For Sale: A very special homemade 16" dobsonian telescope!

[Julien Lecomte]

Hello everyone!

I have come to the realization that I probably won't be using my very special homemade 16" dobsonian telescope all that much in the future. My interests have changed (as far as astronomy, I focus mostly on astrophotography these days) so I would like to part with it.

Why is it special?

1. I made it with a lot of help from my late good friend Albert Highe. He advised me on the design and the construction throughout the project. I will always remember that first light at Dinosaur Point when he used it from his wheelchair, looked at me with a big grin on his face and said "Julien, you did well, it's a fantastic telescope!" I was so proud :) As you can imagine, this makes this telescope very special to me.

2. It is equipped with a quartz mirror. The substrate originally came from the semiconductor industry, which means that the material is absolutely flawless. Because it is a quartz mirror, it is thinner than you would expect for a 16" mirror, which makes it lighter and quicker to cool down. The surfacing is excellent as well, and the telescope produces amazing images.

3. It is designed and built to be ultra compact and ultra light, but without compromising on the observer's experience. Anyone taller than 5'5" won't need a step stool to look through it, even at zenith, and even older folks will find it easy to lift even the heaviest component.

4. It is equipped with high-end accessories. It has a protostar spider / secondary mirror, a Starlight Instruments Feather Touch focuser, and it comes with a few accessories like a Televue ParaCorr, a 50mm finderscope, a red dot finder, etc.

I have no idea how much I should ask for this telescope, but I won't let it go for a lowball offer (I'd rather keep it if that's the case...) I just want it to get some use from someone who is as passionate with visual observing as I used to be.

Of course, if you are interested, you can come take a look at the telescope, and look through it if you are serious.

I am attaching a few photos to this email.

Please, contact me off list if you are interested: julien....@gmail.com

Thanks,

- Julien

[Paul Alsing]

Well, I would buy it in a heartbeat... if only I could sell my 25" f.5 Obsession!

Are you going to Spring CalStar?

\Paul

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From: sf-ba...@googlegroups.com <sf-ba...@googlegroups.com> on behalf of Julien Lecomte <julien....@gmail.com>
Sent: Sunday, March 8, 2026 9:13 AM
To: sf-ba...@googlegroups.com <sf-ba...@googlegroups.com>
Subject: [TAC] For Sale: A very special homemade 16" dobsonian telescope!

 

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[Julien Lecomte]

Hello Paul,

Unfortunately, I am not able to attend Spring CalStar this year due to work commitments.

The telescope has garnered a lot of interest but is yet to find a buyer. If anyone sees this message, I'll add a few details I had left out in my original post:

* It's a 16" F/4 telescope.

* No ladder needed for anyone who is 5'5" or taller.

* Weight of the heaviest component (mirror box) is 22 lbs. I don't know the total weight.

* Collimation is super easy with the included self-centering laser collimator (the primary is center spotted)

* The coating on the primary mirror is actually quite good and probably good enough for a few more years (if well cared for) before considering a recoating.

* Asking price: $6.5K - Please, do not try to lowball. I'd rather keep it than sell it for less than the asking price. A new 15" obsession (greatly inferior IMO) sells for $7K + crating/shipping/taxes, so you're looking at $8K, and I also include several expensive accessories in the package, so I think it's a bargain.

* The telescope has absolutely no issue.

* Only serious buyers, please. Someone has recently wasted a lot of my time for nothing (they weren't serious about purchasing the scope). If you are serious, I will obviously have you try out the telescope under the night sky (at my house, for example)

Thanks!

- Julien

[Mark Wagner]

Nothing as frustrating as having one's time wasted.  Good luck selling it Julien.  Great telescope!

[Dan Aguilar]

How much do you estimate the cost to re- mirror in a few years will be? Ignoring inflation, of course.

Sent from Dan Aguilar's iPhone

On Apr 9, 2026, at 8:06 AM, Mark Wagner <itsmar...@gmail.com> wrote:

Nothing as frustrating as having one's time wasted.  Good luck selling it Julien.  Great telescope!

To view this discussion visit https://groups.google.com/d/msgid/sf-bay-tac/55a89a3e-6991-4836-963a-e064709b29aen%40googlegroups.com.

[Julien Lecomte]

Recoating a 16” mirror would cost roughly $400.

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[Jamie Dillon, DDK]

I know that scope. Have looked thru it innumerable times at Dinosaur Point and at Lake San Antonio. Tack sharp optics, excellent contrast. Split Sirius one night at Dino without even breathing hard. 

The motion is what Albert would call buttery. Very slick design. Julien put a lot of care into every detail. The scope is a big cousin of my 13" Johannes. A serious bargain at that price.