Sky-Watcher Stargate 500 SynScan Dobsonian

The Stargate Dobsonians represents the ultimate combination between light gathering, precision and portability for outstanding performance and resolution. The truss structure is compact, allowing for easy transportation while you’re in search of the perfect dark, pristine sky. The outstanding light gathering of the mirror and the superior resolution allow amazing journeys through the universe, offering spectacular observations of tangled gas filaments in nebulae, fine galaxy details and remarkable planet structures. Despite the size of the mirror, the telescope is easy to assemble following the step by step instructions and video.

To top it off, the Sky-Watcher Stargate is equipped with a 2″ Crayford dual speed focuser for smooth and precise focusing, and a focuser-locking screw.

User level

Intermediate to Professional

Features

• Collapsible, transportable Dobsonian
• View moon, planets, comets, stars, galaxies and nebulae
• Truss tube with stiffening clamps
• Borosilicate aluminised mirrors protected by quartz coating
• Aluminium structure and base
• Diffraction Limited Parabolic Mirror
• Ultra Thin Secondary Mirror Support (only 2.50mm)
• M42 Thread for DSLR Connection
• Backed by 5 Years Sky-Watcher Limited Warranty

Parabolic Primary Mirror

The most extraordinary feature of the Stargate is the technology used in the mirrors. They are made up of borosilicate glass that has a very low expansion coefficient, reducing the stresses caused by thermal gradients. The primary mirror uses a special lightweight technology. In fact, the mirror is extremely light and thin, but the glass ribs beneath minimise the glass deformation, thus allowing continuous high performance in all the telescope angulations. Moreover, the small thickness of the mirror allows a much quicker cooling time compared to the standard monolithic mirrors. The secondary mirror has a honeycomb structure that follows the concept of the primary mirror: lightweight, rigid and quick to cool down.

Both the mirrors are aluminised and in order to protect the reflective treatment over the years, the coatings are protected by a thin layer of quartz (silicon dioxide). This protection is needed as the mirrors are exposed to external elements due to their position in an open truss tube. Sky-Watcher is one of the few companies in the world that use this particular technology.

Computerized Synscan

The Stargate Go-To is equipped with the Sky-Watcher SynScan that has in it’s memory 42,900 objects! Once the telescope is aligned, thousands of objects will be visible with a touch of a button; planets, the entire Messier catalogue, bright and double stars and the IC, NGC, SAO catalogues. In addition to this, the Deep Sky Tour function suggests a list of the most interesting deep sky objects so even the inexperienced astronomer can easily observe faint nebulae and galaxies.

The Freedom Find technology (dual-encoder) allows the telescope to be moved manually whenever the user wishes, but without losing any of the pre-set alignment.