Sky-Watcher Flextube 350P SynScan GoTo Collapsible Dobsonian — image 1
Sky-Watcher

Sky-Watcher Flextube 350P SynScan GoTo Collapsible Dobsonian

Fourteen inches of observatory-grade aperture that still breaks down for the car, a dedicated deep-sky scope that shows faint galaxies and planetary nebulae direct, with GoTo to find them fast.

85/ 100
Polaris Score
#1 of 1 14" GoTo Dobsonian
See the breakdown ↓
Aperture
355mm
Focal Length
1600mm
Focal Ratio
f/4.5
Mount Type
Dobsonian (GoTo)
Optical Design
Dobsonian
Weight
66.7 kg
From$3,499

Lowest in 90 daysLowest ever tracked

Price tracked by PolarisObserved 95 timesTracking since Jul 2026

Try in simulator →
What it's built forOpen these in the simulator →

This telescope was built to gather light.

355 mm of aperture pulls in the faint light that galaxies and clusters live or die on. Point it up under a dark sky and objects that are rumors in smaller scopes resolve into real structure.

Sweet spot 270–440×Rewards dark skies
The view people remember

The Sombrero, brim and all.

A bright edge-on galaxy crossed by a sharp dark dust lane — the brim of the hat — one of the most distinctive shapes in the entire deep sky.

See The Sombrero Galaxy through this telescope →
01What it's good at

What it's best at — and the trade-offs.

355mm collects nearly 2x the light of a 10-inch, the reach that makes faint galaxies and dim planetary nebulae obvious rather than suspected
Best at
✓355mm collects nearly 2x the light of a 10-inch, the reach that makes faint galaxies and dim planetary nebulae obvious rather than suspected
✓SynScan GoTo motorizes both axes: align on a few stars and it slews to and tracks any of 42,000+ objects, so a big Dob stops being a hunt and starts being a tour
✓The Flextube truss collapses the tube for transport, then extends and holds collimation, the only way a scope this size fits in a normal car
✓It keeps the Dobsonian payoff intact: aperture-per-dollar nothing else touches, on a stable, intuitive alt-az base
Trade-offs
!It's heavy and bulky: plan on a two-part carry and, at the larger sizes, help or a wheeled setup
!The GoTo base needs stable power (a battery pack or supply) that a manual Dob does not
!The open truss lets stray light and dust reach the mirror, so a shroud helps at real sites
!At f/4.5 it's demanding on eyepieces and shows edge coma without a corrector; alt-az tracking suits visual use, not imaging
02In plain English

What These Numbers Mean

355mm · f/4.5 · 1600mm FL · Dobsonian (GoTo)
Aperture
355 mm (14 inch)
Fourteen inches gathers about 2,500 times the light of your eye and roughly 36 percent more than a 12 inch. At this size, galaxy groups show individual members, globular clusters look three-dimensional, and nebula filaments appear without averted vision.
Focal length
1600 mm
Long enough for 320x with a 5 mm eyepiece while a 30 mm eyepiece still gives 53x. The large aperture supports high magnification more consistently than smaller scopes because there is light to spare.
Focal ratio
f/4.5
Fast, which is what keeps a 14 inch tube from becoming a ladder-and-scaffolding project. It also means premium eyepieces and a coma corrector are close to essential to see sharp stars across the field.
Optical design
Collapsible truss Newtonian
The truss collapses for transport, which is the only reason this aperture is movable by one determined person. Collimation after each setup is part of the routine, not an occasional chore.
Weight
57 kg total
About 126 lb across the tube and base. Realistically this is a two-person setup or a permanent garden installation, and eyepiece height means a step stool for objects near the zenith.
Mount
SynScan GoTo Dobsonian base
Motorised GoTo and tracking on both axes, which at this aperture turns a night into a tour of dozens of faint objects instead of a search. Alt-azimuth tracking still rules out long-exposure imaging.
03The Polaris Score

How it scores, and why.

85/100 · #1 of 1 14" GoTo Dobsonian
85/ 100
Sky-Watcher Flextube 350P SynScan GoTo Collapsible Dobsonian
#1 of 1 14" GoTo Dobsonian
Performance
93
Ease of use
75
Portability
40
Upgrade potential
50

Polaris weighs optical capability, how easy the scope is to live with, how portable it is, and how far it takes you before you outgrow it — not list price or brand.

04Who it's for

An honest fit check.

Deep-sky observers who want 14" of light-grasp and let the mount find and track objects for…
Buy it if you
✓Deep-sky observers who want 14" of light-grasp and let the mount find and track objects for them
✓Anyone chasing faint galaxies, globulars, and planetary nebulae that smaller scopes only hint at
✓Observers with the space and a way to move a large two-part scope who want maximum aperture without a permanent pier
Look elsewhere if you
!Anyone who needs a light, one-hand grab-and-go setup, this is a deliberate haul
!Deep-sky imagers, since an alt-az Dob base can't do long exposures
!Observers short on storage or without a way to transport a bulky base and tube
05Build your rig

What to buy next — and where it leads.

8 pieces of gear, ordered by what changes the view most
Recommended upgrades
See wider, brighter deep-sky views★ Top pickExplore Scientific 68deg 28mm 2-inch

Commonly paired with Sky-Watcher Flextube 350P SynScan GoTo Collapsible Dobsonian

Pinpoint stars across the whole fieldApertura 1x Photographic Coma Corrector

Sharpens stars to the very edge of the field at fast focal ratios

Make nebulae popOptolong UHC Filter 2″

Improves contrast on nebulae and planets with this setup

Observe better
Tame lunar glareGSO Moon Filter 13pct 1.25-inch

Improves contrast on nebulae and planets with this setup

Make nebulae popSVBony UHC 1.25-inch

Commonly paired with this telescope

Sharper planets & lunar detailCelestron X-Cel LX 7mm

Commonly paired with this telescope

A sharper everyday viewCelestron X-Cel LX 18mm

Commonly paired with this telescope

Show all compatible gear (5) →
Accessories
Double your magnificationTele Vue 2x Barlow 1.25-inch

Doubles magnification for closer planetary detail with this telescope

Lunar & planetary
Excellent
Deep-sky visual
Excellent
Astrophotography
Not its purpose, a visual scope
06The numbers

Full specifications.

6 measured and stated values
Optics
Optical DesignDobsonian
Aperture355mm
Focal Length1600mm
Focal Ratiof/4.5
Mount & drive
Mount TypeDobsonian (GoTo)
Physical
Weight66.7 kg
07Alternatives

For a different goal, start here.

3 alternatives, each mapped to the goal it wins at
Lighter & cheaper

Sky-Watcher Flextube 300P SynScan GoTo Collapsible Dobsonian

The 12-inch is meaningfully easier to handle and store for most people

→
Maximum aperture

Sky-Watcher Flextube 400P SynScan GoTo Collapsible Dobsonian

The 16-inch for the deepest views Sky-Watcher's Flextube line offers

→
Far more portable

Sky-Watcher Flextube 250P SynScan GoTo Collapsible Dobsonian

The 10-inch if you want serious aperture you can still move alone

→
Also worth comparing
Celestron EdgeHD 9.25" Advanced VX Telescope
Celestron
Celestron EdgeHD 9.25" Advanced VX Telescope
Closest alternative at this size
Takahashi Epsilon-160ED
Takahashi
Takahashi Epsilon-160ED
Smaller and easier to handle
Takahashi FC-100DZ
Takahashi
Takahashi FC-100DZ
Similar class, worth comparing