StarMaster 18" f/4.5 Dobsonian

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Brand and Model:StarMaster 18" f/4.5 Dobsonian
Price ($USD):3795
Type:Newtonian
Attributes: un-checked Go-To un-checked PEC
Aperture:457mm (18")
f Ratio:f/4.5
Focal Length:2057mm
Finder:Telrad
Electric Power:n/a
Mount:Dobsonian
Tripod:n/a
Weight (lbs):158 lbs.
Dimensions (w/h/d):28 " x 28 " x 17.5 &qu
Description:JLS Crayford focuser and removable mirror cell with separate mirror box, along with light shroud and truss tube carrying case standard. Oak construction.

Cloudy Nights' Review (f/4.3)

Vote Highlights Vote
StarMaster 18" f/4.5 Dobsonian
Is there a better 18 inch telescope? Maybe. Is there better customer service than Rick Singmaster. No. Probably the most devoted man to his craft I have ever had the priviledge to meet and know.
The scopes now come with legendary Zambuto mirrors. You can't do any better. Mine gets bounced around in the back of a pickup, and every joint and fitting is like brand new.
And what an investment: With all the goodies, GOTO, tracking, Feathertouch focuser, it was $8k two years ago. Now they are almost $10k.
You cannot go wrong, and if you get tired of it, you more than likely will be able to sell it for more than what you originally paid!
I give it a 5 on ease of use, only because this is NOT a beginner's telescope. It's NOT a set out the tripod and plop the scope on it to start viewing telescope. But once you do have it setup, the views are... well, invite your friends over to look through your eyepiece, and enjoy the raves!

Overall Rating: 10
Optics:10 Mount:10 Ease of Use:5 Value:10
Weight: 10 (Trustworthy Vote)
Date:
By:
Link to this vote: http://www.excelsis.com/1.0/displayvote.php?voteid=337316

StarMaster 18" f/4.5 Dobsonian
I have been to several star parties in the past 5 years and the Starmasters tend to out number all other scopes. The views through the Starmasters are excellent. You cannot beat looking through a telescope with high quality optics. The optics, customer service and overall quailty are second to none!

Overall Rating: 10
Optics:10 Mount:9 Ease of Use:10 Value:10
Weight: 10 (Trustworthy Vote)
Date:
By:
Link to this vote: http://www.excelsis.com/1.0/displayvote.php?voteid=111804

StarMaster 18" f/4.5 Dobsonian
I have had this scope for over two years. It has the Skytracker Goto system which works like a champ. It accurately slews to an object and tracks effortlessly. The mirror was figured by Pegasus optics, and is excellent. Al Nagler spent about a half an hour viewing through the scope at the 1999 Texas Star Party and twice passed on unsolicitated comments about how good the images were. The quality of the workmanshipis excellent. The Starmaster customer service has proven to be head and shoulders above the competition. I plan on owning this scope for many years. It totally satisfies my observing needs. The scope breaks down to easy to handle components. I especially like the removable mirror cell, which brings the heaviest piece to less than 40 pounds. Makes the portability and ease of handling features of a Starmaster one of the most useful scopes on the market. A truely one person set up and tear down telescope. I can't recommend this scope, or ANY Starmaster scope, highly enough. I shold know, as I've owned four of them in the past three and a half years. I have also owned a 7" Oak Classic, a one of kind 15" scope (Rick's first big dob), and currently also own a 12.5" EL F/5.0. They all have been(and still are) outstanding telescopes.

Overall Rating: 10
Weight: 3 (Unreliable Vote)
Date:
By:
Link to this vote: http://www.excelsis.com/1.0/displayvote.php?voteid=38406

StarMaster 18" f/4.5 Dobsonian
JUST a comment on the price advertised' this scope now cost $6200 plus shipping. They are great scopes but the price for a starmater is getting out of hand.THANKS BOB HART

Overall Rating: No Vote
Weight: 1 (Unreliable Vote)
Date:
By:
Link to this vote: http://www.excelsis.com/1.0/displayvote.php?voteid=195968

StarMaster 18" f/4.5 Dobsonian
We've had our 18" for over three years and not only has it not fallen apart, but it looks nearly as good as it did the day it arrived! This is a great scope!

Overall Rating: 10
Weight: 1 (Unreliable Vote)
Date:
By:
Link to this vote: http://www.excelsis.com/1.0/displayvote.php?voteid=38405

StarMaster 18" f/4.5 Dobsonian
Tracking works great early in the evening, slips with any amount of dew. Looks good when new but falls apart fast.Star test same as any scope with mirror made from the top 5 mirror guru.

Overall Rating: 7
Weight: 1 (Unreliable Vote)
Date:
By:
Link to this vote: http://www.excelsis.com/1.0/displayvote.php?voteid=38404

StarMaster 18" f/4.5 Dobsonian
Excellent scope: mechanically well desined-very easy to set up with one person, holds collimation very well, and very attractively finished. Optically excellent (18" Zambuto). Rick Singmaster is great to work with, he really wants you to be happy with the scope...

Overall Rating: 10
Weight: 1 (Unreliable Vote)
Date:
By:
Link to this vote: http://www.excelsis.com/1.0/displayvote.php?voteid=38403

StarMaster 18" f/4.5 Dobsonian
Well built. Great optics. Easy to transport/set up/use. Solid.

Overall Rating: 10
Weight: 1 (Unreliable Vote)
Date:
By:
Link to this vote: http://www.excelsis.com/1.0/displayvote.php?voteid=38402

StarMaster 18" f/4.5 Dobsonian
The scope is an excellent example of its type. The optics by Pegasus are finely crafted and are apparently of top quality. It star-tests cleanly, with *slight* undercorrection (as is typical of optics of this size). The figure loosk very smooth. Collimation is easy and quick, the mount is rock-solid and tracks easily even at 1000x (which is rarely used due to environmental conditions). Images are everything one can hope for from a scope of this aperture, bright and contrasty, with remarkable detail and resolution. I cannot recommend it highly enough, and would purchase another in a heartbeat.

Overall Rating: 10
Weight: 1 (Unreliable Vote)
Date:
By:
Link to this vote: http://www.excelsis.com/1.0/displayvote.php?voteid=38401

StarMaster 18" f/4.5 Dobsonian
No star test. Don't need it to see that this is an extraordinary telescope, and the star images are pinpoints well out of the center of the field. With the paracorr, they become even better. Resolution of globulars is unreal. The scope came packaged like a tank, and in beautiful condition. On operation, it glides through any place I have chosen to observe, including Dobson's hole. A really nice instrument that I hope to have for my duration on this planet.
The price is now higher than the indicated one on the page, but isn't a bad deal at all!

Overall Rating: 10
Weight: 1 (Unreliable Vote)
Date:
By:
Link to this vote: http://www.excelsis.com/1.0/displayvote.php?voteid=38400

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