Orion 36" Monster Dobsonian

• The Monstrous 36" aperture parabolic primary mirror (914mm) collects over 1000 square inches of light - four times the light of "ordinary" 18-inch telescopes!
• Premium quality f/4 optical system gives a whopping 144" (3658mm) focal length to deliver exceptionally sharp, bright images with generous image scale
• Enhanced (96%) coatings on the primary and secondary maximize light throughput
• Low-expansion borosilicate glass molded in a honeycomb mirror blank design make it exceptionally strong, yet light, and assures good optical performance, even as the temperature drops
• Transportable! Constructed from aluminum and aluminum/Russian Birch composite structures. The entire system weighs less than 400 pounds with the heaviest component being the primary mirror (about 150
• Composite structure and carbon graphite truss tube construction produces a stiff, rigid structure that holds collimation across the sky and minimizes buffeting from the wind
• Complete tracking and GoTo capability makes this Monster easy to tame. Finding objects is a breeze
• 27-point flotation mirror cell and eight-point wiffle-tree edge support system prevents mirror deformation and keeps images crisp
• Removable wheels allow you to roll this beast in and out of a storage shed or garage with ease. Be observing in minutes!

Many years ago, you bought your first telescope - perhaps it was an inexpensive beginner 60mm refractor. You saw craters on our moon, gazed at the moons of Jupiter, the rings of Saturn and a couple of bright star clusters. You were hooked!

So you moved on to your first 'real' telescope - a 6" reflector. You enjoyed new vistas: real detail on Mars and Jupiter. Messier objects and brighter stars came into view. Then you came down with a bad case of aperture fever.

Now, your latest "big" reflector reveals details and structure in many NGC objects. You may have even discovered some of the brightest anonymous galaxies. As your experience and passion for observing the deep sky grew, your aperture fever progressed to a real compulsion.

Orion finally has the cure for what ails you.

Introducing our huge 36" diameter "Monster Dobsonian."

Huge light-gathering power and premium quality optics are the centerpieces of these "Monsters". Imagine the observing possibilities! The Rings's central star is right there! The NGC objects are mostly easy targets. Everything is more detailed - you'll really see the spiral arms in NGC 3893, 7479, or 2903. Old favorites like NGC 253 or M101 will amaze you. Anonymous galaxies from Uranometria are nearly always found. From a dark sky location, you'll be able to see deep-sky objects others can only dream about.*

For telescopes, it really is true that "bigger is better", especially if your passion is deep-sky observing. The Orion 36 collects four times as much light as an 18" telescope, nine times the light grasp of a 12", or nearly 13 times more light than a 10" telescope. With 36" of aperture, for example, the limited stellar magnitude is approximately +16.8, so the bigger globular clusters in the Andromeda can be easily identified (you can see the brighter ones with a smaller scope). Details in brighter objects invisible through smaller scopes reveal themselves - like the outer ring around M57 (using an OIII filter under clear, dark skies).

This Monster is big - it's a huge light bucket for serious deep-sky enthusiasts only. The Orion 36 gulps over 1000 square inches of light at a time and weighs in at just under 400 pounds. Still our 36" Monster Dob can be disassembled for transport to your favorite dark sky locales. At home, it uses removable wheels to get it outside and back from your garage or storage shed (we hope you have at least a two-car garage! This Monster Dob takes up an entire parking space when assembled).

The fast f/ratio of f/4 produces an impressive 144" of focal length. The hand-figured optical system starts with a honeycomb low-expansion glass mirror blank, which allows fast cool-down and maintenance of thermal equilibrium. This maintains great image quality all night long at the eyepiece, which will be a little over 12 feet above ground at zenith. You'll need a good ladder!

The Premium Optics have a quality that will match or surpass any commercial Dobsonian on this or any other planet - 1/8 wave or better, diffraction limited, star-tested optics, razor sharp and hand figured in North America by Master Optician Normand Fullum.

The huge mirror uses a sturdy eight-point wiffle-tree edge flotation system - not an inflexible band - to support the edge of the primary mirror, which is supported by a 27-point flotation mirror cell. Primary and secondary mirror coatings are 96% enhanced aluminum (dielectric coatings available as an option on the secondary) which make the most of the monstrous light grasp.

The sleek Dobsonian Mount is lightweight but strong and stiff. The rocker box, Azimuth bearings, and ground board are constructed of premium furniture-quality Russian Birch and laminated with aluminum plate to make a super strong, yet lightweight composite structure. The hardware is stainless steel and the struts are strong and light carbon graphite.

ServoCAT Tracking and GoTo and Argo-Navis digital settings circles that automatically locate and track more than 29,000 targets are standard. If you ever run out of these targets, the GoTo system can be run from a laptop planetarium program.

Simply put, the Orion Monster Dobsonians are among the largest telescopes ever offered to the amateur community. The premium optics and light-gathering of telescopes found in observatories and universities are now brought to your home by Orion. Even at nearly 400 pounds, they're still transportable.

These are truly 'dream' telescopes - the Monster 36" Dobsonian from Orion. For visual astronomers, it is the ultimate observing experience. With it, you'll never run out of interesting targets in the night sky.

But what you will see is the stuff of dreams.

Notes:

This telescope is designed for visual use, but photography would be possible with the addition of a field de-rotator and autoguiding solutions (not included).

Digital electronics are FCC Class B, CE Class B certified and fully RoHS compliant.

Don't point a Monster Dob at the sun! Just pointing this at the sun can instantly damage eyepieces and cause irreversible eye damage and burns. Use extreme caution leaving it uncovered during daylight. Concentrated sunlight from this much aperture can damage the telescope or set its surroundings on fire!

Moonlite, Argo-Navis, and ServoCAT are trademarks of their respective companies.

Ordering Information:
Due to the exclusive nature of these telescopes, a purchase contract is required. Once your order is received we will contact you.

A 75% down payment will be required to place your order. Although a credit card number is taken at the time you enter your order information online, your credit card is not charged. A wire transfer of the deposit will be required prior to beginning to build your telescope. Final payment by wire transfer will be required prior to shipping.

The estimated expected shipping date is displayed, but this is only an estimate. As this is a custom built product the actual shipping date may vary.

This product will ship directly from the North American factory. Shipping is arranged by Orion, usually by air freight and in consultation with the customer. The Customer is responsible for all shipping, insurance, brokerage fees, duties and taxes.

The customer is also responsible for arranging for needed material handling equipment at the delivery site (for example, the crated 36" mirror will weigh about 300 lbs - you'll want a forklift or a whole bunch of friends!).

Some customization options and installation services are available at an additional expense. We can provide additional information.

Included Items:

• Orion 36 f/4.0 Truss-Tube GoTo Dobsonian Telescope w/parabolic primary mirror made of low expansion substrate (Borosilicate, a Pyrex equivalent)
• Premium hand-figured optics by Normand Fullum
• 27-point flotation primary mirror cell with collimation adjustments
• Secondary mirror features spring loaded collimation adjustments
• 6 carbon graphite collapsible truss tubes with Moonlite(TM)* truss-tube connections
• Dual-Speed 2" Moonlite(TM)* Crayford focuser w/1.25" telescope eyepiece adapter and adjustable focusing tension
• Orion EZ Finder Deluxe Telescope Reflex Sight
• Unique low-mass/high rigidity compact Dobsonian mount fabricated from CNC machined, 17-layer Russian Birch & aluminum plate epoxy bonded composite material
• Ebony Star and Virgin Teflon bearings
• Argo-Navis(TM)* electronic setting circles with over 29,000 astronomical objects in the on-board database
• ServoCAT(TM)* tracking and GoTo system; can be controlled from most popular planetarium programs for robotic telescope control
• 5 cooling accelerator fans located in mirror box
• Collapsible secondary cage light shield
• Lens/dust cap
• Orion Dynamo Pro 12V Rechargable Power Station
  Starry Night Special Edition software