep-sky performance in a compact, readily transportable package."
"The upper section of the FlexTube containing the secondary mirror assembly and Crayford focuser extends with effortless precision on three rods that are easily locked into position at their greatest extent. Despite repeatedly collapsing and extending the instrument in the course of an prolonged observing session, the FlexTube's optics remained in perfect alignment."
"It would be easy to pigeonhole the 305mm FlexTube as an innovative, transportable Dobsonian for the deep-sky enthusiast, but it's much more than that. Its stunning planetary prowess will have many observers redefining what short focal ratio Newtonians are capable of."
"Having used a wide range of Sky-Watcher Newtonians over the years, I've often expressed my pleasure at the the consistency and precision with which the mirrors are polished and figured. In my Astronomy Now review of this instrument's predecessor, the Skyliner-300P, I wrote of its enviable optical performance for the price. I didn't think the 305mm FlexTube would surpass it, but it does."
"Saturn is often described as the jewel of the Solar System, but to see it in all its 24-carat splendour you need a 12-inch FlexTube. In recent memory I haven't seen such a sharp and richly rendered image of the ringed planet as that delivered by the 305mm FlexTube on the night of April 8th, 2008."
"I was able to use the 305mm FlexTube on a wide variety of celestial objects under what passed for fine observing conditions from my heavily light-polluted suburban locale. Messier 3, the stunning globular cluster in Canes Venatici, was resolved into a ball of innumerable stars, some held with direct vision right across the core. Messier 82, the starburst galaxy in Ursa Major, easily revealed mottled dusty filaments across its nucleus. Edge-on galaxy NGC 4565 in Coma Berenices showed the dust lane along its slender form. And so the list went on."
"Mars, just 6.6 arcseconds in diameter, revealed its 90% gibbous phase with ease. But what surprised me was plainly identifying the Syrtis Major near the planet's meridian at such a distance from Earth." Ade Ashford, www.scopetest.com
Introducing the Ultimate in Dobsonian design!! The patented collapsible FlexTube™ system for ultimate convenience & portability, has now been combined with powerful dual-axis servo motors and encoders in the base unit. Now enjoy the luxury of Automatically Slewing and Tracking celestial objects, with the FlexTube’s precision diffraction-limited optics, via easy handset commands. Never before has owning a large telescope been so convenient.
(Please note: There will NOT now be a GOTO upgrade available for these models)
Combining the power of a large optical tube, the extreme portability of the patented collapsible FlexTube design and SynScan computerised Go-To technology, the new Skyliner FlexTube Synscan Dobsonians bring over 42,900 celestial objects right in front of your eyes, and automatically track them as they move across the night sky - its as easy as a walk in the park!
The patented dual-encoder design allows you to manually move the telescope anytime and to anywhere you wish - with no need for realignment. Slewing to an object on the opposite side of the night sky no longer feels like watching a kettle boil. Simply push the tube close to the object and let the computer do the rest of the work.
Combining the power of a large optical tube, the extreme portability of the patented collapsible FlexTube design and SynScan computerised Go-To technology, the new Skyliner FlexTube Synscan Dobsonians bring over 42,900 celestial objects right in front of your eyes, and automatically track them as they move across the night sky - its as easy as a walk in the park!
The patented dual-encoder design allows you to manually move the telescope anytime and to anywhere you wish - with no need for realignment. Slewing to an object on the opposite side of the night sky no longer feels like watching a kettle boil. Simply push the tube close to the object and let the computer do the rest of the work.
Combining the power of a large optical tube, the extreme portability of the patented collapsible FlexTube design and SynScan computerised Go-To technology, the new Skyliner FlexTube Synscan Dobsonians bring over 42,900 celestial objects right in front of your eyes, and automatically tracks them as they move across the sky - its as easy as a walk in the park!
The patented dual-encoder design allows you to manually move the telescope anytime and to anywhere you wish - with no need for realignment. Slewing to an object on the opposite side of the night sky no longer feels like watching a kettle boil. Simply push the tube close to the object and let the computer do the rest of the work.
Combining the power of a large optical tube, the extreme portability of the patented collapsible FlexTube design and SynScan computerised Go-To technology, the new Skyliner FlexTube Synscan Dobsonians bring over 42,900 celestial objects right in front of your eyes, and automatically tracks them as they move across the sky - its as easy as a walk in the park!
The patented dual-encoder design allows you to manually move the telescope anytime and to anywhere you wish - with no need for realignment. Slewing to an object on the opposite side of the night sky no longer feels like watching a kettle boil. Simply push the tube close to the object and let the computer do the rest of the work.
Combining the power of a large optical tube, the extreme portability of the patented collapsible FlexTube design and SynScan computerised Go-To technology, the new Skyliner FlexTube Synscan Dobsonians bring over 42,900 celestial objects right in front of your eyes, and automatically tracks them as they move across the sky - its as easy as a walk in the park!
The patented dual-encoder design allows you to manually move the telescope anytime and to anywhere you wish - with no need for realignment. Slewing to an object on the opposite side of the night sky no longer feels like watching a kettle boil. Simply push the tube close to the object and let the computer do the rest of the work.
The prices listed on this website are U.K. suggested retail prices (SRP) including VAT for reference purposes only
and that prices may vary from dealer to dealer. Please contact your nearest stockist for firm pricing information.
As we are purely a distributor, we regret we are unable to sell directly to the public.
Specifications subject to variation due to later production changes. E&OE.
Optical Vision Ltd
Unit 3, Woolpit Business Park, Woolpit, Bury St. Edmunds, Suffolk IP30 9UP, England
Email: info@opticalvision.co.uk
Sky-Watcher Dobsonians feature a unique patented Tensioner/Carrying handle. By lifting the handles together, you can easily carry the whole unit in an upright position with the help of a friend.
ADVANCED FEATURES
PARABOLIC PRIMARY MIRRORS
