Explore Scientific 16-Inch f/4.5 Truss-Tube Dobsonian OTA — Maximum-Aperture Visual Telescope for Serious Deep-Sky Observers

The Explore Scientific 16-inch f/4.5 Truss-Tube Dobsonian delivers enormous deep-sky performance in a portable package — a 406mm parabolic primary mirror that collects roughly 3,300× more light than the unaided eye, in a truss-tube design that still fits in an SUV. Enhanced-reflectivity coatings push performance further, and integrated cooling fans behind the primary bring the optics to thermal equilibrium fast so you're not waiting an hour for the mirror to settle before the views sharpen up.

The 2" dual-speed helical focuser gives you 10:1 fine focus — essential at 16" because the slightest focus shift is obvious at the magnifications this aperture demands. Oversized altitude bearings ensure smooth manual tracking with any eyepiece weight, and the rocker box stays stable even at eyepiece heights above 160cm when pointing near the zenith.

What you'll see:

• Galaxies — spiral arm detail, dust lanes, and star-forming knots in the nearest systems
• Globular clusters — individual stars resolved all the way to the compressed core
• Planetary nebulae — shell structure, central star, and colour gradients visible
• Galaxy groups — multiple members of the Virgo and Fornax clusters visible in the same field
• Faint objects — nebulae and galaxies invisible in smaller scopes begin to emerge with dark skies

What's in the box:

• 406mm (16") parabolic primary mirror with enhanced coatings — the core of the telescope
• Secondary mirror assembly — the flat mirror that redirects light to the focuser
• Truss-tube poles and hardware — lightweight skeleton that holds mirror to focuser
• Dobsonian rocker box — stable alt-az base with oversized altitude bearings
• 2" dual-speed helical focuser — smooth, 10:1 fine focus ratio
• Dual mirror cooling fans — speed up thermal equilibration of the primary mirror
• Red-dot finder scope — helps you aim before zooming in with an eyepiece
• Collimation tool and soft light baffle — included accessories

Beginner note: Newtonian reflectors need collimation — aligning the mirrors so they're perfectly aimed at each other. On a truss-tube Dobsonian you'll check collimation every session after assembly, but it takes less than five minutes once you know how. The included collimation tool simplifies this considerably.

Specs:

For observers ready to see what 16 inches of aperture truly reveals, the Explore Scientific DOB1645 is the telescope that redefines your night sky.