Description
Ideal for balancing Dobsonian telescopes of 10" aperture and larger, the Magnetic 3-Pound Dobsonian Counterweight works with any steel tube Dobsonian to offset heavy front-end loads, such as large eyepieces or barlow lenses, a solarfilter, a big finder scope, or a smartphone mounted with an adapter for afocal photography. A counterweight is needed on the bottom end of the telescope to maintain proper balance, so that the front end won't drift downward while you're observing orphotographing.Weighing 3 lbs. 2 oz., this Orion-designed counterweight consists of a ceramic block magnet encased in a steel housing with a beefy handle for easy grabbing, even with gloves on. The magnet boasts a strong 50-lb. pull strength, so it will stay putwherever you place it on the telescope's optical tube to achieve that perfect balance. Place it near the bottom of the tube for more counterbalancing effect, or closer to the altitude hubs for a more modest effect. And if one Magnetic 3-Pound DobsonianCounterweight is not quite enough weight for optimal balance, just add a second one, or one or more 1-Pounders!The bottom surface of the Magnetic 3-Pound Dobsonian Counterweight is covered with black felt to prevent scratching of your Dobsonian telescope's finish, and includes two foam rubber stabilizing strips on the outer edges to provide a firm, non-slip gripand prevent the magnet from rocking on the curved optical tube. It has a durable black powder-coat finish.The Magnetic Dobsonian Counterweight even comes in handy balancing other types of steel-tube telescopes, such as equatorially mounted Newtonian astrographs, when more weight may be needed on the front end of the tube for proper balancing on thedeclination axis.Stop duct-taping that claw hammer to your Dob tube to balance that big light bucket! Get yourself a better balancing act: the Orion Magnetic 3-Pound Dobsonian Counterweight. Or two!
