Dobsonian telescope facts for kids
A Dobsonian telescope is an Newtonian telescope design.
It is "altazimuth-mounted". An altazimuth or alt-azimuth mount is a simple two-axis mount. It supports and rotates an instrument about two perpendicular axes – one vertical and the other horizontal.
Rotation about the vertical axis varies the compass bearing of where the instrument points (the azimuth). Rotation about the horizontal axis varies the altitude (angle of elevation) of the pointing direction.
It was popularised by John Dobson in 1965. It increased the size of telescopes for amateur astronomers. Dobson's telescopes had a simplified mechanical design that was easy to make from readily available components. It made a large, portable, low-cost telescope.
The design works for looking at faint, deep-sky objects such as nebulae and galaxies. This type of observation needs a large objective diameter (i.e. light-gathering power) of relatively short focal length. It can be taken to less light-polluted places.
Images for kids
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Two more Amateur built Dobsonians at Stellafane
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A modified Dobsonian from 1983 that features a collapsible open tube assembly with integrated bearing surface and a very compact "rocker box" mount.
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Two Dobsonians that combine a truss tube, compact "rocker box", large radius altitude bearings, and a collapsible design.
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Commercially mass-produced 10" Dobsonian
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Commercially custom-built 16" truss Dobsonian
See also
In Spanish: Telescopio Dobson para niños
