Earlier this month the club was contacted by a couple living in Parma. For several years they have housed a Bintel 12 Inch Dobsonian which has belonged to a gentleman from Germany. He would use it when he travelled to Australia on holidays. 

The couple from Parma are due to move house and unfortunately couldn’t take the telescope with them. The telescope has kindly been donated to Shoalhaven Astronomer for use by members. 

 

Testing the telescope

Bintel Dobsonians have a special place in my heart. It was the first telescope I used while I was a member at SASI and have loved them since. These telescopes were designed by the telescope Shop Bintel located in Glebe, Sydney. It is a simplistic design with a rotation base and vertical pivot on the scope. I will say however that a 12 inch telescope is a bit heavy. Moving it can be quite a challenge. This particular dobsonian also comes with a dew fan and eye piece side holder. 

I first  tested the telescope in my driveway. Although the telescope needs collimating I was impressed at the resolution and clarity of the telescope.  Looking at objects such as Omega Centauri and the Jewel Box Cluster was impressive even in a suburban environment. There is no laser viewfinder on the scope so it can take a bit of time to focus the scope onto an object of interest. 

Observation Night

Using the telescope for observation night has been highly rewarding. The ease of use and minimal parts means members of the club can use the telescope themselves. Setting up the Dobsonian was quick and simple apart from the sheer weight of the telescope itself.  The night was quite moist which tested the effectiveness of the dew fan. Apart from these setbacks the telescope performed brilliantly and has proven a useful addition to the telescopes available for club members. This telescope will be available to members during scheduled observation nights and public events.