• 80mm F7 560mm FMC Apo Triplet Lens in Collimatable lens cell
• Japanese Ohara ED glass lens with 3 elements for enhanced colour correction
• Slightly longer focal length makes this scope great for visual observing and imaging.
• Light weight high strength carbon fibre body
• Dual-speed 2" Crayford focuser with 10:1 ratio fine focusing
• 2" & 1.25" brass compression ring eyepiece holders
• Retractable carbon fibre lens shade/dew shield with lock
• Includes tube mounting rings
• Aluminium-frame shipping/storage hard case
• Price £650  Order online now
• Buyers of this scope are entitled to a 10% discount on any Kendrick dew control or solar filter equipment if ordered with it, which we will apply to your order after checkout.

The Sky & Telescope review continued, “One of my favourite eyepieces with the scope is the TeleVue 17-mm Nagler Type 4. Yielding 33x, a field 2½° across, and sharp stars edge to edge, this setup is perfect for cruising the Milky Way. I counted scores of star clusters during a casual sweep from Auriga to Cassiopeia . . . Stars appeared sharp and round across an image circle about 21mm in diameter, which, at the scope’s 560-mm focal length, covers 2.1° of sky. Daytime photographs are contrasty and free of colour fringes, even with challenging subjects like tree branches against a bright, blue sky. Since the OTA weighs just 5.7 pounds (2.6 kg), the AT80EDT is an ideal travel scope, and one that I’d welcome for observing and photography at any solar eclipse."

The original September Sky & Tel review inadvertently gave the AT80EDT a three-star rating, despite all of the review’s glowing comments. However, the error was soon corrected by Sky & Tel on page 14 of their October, 2008, issue of when the magazine said “Due to a production error, The S & T Rating for the AT80EDT refractor (September issue, page 39) should be four stars, not three." We appreciate the Sky & Tel correction that gives the AT80EDT the real rating that its optics and mechanics so rightly deserve. This scope is perfect for visual use with a nice flat field, light tube, and a contrasty F7 focal ratio.

Astro-Tech uses premium Japanese Ohara glass, including an FPL-53 element, and state-of-the-art optical multi-coatings in the apochromatic ED doublet optics of the AT80LE. The use of an FPL53 lens element  reduces colour aberration to an almost undetectable degree, despite the very fast focal ratio. This results in images that are essentially free of the annoying halo of unfocused violet light (chromatic aberration) that mars the bright-object images in lesser FPL-51 doublet scopes of this focal ratio. It therefore keeps exposure times very short for a scope of this price, and is therefore well suited as a wide field astrograph.

• ED apochromatic doublet refractor optics: 80mm (3.1") aperture, 480mm focal length, f/6 focal ratio doublet optical system using an FPL-53 ED (Extra-low Dispersion glass) element to reduce colour fringing to vanishingly low levels. Both lens elements are precision ground and polished under computer control from the finest Japanese Ohara glass. Japanese Ohara is Japan’s premier manufacturer of specialized optical glass, famous worldwide.
• Fully multicoated optics: State-of-the-art anti-reflection multi-coatings on all air-to-glass surfaces for high light transmission and contrast. Virtually no reflection will be seen on the lens showing the high transmission coatings are doing their job, by letting virtually all the light enter the scope, rather than reflecting it back.
• Collimatable lens cell: The push-pull lens cell is fully collimatable in the field for peak performance. A simple optional Cheshire eyepiece and your own eyes are all you need. Alternatively you can use an artificial star during the day.
• Internal light baffles: Two contrast-enhancing internal knife-edge light baffles, a glare-reducing baffle at the front of the dew shield, and a specially darkened tube interior provide truly dark sky backgrounds and high terrestrial contrast.
• Tube finish: The tube is made of multiple layers of high strength woven carbon fibre cloth encapsulated in a transparent high gloss epoxy. This weighs 1.5 pounds less than the  80mm F7 aluminium tube and is exceptionally strong. The attractive herringbone weave of the carbon fibre is visible through its clear epoxy coating. The carbon fibre cloth is laid by hand so a subtle seam along the length of the tube is visible where the edges of the weave cloth meet. The large retractable dew shield slows dew formation on the lens to extend observing time. It also improves contrast, similar to a camera lens shade during the day or where there's glare at night such as a neighbour's security light. The carbon fibre tube doesn't flex. The dew shield is oversized, with a 124mm OD compared to the 90mm tube diameter for better heat dispersal. Recommended accessories are the 4" Kendrick Dew Heater code: 2008-FF or 2008-FL (depending on your Dew Controller type), and the Kendrick #6006-C Baader Solar Filter for safe high resolution solar observation.
• Dual speed micro fine 2" Crayford-style focuser: The adjustable no-backlash focuser improves precise focusing for astro-photography. Dual speed coarse and fine knobs allow you to get coarse focus, and then make fine adjustments accurately from there onwards. A knob underneath the focuser lets you adjust the tension on the drawtube to accommodate varying accessory loads, while a second knob locks for photographic focusing.
• Long focuser travel: The 74mm (2.9") travel focuser drawtube helps keep the overall scope length as short as possible. The tube measures a very compact 15.5" with the dew shield retracted (and a still-short 18.75" long with it extended). The drawtube has a scale marked in cm/mm increments and inches with 1/16th inch increments. This lets you note individual focuser positions for easy return to the correct focus when switching between visual use and photography.
• Mounting rings: The AT80LE has two 90mm felt-lined hinged split mounting rings with most dovetail plates. The rings are drilled and tapped with 1/4"-20 thread holes on the top as well as the bottom so you can mount an accessory plate on top of the AT80LE and piggyback a DSLR for example.
• Finder scope mounting holes: There are two holes drilled and tapped in the focuser at the 10 o’clock and 2 o’clock positions. These allow the installation of an optional red dot finder, such as the Astro-Tech #ATF illuminated multiple reticule finder, on the most comfortable side. The holes are sealed by screws to prevent dust getting into the focuser.
• Shipping/storage case: The scope comes in a locking 20" x 7.5" x 9" aluminium-frame foam-lined hard case with carry handle.

• 80mm F6.3 504mm FMC Apo Triplet Lens in Collimatable lens cell
• Japanese Ohara ED glass lens with 3 elements for enhanced colour correction
• FPL53 ED lens element with colour correction similar to calcium fluorite CaF2
• Ideal for visual observing and imaging.
• Light weight high strength carbon fibre body
• Dual-speed 2" Crayford focuser with 10:1 ratio fine focusing
• 2" & 1.25" brass compression ring eyepiece holders
• Retractable carbon fibre lens shade/dew shield with lock
• Split mounting rings for installing on a German equatorial mount
• Aluminium-frame shipping/storage hard case
• Includes tube mounting rings
• Price £1099 Order
• Buyers of this scope are entitled to a 10% discount on any Kendrick dew control or solar filter equipment if ordered with it, which we will apply to your order after checkout.

Although very similar in build and mechanics, The focal length sits in-between the AT80LE F6 Doublet and AT80EDT F7 Triplet. However this F6.3 FPL53 triplet lens design gives very slightly improved colour correction compared to the F6 Doublet. It is important to state that most people cannot tell the difference between these scopes optically. However theoretically this scope is more of a dual purpose design which is about as fast as you can go visually, whilst still quite fast for wide field imaging use. Field curvature is theoretically slightly less than the F6 Doublet.

• 80mm F6.3 504mm FMC Apo Triplet Lens in Collimatable lens cell
• Japanese Ohara ED glass lens with 3 elements for enhanced colour correction
• FPL53 ED lens element with colour correction similar to calcium fluorite CaF2
• Ideal for visual observing and imaging.
• Aluminium tube instead of Carbon Fibre.
• Dual-speed 2" Crayford focuser with 10:1 ratio fine focusing
• 2" & 1.25" brass compression ring eyepiece holders
• Retractable carbon fibre lens shade/dew shield with lock
• Split mounting rings for installing on a German equatorial mount
• Aluminium-frame shipping/storage hard case
• Includes a tripod dovetail foot which fits Vixen / Synta dovetail systems
• Price £899 Incl. VAT, Delivery & Collimation Guarantee Please contact us to order this scope
• Buyers of this scope are entitled to a 10% discount on any Kendrick dew control or solar filter equipment if ordered with it, which we will apply to your order after checkout.

This is the same optical system as the TMB80EDT-CF but housed in an aluminium tube rather than Carbon Fibre, giving this scope look a more traditional look. The tube costs slightly less to produce hence better bang for buck in terms of optics. The focal length sits in-between the AT80LE F6 Doublet and AT80EDT F7 Triplet. However this F6.3 FPL53 triplet lens design gives very slightly improved colour correction compared to the F6 Doublet. It is important to state that most people cannot tell the difference between these scopes optically. However theoretically this scope is more of a dual purpose design which is about as fast as you can go visually, and quite fast for imaging use. Field curvature is slightly less than the F6 Doublet. Note: Thomas passed away in late 2007, however his family have continued the company TMB Optical LLC and this is a fully licensed TMB design manufactured by Astronomics USA.

"TMB Signature Series" AT92EDT 92mm F5.5 ED Triplet APO (air spaced triplet lens design by Thomas M Back)

• 92mm f/5.5 510mm focal length apochromatic triplet optics using FPL-53 ED glass
• Collimatable lens cell for peak imaging and optical performance
• 3" dual-speed Starlight Instruments Feather Touch focuser with 65mm travel, lockable
• Ultra-short 13.25" length for travelling
• Rotating eyepiece holder for quick camera/eyepiece orientation
• Retractable dew shield, dust covers, and aluminium hard case
• Sales limited to 100 scopes per year to maintain the value of your investment
• Usually in stock – with no multi-year waiting list
• 114mm OD tube rings included
• Price £1699  Incl. VAT, Delivery & Collimation Guarantee Order online now
• Buyers of this scope are entitled to a 10% discount on any Kendrick dew control or solar filter equipment if ordered with it, which we will apply to your order after checkout.

The TMB-92 Signature Series 92mm f/5.5 triplet Apo is a very compact refractor for the serious observer and traveller. Measuring only about 13.25" long with the focuser and dewshield retracted for storage and travel, the TMB-92 optically and mechanically fills the void left by the discontinued 90mm Astro-Physics Stowaway. The TMB-92 puts exceptionally high optical and mechanical quality in a truly tiny package. It is ideal for the serious observer who will accept nothing less than unsurpassed imaging and visual observing performance in a supremely portable body you can take with you anywhere.
The TMB-92 is an exceptional grab and go scope for observing as well as imaging – both within the solar system and for wide field deep sky views. Images of subtle low-contrast lunar and planetary details are razor-sharp, with realistic and highly saturated colour. Images are free from chromatic aberration of any type, thanks to the ED (Extra-low Dispersion FPL- 53 glass) element in the scope’s triplet optics.

Click left for a close-up of the Dual-speed micro fine #3025 3" Starlight Feather Touch focuser. This is a hand made rack and pinion focuser with a precision-made 3" diameter drawtube. Starlight Instruments is a company known world-wide for making the finest and most reliable focusers available to the amateur astronomer. 

The designer Thomas M Back passed away in late 2007 after launching the Signature Series product line. Thomas was thrilled with the manufacturing quality of his design, and all subsequent telescopes are tested to his intended standards. Thomas is survived by his family, who have continued in the optical business (TMB Optical LLC) and this is a fully licensed TMB Optical design manufactured by Astronomics USA, which meets the original criteria set out by Thomas Back.
 

Astro-Tech AT102ED 102mm F6.95 ED Doublet

• 102mm f6.95 fully multicoated triplet apochromatic optics using an ED element  (Japanese Ohara glass) 709mm focal length
• Collimatable lens cell
• Dual-speed 2" Crayford style focuser with 11:1 ratio fine focusing
• Focuser rotates 360° travel is 85mm
• Both 2" and 1.25" brass compression ring eyepiece holders
• Retractable lens shade/dew shield
• Long-lasting white paint finish with anodized pewter grey trim
• Comes with Vixen format dovetail plate
• Free Red Dot Finder
• Aluminium-frame hard carrying case
• Included tube rings
• Note this scope already has a flat enough field for small CCD cameras but it works even better with the 0.8x Televue field flattener/reducer for larger chips or if you just want faster exposure times.
• Price AT102ED-F £999 Incl. VAT, Delivery & Collimation Guarantee and with a Starlight Instruments Feathertouch Focuser Order online now
• Buyers of this scope are entitled to a 10% discount on any Kendrick dew control or solar filter equipment if ordered with it, which we will apply to your order after checkout.

With an aperture of 102mm (4.37") the Astro-Tech AT111EDT ED triplet apochromatic refractor gathers over 38% more light than our 80mm (3.1") refractors. Contrast-enhancing knife-edge light baffles in the lens shade and the optical tube provide truly dark sky backgrounds and high terrestrial contrast. The edges of the lenses are blackened to reduce internal reflections and further improve image contrast. The tube remains a practical length for convenient travel and storage. The tube measures only 22.75" long with the lens shade retracted, and 27.75" long with it extended. This is an amazing portable imaging or visual scope at an incredible price vs. quality ratio. Tested by us this scope gives images that are essentially free of the annoying halo of unfocused violet light (chromatic aberration) that affects the bright-object images of lesser scopes, despite the fast focal ratio, and even at very high magnifications. A wonderful lunar/planetary telescope but gives very pleasing wide field views too!

NEW Astro-Tech AT111EDT 111mm F7 FPL-51 Triplet with Tom M Back designed lens

• 111mm f7 fully multicoated triplet apochromatic optics using an ED element (Japanese Ohara Glass)
  glass 777mm focal length
• Collimatable lens cell
• Dual-speed 2.7" rack-and-pinion focuser with 11:1 ratio fine focusing
• Focuser rotates 360°
• Both 2" and 1.25" brass compression ring eyepiece holders
• Retractable lens shade/dew shield
• Long-lasting white paint finish with anodized pewter grey trim
• Comes with FREE 124mm Tube Rings
• Aluminium-frame hard carrying case
• Note: Field flattener available soon.
• Included tube rings
• Price £1550 Incl. VAT, Delivery & Collimation Guarantee Order online now
• Buyers of this scope are entitled to a 10% discount on any Kendrick dew control or solar filter equipment if ordered with it, which we will apply to your order after checkout.
• Star Test images - please see Astro Tech 111EDT star-test photos here

With an aperture of 111mm (4.37") the Astro-Tech AT111EDT ED triplet apochromatic refractor gathers over 18% more light than our 102mm (4") refractors. Contrast-enhancing knife-edge light baffles in the lens shade and the optical tube provide truly dark sky backgrounds and high terrestrial contrast. The edges of the lenses are blackened to reduce internal reflections and further improve image contrast. Extra-long focuser travel at 138mm (5.4") with large 2.7" diameter focuser drawtube helps keep the overall scope length as short as practicable for convenient travel and storage. The tube measures only 23.75" long with the lens shade retracted, and 28" long with it extended. The extra-long drawtube length also permits switching between visual or photographic use with no add-on extension tubes needed. The drawtube has a scale marked in 1mm increments so you can note individual focuser positions for easy return to the correct focus when switching between visual use and photography. A lock knob on top of the focuser lets you lock photographic focus. This is an amazing portable imaging or visual scope at an incredible price vs. quality ratio. Being F7 it's a true all purpose scope. Note: Thomas passed away in late 2007, however his family have continued the company TMB Optical LLC and this is a fully licensed TMB design manufactured by Astronomics USA.

NEW Astro-Tech AT106EDT 106mm F6.5 FPL-53 Triplet with Tom M Back designed lens

• 106mm f6.5 fully multicoated triplet apochromatic optics using an ED element and all Japanese Ohara
  glass 689mm focal length
• Collimatable lens cell
• Dual-speed 2.7" Crayford focuser with 11:1 ratio fine focusing
• Focuser rotates 360°
• Both 2" and 1.25" brass compression ring eyepiece holders
• Retractable lens shade/dew shield
• Black anodised finish
• Comes with Tube Rings & tough Alu case with metal frame
• Finder & mount not included
• Aluminium hard carrying case
• Note: Field flattener available soon.
• Included tube rings
• Price £1899 Incl. VAT, Delivery & Collimation Guarantee Order online now
• Buyers of this scope are entitled to a 10% discount on any Kendrick dew control or solar filter equipment if ordered with it, which we will apply to your order after checkout.

Read the review TMB106 CCD astro imaging review here. This is a high quality portable triplet refractor suitable for visual observing and imaging. As you can see from the review, the field flatness is excellent for an F6.5 triplet refractor. Despite the fast focal ratio of F6.5, colour aberration is eliminated by the TMB triplet lens design, and the use of an extra high dispersion Japanese Ohara FPL-53 glass element. This telescope has a collimatable lens cell and the optics are not under strain. Internal baffles and a dew shield baffle ensure optimum contrast. The dew shield can be tightened in the extended position, and there is an inner baffle at the front of the dew shield for maximum contrast. The optical tube has full internal baffling.

"TMB Signature Series" 130EDT 130mm F7 Apo with TMB designed Triplet lens "Sky & Telescope Hot Product 2007"

• 130mm (5.1") f7 (910mm focal length) fully multicoated triplet apochromatic optics FPL53 ED element
• Collimatable lens cell
• Dual-speed 3.5" Feathertouch focuser with 11:1 ratio fine focusing
• Focuser rotates 360° and can be used for large format astro-photography
• Both 2" and 1.25" brass compression ring eyepiece holders
• Retractable lens shade/dew shield
• State-of-the-art optical performance, exceeding even Fluorite scopes
• Usually in stock - no multi year waiting list
• Sales limited to 100 scopes per year to maintain the value of your investment
• Comes with FREE Aluminium foam lined hard carrying case 10" x 10.5" x 33"
• Note: Field flattener available soon.
• Includes 124mm OD tube rings
• Price £3099 Incl. VAT, Delivery & Collimation Guarantee Order online now
• Buyers of this scope are entitled to a 10% discount on any Kendrick dew control or solar filter equipment if ordered with it, which we will apply to your order after checkout.

Optical performance: The TMB-130’s 910mm focal length can cover the whole gamut of visual observing magnifications. With a 2.5mm eyepiece it provides 364x for very high magnification observations of the Moon, planets, and binary stars. Even at that high a power, 71x per inch of aperture, the image holds up quite nicely in good seeing conditions. The TMB-130 is exceptional for observing and imaging within the solar system. Its images of subtle low-contrast lunar and planetary details are razor-sharp, with realistic and highly saturated colour. Those images are free from chromatic aberration of any type, thanks to the scope’s air-spaced ED triplet optics. The latest anti-reflection multi coatings and knife-edge internal baffles assure the maximum image contrast possible. Image excellence is limited only by the seeing conditions, not by any aberration or short-coming in the telescope. In addition, this 5.1" TMB combines a refractor’s traditional high light transmission and diffraction-free images with a very flat field. The combination makes the scope surprisingly good for deep space observing and imaging, as well as solar system observing. Binary stars and globular star clusters are particularly well-resolved and vivid, with the contrasting colours of binary systems showing nicely. Nebulas and galaxies stand out well against a very dark sky background.

Mechanics and ergonomics: For transport, the retractable lens shade keeps the overall length of the optical tube very manageable, at only 28.75" retracted and 34.5" extended. The dew shield has a knife-edge baffle built into its trim ring to improve contrast by blocking off-axis ambient light. Feather Touch rack and pinion focuser: The Feather Touch precision-made #3545 focuser is the best refractor focuser available today, period. The fine-pitch brass rack and hardened stainless steel pinion gear are factory-matched and burnished to provide a very smooth engagement between the rack and the pinion. The drawtube glides on three stainless steel straps that mate with Teflon bearing surfaces to provide very tight yet extremely smooth motion. Using this type of design eliminates the need for grease between the drawtube and housing. A greaseless draw tube prevents the attraction of dirt that may eventually cause problems between these surfaces. The drawtube has machined internal baffles, finished in glare-resistant black, to reduce reflections and improve contrast. The focuser contains an adjustable tension internal brake system to allow astrophotography and visual use with heavy eyepieces without the possibility of focus shift.

A word from the designer, Thomas M Back:
"I feel that this Apochromat refractor has the best price to performance of any APO refractor on the market. And no long initial waiting lists -- this telescope will be available from stock."... "I am very excited about this new Signature Series apochromatic refractor, and I hope you are too as this is the only series good enough to carry my signature."  Thomas M Back, TMB Optical 2007. A footnote: Thomas passed away in late 2007 after launching this product. Thomas was thrilled with the manufacturing quality of his design, and all subsequent telescopes are tested to his intended standards. Thomas is survived by his family, who have continued in the optical business (TMB Optical LLC) and this is a fully licensed TMB Optical design manufactured by Astronomics USA, which meets the original criteria set out by Thomas Back.

• 152mm 1370mm Focal length F9 true Ritchey-Chrétien hyperbolic mirror optical design
• Focuser with adjustable spacing to suit your camera
• 1-12th wave or better BK-7 mirrors
• Enhanced aluminium optical coatings
• New Genuine Starlight Feathertouch Micro-Focuser us the best available. It's easily upgraded for full autofocus via your PC & CCD Camera. We strongly recommend this focuser for imaging with an RC.
• 2" and 1.25" compression ring accessory holders
• Vixen-style dovetail plate
• Price £Confirm Incl. VAT, Delivery Order online now
• Buyers of this scope are entitled to a 10% discount on any Kendrick dew control or solar filter equipment if ordered with it, which we will will apply to your order.
• 2-3 week delivery

True Ritchey-Chrétien telescopes typically start at many thousands of pounds, putting them out of the reach of most astro imagers. This however, is a true Ritchey-Chrétien astrograph optical design at a very affordable price. The Astro-Tech AT6RC makes the coma-free imaging of a true Ritchey-Chrétien optical system available to amateur astronomers using Deep Sky Imager-type cameras, Digital Cameras (DSLRs) various CCD cameras. It does it at a price less than that of a mid range CCD camera. Designed for imaging, the Astro-Tech AT6RC provides the wide coma-free photographic field that astro-photographers need, but can’t get from conventional reflectors and Schmidt-Cassegrains. Likewise, as a pure two-mirror system without any lenses in the light path, the AT6RC is totally free from spurious ultra-violet or infra red wavelengths which affects imaging of all but the most costly apochromatic refractors and does not require a filter unless used with a field flattener. It achieves this with an 6" aperture that equals or exceeds the light gathering / resolution of most APO refractors with a flat field which cost a considerable amount more. Furthermore, the focuser is attached to the back of the scope so it doesn't suffer from "mirror flop" like SCTs with moving primary mirrors. This also results substantial weight reduction as a complex heavy mechanism isn't required. Finally, the optics are exposed to the air, which allows heat in the tube to dissipate, and so these scopes do not suffer from tube currents which degrade image quality. Contrary to popular belief these scopes do indeed require dew shields because they do dew up, and we recommend you place a dew heater on the secondary mirror housing too, for good measure.

AT6 RC Astrograph’s Optical System . . .

AT8RC 8" Quartz CF Ritchey-Chrétien Astrograph

• 203mm 1928mm F9 true Ritchey-Chrétien hyperbolic mirror optical design
• Adjustable focuser spacers to suit your camera
• Low thermal expansion Quartz primary and secondary mirrors
• 99% reflectivity non-tarnishing Dielectric mirror coatings
• High strength, low thermal expansion Carbon Fibre optical tube
• Losmandy-style “D-plate" dovetail
• The Genuine Starlight Feathertouch Micro-Focuser us the best available. It's easily upgraded for full autofocus via your PC & CCD Camera. We strongly recommend this focuser for imaging with an RC.
• Price with Starlight Feathertouch Focuser £Confirm Incl. VAT, Delivery Order online now
• Buyers of this scope are entitled to a 10% discount on any Kendrick dew control or solar filter equipment if ordered with it, which we will will apply to your order.
• 2-3 week delivery
• 10" & larger" RC models are in development.

The 8" Astro-Tech RC differs from the 6" version in the following ways:

• Aperture: 8" 1928mm focal length, f/9 focal ratio.
• Primary mirror: Made of low thermal expansion quartz. Polished to 1/12th wave or better surface accuracy. Unlike designs that move the primary mirror fore and aft in the optical tube to focus (which can lead to image shift as the mirror position changes) the AT8RC primary mirror is fixed to eliminate image shift and focus changes.
• Secondary mirror: Made of low thermal expansion quartz. Polished to 1/12th wave or better surface accuracy. Mounted in a four-vane spider and fully collimatable using simple standard Schmidt-Cassegrain collimating techniques. Unlike complicated R-C designs that use motors to move the secondary mirror fore and aft to focus, the AT8RC secondary mirror is fixed, and focusing is done externally.
• Dielectric coated optics: Both primary and secondary mirrors have non-tarnishing state-of-the-art dielectric mirror coatings. These have a full 99% reflectivity for the brightest possible images. This is substantially higher than the 88% reflectivity of conventional aluminium coatings or the 94-96% reflectivity of enhanced aluminium coatings.

• Carbon Fibre Optical tube: Made of light high strength woven carbon fibre-reinforced composite with extremely low thermal expansion characteristics to reduce the possibility of temperature-related focus changes. Die-cast and machined aluminium front and rear cells. The 9" OD x 20.25" long carbon fibre tube is virtually indestructible. The use of a carbon fibre composite reduces the weight of the optical tube with no loss of strength or rigidity compared to an aluminium tube. Because of the use of a carbon fibre optical tube, the weight of this 8" R-C is only a little more than two pounds heavier than the aluminium tube 6" Astro-Tech RC.
• Internal light baffles: Computer optimized primary and secondary baffling. Eight contrast-enhancing glare-stop baffles in the optical tube, multiple glare-stop micro baffles in the secondary mirror light shield, and four baffles in the primary mirror baffle tube provide truly dark sky backgrounds during imaging.
• Dual-speed micro fine Feather Touch Crayford focuser: The precision non-Vignetting focuser is a genuine Starlight Instruments Feather Touch focuser which is the finest focuser available. The focuser has dual-speed focusing. There are two coarse focusing knobs. The right knob also has a smaller concentric knob with a 10:1 reduction gear micro fine focusing ratio. This provides exceptionally precise image control during critical 35mm or CCD imaging. All focus knobs are ribbed, so they are easy to operate, even while wearing gloves or mittens in cold weather. Multiple internal baffles in the focuser drawtube assure high contrast.