Altair Wave Series 115 F7 ED Triplet APO
The Altair Astro 115mm F7 EDT APO is a highly specified triplet APO refractor which significantly outperforms 4" refractors both in resolution and light grasp, whilst still remaining quite portable.
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The Altair 115mm F7 EDT is the ideal multi-purpose telescope platform, suited for the amateur astronomer interested in both visual and imaging use, and offering excellent performance in both areas. It offers a wide-field or a high power view and is therefore more versatile than a Cassegrain type reflector, enabling high contrast views of planets and wide field deep sky objects.
NEW - we have obtained a copy of the 2011 Astronomy Now Magazine review of the Altair Astro 115-805 ED Triplet APO (Adobe PDF File 488kb, opens new window)
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Hand crafted optics: Your 115 EDT APO optics are hand finished at the final stages of production and repeatedly tested until signed off by the optician in charge. Each lens cell has a unique serial number so you can vouch for it's originality as a genuine Altair Astro telescope. A laser interferogram image (in 532nm green light) of your individual lens is available for an additional fee of £85 at the time of ordering.
3" Field flattener for astro-imaging: A optional, dedicated large format field flattener is available separately with this telescope package for use with CCD imaging chips. The large format 3" field flattener screws directly to the rear of the focuser (the 2" push-fit adapter can be removed) to reduce flex in the imaging train, resulting in tighter star images, and sharper images. A conical T-thread adapter is included which screws into the rear of the focuser, with the correct spacing for Nikon or Canon EOS DSLR cameras. All you need is a camera adapter to attach your DSLR.
3" Focuser for astro-imaging: The large format rotating 3" CNC machined focuser offers a rigid and stable platform for imaging use. The pushfit adapter accepts all 2" accessories for visual use, such as star diagonals. It features two clamps, putting pressure on a brass compression ring, offering increased rigidity compared to single screw designs. The focuser can be fully automated and motorised within minutes with the optional USBnStep motor focusing systems we offer separately. NEW An optional Starlight Feathertouch focuser is also now available to fit the Altair 115-805, as well as the Altair 102-715 and Altair 130-905 EDT APOs which all use the same standard focuser. The motor focuser unit is also offered with adapter set to fit the Starlight Feathertouch 3" focuser available separately. Please enquire as to pricing and availability for these options.
10x60mm deluxe right angle finder scope: An optional Altair Astro 60mm right angled deluxe finder scope is also avialable separately, with a machined bracket to fit the 3" focuser, a brightness adjustable red crosshair illuminator, and a wide field eyepiece with helical focuser. A 60mm finder offers significantly more light grasp than a 50mm finder and the optical quality is very high. Blackened lens edges and low reflectance multi-coatings ensure sharp, contrasty images across a very flat field, to help you find fainter objects against the night sky. The image in the finder is the right way up and orientated correctly left-to-right which means the what you see is what you get. Star charts will match up with your view through the finder, making object location much quicker and easier. Furthermore, the right angled design lets you use the finder from a more comfortable position compared to a straight-through finder. NEW - Autoguiding with your finder! It's also now possible to order the Altair 60mm Miniguider which includes our 60mm finder optical tube, rings and bracket and special focuser to connect your webcam/autoguider with 1.25" nosepiece, enabling you to guide your scope with minimal weight increase and maximum portablity using the existing finder mounting point on the telescope focuser. The autoguider/webcam locking focuser is also available to retrofit to the Altair Astro 60mm finder scope if you have one already, or prefer the flexibility of a finder AND autoguider in one unit.
What performance improvement does the triplet ED lens offer? The Altair 115mm APO sports a triplet air-spaced lens cell for better colour correction than normal doublet or dual lens telescopes. This results in higher contrast, and a cleaner sharper image with less spurious colour. The combination of a triplet ED lens system with high surface accuracy and the fact that this telescope does not have a central obstruction like a reflector telescope, means that it will deliver increased contrast compared to a reflector telescope such as a Schmidt Cassegrain or Newtonian of slightly more aperture, revealing more detail. This is why you'll hear amateur astronomers say things like " an APO punches above it's weight in aperture compared to a reflector" or " this gives a planetary image like only a refractor can" and so-on. Because there are more optical surfaces and materials involved, a triplet APO triplet refractor costs more than a comparable ED doublet or "semi-APO" - as well as reflectors of similar aperture. Never has the statement "you get what you pay for" been more true. An additional advantage is that you get a wide-field view and a high power view in one package, offering more flexibility than an SCT or Maksutov. Please note, we aren't saying that Maksutovs and reflectors are inferior designs by any means - a premium refractor just offers more clear aperture at the same size if compared directly, however it also costs more money per inch of aperture. There's no such thing as a free lunch when it comes to optics! Feel free to email us to discuss your individual observing style, and which scope is best for you.
What can I expect to see with this telescope?
The Altair Wave Series 115mm APO will deliver very high contrast images of planets and the Moon. Under steady skies you will easily be able to see detail and changing weather patterns in the cloud belts of Jupiter, the pastel shades of Saturn's planetary disc, as well as the Cassini Division in Saturn's rings. You'll be able to distinguish the changing weather patterns on Mars, as well the dusky surface features and the ice-white polar caps (seasons permitting). Remember planetary viewing is perfectly possible in the city and that light pollution will not affect your view at all. The Moon will reveal so much detail that is isn't worth going into here, suffice to say that you could spend many hours watching the sun rise over crater walls, Lava plains, impact craters and mountain ranges. In terms of deep-sky objects the 115mm 7 performs best on the brighter Messier Objects. under dark skies, it will resolve the individual stars in globular clusters like M13 in Hercules, and you will be able to see wisps of nebulosity in objects like the Orion Nebula giving it a 3D effect, as well as the dust lane in the Andromeda galaxy quite easily. The Ring nebula in Lyra is also presented a nice target and a blue/green colour cast was quite visible. This telescope can be used with nebula and light pollution filters to bring out even more detail.
What magnification will eyepieces produce?
As an example, the following common eyepiece focal lengths will give the following magnification:
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Eyepiece:
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Power:
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31mm
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26x
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24mm
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33x
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19mm
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42x
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15mm
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53x
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11mm
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73x
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9mm
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89x
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4mm
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200x
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I need a mount for this telescope, what do you recommend? There are several options available, and we can offer a competitive package to suit your budget, as well as mounting hardware to suit your use scenario. Mounts capable of carrying this telescope without struggling are the iOptron Minitower and Minitower PRO, iOptron iEQ45, Celestron / Synta CGEM and EQ6, or the HEQ5 or larger Vixen GPDX. For imaging, an iOptron iEQ45, Losmandy G11 or EQ6 are fine for this scope.
115mm F805 APO specification:
- Aperture - 115mm F805mm Focal Length
- Resolution - 1.01 arc seconds
- Limiting Visual Magnitude - 11.1
- Highest Useful Magnification - 230x (atmospheric conditions permitting)
- Air spaced ED triplet APO lens
- Fully multi coated on all optical surfaces for high transmission
- Aluminium with white stardust paint
- Retractable, lockable dew shield
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Dual speed 3" focuser (360 degree rotation)
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1:10 ratio micro focuser knob
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Optional 60mm Deluxe right angled finder scope with illuminated reticule
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CNC machined tube rings compatible with Altair TMS
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Vixen format dovetail plate
- 2" adapter with brass compression ring and two clamping screws
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Tube Weight - about 8kg with accessories
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Length - about 700mm with dewshield retracted
- FREE Flight Case included. (Please note that the case is "free", and it's designed to protect the telescope during shipping. We will not be able to repair cases which are scratched or dented or have absorbed knocks, because it isn't economically feasible. To put it another way we consider the case to be expensive packaging to protect the optics, and if it's dented, then it's doing it's job. We do of course guarantee that the telescope arrives in perfect working order, and delivery is fully insured by courier!).
Optional 3" Altair PLANOSTAR Field flattener for astro-imaging: A optional, dedicated large format field flattener is available separately with this telescope package for use with CCD imaging chips. The large format 3" field flattener screws directly to the rear of the focuser (the 2" push-fit adapter can be removed) to reduce flex in the imaging train with threaded-only connections, resulting in tighter star images, and sharper images. A conical rear adapter with an M48 rear thread is included, and the correct spacing for Nikon or Canon EOS DSLR cameras can be obtained with the special Altair Astro low profile Canon DLSR adapter, or the standard Skywatcher Nikon M48 DSLR adapter. If you have a CCD camera, our variable M48 spacers can be used to get the right distance to the CDD chip. (See associated products below for the Altair Planostar 3" field flattener).
Above is a full frame image of the Horsehead nebula in Orion taken with the Altair 115/805 APO field flattener taken by Olly Penrice at Astro gite Les Granges, an astronomy holiday B&B he runs in Provence, France. Click on the image for the full resolution shot. Colour correction is very good. The stars are tight, round, concentrated points of light right to the edge of the frame due to the 3" Altair Planostar field flattener, which has also been modified to improve colour correction. Even the brightest blue stars are very well controlled in the blue colour channel. This is easy to recognise in comparable images of the Horsehead Nebula found on the internet, and compares very well (and in some cases better) than telescopes costing many thousands of pounds more, due to the special modifications made to the lens element spacing.
Above, another image by Olly Penrice, the Iris Nebula, with the Altair 115-805 & 3" Planostar field flattener, 12 hour exposure on iEQ45 v1 mount. This is just an example of what can be achieved with the Altair 102/715's bigger brother!
Ordering from Europe and overseas: We will accept orders from overseas, please contact us for a shipping quote and payment details.
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Customer feedback
Customer Reviews
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Author: Robert Jones
My scope arrived a day after ordering it (I ordered the 60mm finder which is delayed until next week). I've only had this scope for about a month but used it on the moon and Jupiter in my garden in London. The image is much better than my older 4" scope. Much sharper, noticeably brighter and I can see more detail at 150x on Jupiter. The Moon is bright and you need a filter - the sales guy said try sunglasses for a quick look but not serious observing!. The focuser is easier to use and much smoother than my old one. The 115mm works exactly as they described and they were right about how the image would compare to my previous model scope. It fits in my car so I'm looking forward to taking it out of Londond for some darker skies. This scope is a a little too large for taking on ovrseas unless your driving but I prefer the extra aperture, it's also a little heavier than my older 4" refractor. Very impressed so far, and photography is next on my list of things to do. Rob -
Author: Aide Kelley
I have read the previous reviewer's comments about planetary viewing so thought I'd add some compliments. I observe the planets and moon frequently with my Altair Astro 115 as well as some deep sky objects. Planets are my favourite objects being in the city. Recently I started using binoviewers. These were recommended by Nick at Altair who sourced a pair for me as well as two of their Lightwave 7mm long eye relief eyepieces. I've owned my scope since 2011 and I'm delighted, having seen detail I didn't realize was visible. Jupiter is an ever-changing feast with this telescope. The binoviewers improved things even more and the new Altair lightwave long eye relief eyepieces are also recommended for binoviewers.
My only minor gripe is that I didn't like the paint finish. I have the early model and that's now changed, but the optical quality is second to none and build quality is perfect too.
This is a reasonably large telescope, and you need at least an HEQ5 mount or bigger.
This product has a well-deserved reputation.
Aide
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