Sky Watcher Sky-Watcher Flextube 300 Dobsonian 12-inch Collapsible Large Aperture Telescope – Portable, Easy to Use, Perfect for Beginners, White/Black (S11740)

For years, Dobsonian telescopes have provided astronomers with the most bang for their buck using a large aperture and simple design. Viewing with a large aperture can provide a stellar experience, however the size of large reflector telescopes can pose problems for users looking to either store or transport their telescope from one location to another. The Sky-Watcher Collapsible Dobsonian solves this problem with a unique collapsible design using three retractable steel struts, allowing for easy storage and transit. Dobsonians are known for giving users a large aperture reflecting telescope at a low price, however they often lack portability. Sky-Watcher has innovated this classic telescope design by integrating a collapsible tube system, addressing users’ portability concerns. Sky-Watcher Collapsible Dobsonians feature a strut system carefully designed to ease setup time in the field while delivering consistent optical performance. Each strut has preset indentations which place the optics in the same position time after time, maintaining collimation. Unlike Dobsonians using a truss-tube system, Sky-Watcher’s Collapsible Dobsonian does not need to be disassembled. The strut system is comprised of three 1” steel poles, joining the bottom and top portion of the optical tube. When extended, three chrome locking screws hold the instrument in place. Unlike truss tube Dobsonians, Sky-Watcher’s Collapsible Dobsonian holds collimation extremely well, forgoing the need to collimate each time it’s used. The retracting design can shorten the optical tube up to 36%, making storage and transit much easier. At the heart of any Sky-Watcher telescope are observatory-grade optical components. The Collapsible Dobsonian is no exception, using components that yield exceptional contrast, 94% reflectivity and minimal vignetting. Mirrors are constructed with borosilicate glass, then coated with quartz, titanium and silicon dioxide to ensure an unparalleled viewing experience. Combining these superb optics with a large Dobsonian aperture helps ensure you’ll have bright, bold views of faint deep sky objects. To ensure Sky-Watcher Dobsonians remain easy to use, all Collapsible Dobsonians include a mount base that is so smooth, it can be rotated with the push of a finger. 8” and 10” models come complete with Teflon bearings, while the larger 12” models use steel needle bearings to ensure smooth and easy movement. At Sky-Watcher, we want you to feel confident in your purchase, knowing that your telescope will come with all required accessories to start using your telescope. All Sky-Watcher Dobsonian telescopes include a 2” Crayford focuser and a 1.25” adapter, allowing you to utilize both 2” and 1.25” eyepieces. Also included, are two 1.25” eyepieces (25mm and 10mm), a 8x50 finderscope and eyepiece tray.

• LARGE APERTURE: Get a bright, bold viewing experience at a fraction of the cost of other optical designs.
• INNOVATIVE COLLAPSIBLE DESIGN: Unique strut design allows for optical tube to collapse for ease of portability while keeping collimation.
• PROPRIETARY TENSION CONTROL HANDLES: These patented handles allow for accurate movement without the need for perfect balance.
• 94% REFLECTIVE MIRRORS: Fully multi-coated borosilicate primary and secondary mirrors deliver exceptional views.
• STEEL NEEDLE BEARINGS: Proprietary steel needle bearings ensure smooth azimuth movement.
• COMES COMPLETE: All accessories such as, 2-inch Crayford-style focuser with 1 1/4-inch adapter, two super wide-angle eyepieces (25mm and 10mm), and 8x50 right-angle finder scope are included with purchase.
• STURDY AND LIGHTWEIGHT DESIGN: When fully assembled, the Dobsonian weighs only 40 pounds fully assembled (46 pound tube, 38 pound base)