A monster dob is a joy to view through at a star party, but spare a thought for the generous owner who had to transport it there.

When you have got one of the largest, sometimes you need a little more help to move that beast in to position. So SDM’s biggest ever creation, SDM022 has been back for a re-tread!

The new transport system makes it wheely easy to move about and the owner can now enjoy stunning views of the night sky without tyreing…

In the right hands, a beautifully constructed Dobsonian turns in to a fabulous astrograph.

And those right hands belong to Alex Cherney  and his fabulous telescope Nyx (SDM035).

Armed with a spectrum-modified Sony NEX-5 camera and great sky during the South Pacific Star Party trip earlier in April, Alex took this top image of M20, the Trifid nebula.

The image has been created from 27 x 15sec images taken at ISO 3200. It is testimony to the ‘scopes precision engineering and the superb tracking of ServoCat that this is even possible, but never underestimate the skill needed by the photographer to bag a shot like this.

Great shot Alex!

It’s hard do believe that it would be possible to enjoy the exquisitely detailed images of a premium grade 32″ Dobsonian without sustaining an altitude induced nose-bleed. Well, it’s time to think again and take a look at this paradigm shifting beauty.

SDM022 is a 32″ f/3.6 scope with a mirror made by Steve Kennedy. This is the 14th 32″ mirror Steve has made and at this focal ratio the scope is only 6″ longer to the eyepiece than a 20″ f/5. And those who have frequented one of Australia’s many star-parties with big dobs in attendance know, that height only requires a modest stepladder to reach the eyepiece when it is near the zenith.

For those of a more nervous disposition, the scope on the right is a somewhat safer, but no less exquisite, SDM054 at 12″ f/5.