I am very excited to introduce this 18″ f/4.3 Sumerian Optics Canopus with John Nichol optics!
These telescopes are known for their transportability – which I really need to drive to dark locations like France. The optics are made by mirror maker John Nichol and at 18″, this is not a small telescope! Setup and breakdown are actually a breeze. The telescope comes apart in 4 main pieces: mirror box, trusses, top cage and the rocker box. The rocker is the biggest part, at 60 cm diameter. The mirror box sits snugly on the back seat of my car. I can visually observe up to about 80° altitude, then I need a little step.
The markings on the mirror, stating the coating and focal length.
For astrosketching, it is very handy to have your subject fixed in view for some time. The easiest way to achieve this with a dobsonian, is an Equatorial Platform. It tracks the object for about an hour. I will be using this Tom Osypowski platform to do that. Here are some pictures of the mating test. They look like a match made in heaven! Putting it on the platform raises the total height by 15 – 20 cm and makes a bigger step necessary. Still, as most of my targets are lower, I will not be observing to the zenith that much, thus eliminating the need to stand on one.
The scope came with a TeleVue Paracorr Type 2, ensuring a fully coma free field of view, and a perfect match for my Delos Eyepieces.
A 31 T5 Nagler puts the cherry on top, ensuring perfect low magnification views for spotting objects from “afar”.
