With new innovations in lightweight mirrors and Dobsonian mounts, amateur telescopes have been steadily getting bigger, with the result that 30” and 36” telescopes are turning up at star parties, observers are scaling high ladders to dizzy heights and clinging to massive instruments that have often taken a small army of talented home handymen, weightlifters, and steeplejacks to assemble.
Once put together, they have generally been considered as immobile as the Rock of Gibraltar which can often be a problem if a better spot at the star party suddenly becomes available, or a fleeting object like Mars at opposition or a bright comet slinks behind a tree or another inconveniently placed Dob. Until now, all you could do is stay put.
Behold the Dob tractor.
Small enough to drive into the back of a modest trailer yet powerful enough to haul a VW with the handbrake on this Dob tractor can haul Dobsonians up to 48” and one ton in weight.
This tractor promises to revolutionise the Dobsonian scene.
No longer will a ninety pound weakling have to lust hopelessly after big aperture while the incredible hulks flaunt their 36’s.
The Dob tractor comes complete with outriggers to fit fore and aft on the rocker box as well as lateral stabilisers, and restraining straps to stop the tube dropping off in transit.
The tube should always be placed horizontally, in a kind of park mode, and towed in reverse with a neat, easily fitted “sea anchor“ to act as a rudder to prevent lateral movement in high winds.
There are dolly wheels for the ladder and observing platform, but of course the dob should not be towed before site preparation is completed at the new spot.
To that end, the Dob tractor can be fitted with the dozer blade to clear a level pad both for the scope and ladder, while an inbuilt compactor can hammer the soil to produce a firm foundation for both.
Infrared headlights of course with filtered windscreen, and two forward and two reverse gears, and a top speed of 15km per hour.
An all round skirt of half inflated inner tubes takes care of careless amateurs blundering into your path, and puts them down very gently indeed, while the blinking red LEDs make it easily visible even to the non dark adapted eyes.
The 5.2L Turbo Diesel motor develops a modest 50kw of power but lots of Torque for the four wheel drive off road tyres, while the comfortable spring loaded driver’s seat is comfortable even when wearing the most bulky cold weather clothing.
The 5L fuel tank is good for 50km, or an average of 200 Star Parties. An auxillary 200L trailer-mounted fuel tank is available for higway use, should you desire to tow your Dobsonian, say, from Austin to Fort Davis. In such a case, we recommend using the slow lane on the Interstates.
Manufactured to the traditional high standards of the Pusan tractor and tank factory, and sold and serviced by all honest used car dealers, this tractor comes in a range of attractive colours, from verdigris to puce and the guarantee in Korean is in beautiful calligraphy.
Be the first in your club to drive one.