Altair Starwave ASCENT 70ED Telescope - Visual and Astrophotography Bundle

Please check out this review from Simon's Astro! Thanks Simon!

Featuring ED optics for improved colour rendition, the travel-friendly Altair Starwave 70mm F6 ED Doublet refractor can be taken anywhere.

This is the 2024 version with FPL53 Flouro-Crown Glass ED element for better colour correction than previous versions, plus a higher quality geared focuser. Colour correction and detail for astrophotography is excellent. Check out this independent review showing performance with Altair Hypercam 533C Camera: 

The optical tube folds down to just under 30cm length with the dew-shield retracted, and weighs about 2kg.

The Starwave 70ED is capable of both visual observation and wide-field astrophotography, so you can expand your interests in astronomy.

The optional accessory kit bundles are higher quality than you get with most commercially available telescope kits, and they will do justice to the Starwave 70 ED optics and build quality.

The dual speed rack and pinion focuser is easily able to carry a DSLR or medium size CCD camera without slipping and is fully tension-adjustable. Fine focus is easy to achieve with the brass coloured dual speed 1:10 ratio thumbwheel. The focuser can also be fully automated using a 3rd party motor focuser for astro imaging.

Reasons to buy the Starwave 70ED over cheaper optical tubes in the 70-72mm size range:

• Very good photographic performance with better colour correction an Bokeh than some ED lenses costing a lot more. Colour aberration is so well controlled, it's invisible at normal observing powers, and at this level, many manufacturers would call this telescope an "APO".
• Flat-field fast focal ratio F4.8 imaging is possible with the optional 0.8x field flattener/reducer.
• Quality Rack and Pinion Geared focuser all-metal with 1:10 ratio micro-focusing knob. The focuser has 3 thumbscrews for astro photography and a brass compression ring so your diagonal barrels aren't marred.
• All metal. No plastic parts, anywhere in this product.
• You won't find anything like these quality accessories in other packages - they would have to be bought separately.
• Retractable metal dew shield for compact transport and quick setup.
• The optical tube rotates independently of the rings for easier framing.
• Optional Quality 17mm flat field eyepiece with large rear lens for easy eye placement and comfortable viewing. 
• Lens cell tuned at factory and guaranteed to arrive in collimation, giving razor sharp views with no visible secondary colour.
• The optional Red Dot Finder (RDF) is a high quality all-metal unit with adjustable brightness (not the cheap plastic ones which fall apart and lose alignment).
• The optional star-diagonal mirror is of high quality with ultra-durable 99% reflective dielectric coatings. It will not tarnish, and can be cleaned frequently without damaging the mirror surface.

Optional Accessory kit bundles:
Please choose the option when ordering.

Description of the above components:

• Starwave 70mm F6 ED Doublet optical tube with retractable dew-shield.
• 2" Dual Speed Rack and Pinion Geared focuser, 3x thumbscrews and brass compression ring for holding heavy accessories.
• RDF finder has variable brightness, metal body and mounting stalk, and a quick release finder bracket.
• The 1.25" Dielectric Diagonal has 99% reflective coatings.
• The Wide field 17mm Eyepiece gives 25x magnification, with 65° Field of View (FOV), 16mm Eye Relief, 1.25" barrel and dust caps.
• A 2"-1.25" Push-Fit Adapter with brass compression ring is included with the optical tube.
• The optical tube has a front aluminium dust cap, and rear plastic dust cap.
• The optical tube has a metal mounting ring (rotatable) and dovetail base with standard 1/4-20" threaded "photo tripod format" holes, so you can use the scope with a camera tripod or attach it to the Altair 150mm / 6" Dual Vixen Arca-format dovetail bar. Search Product code: VABAR-150
• Carry case with strap, padded foam inserts, and space for accessories. * (FREE item - see note at bottom of page)
• Dust cloth for eyepiece and RDF, two allen keys for adjustment of the RDF reticule and for mounting it to the metal finder stalk.

Beginner? Why not start out with quality equipment? This is the perfect scope to get you and your friends familiar with the night-sky, or started in astro-photography. Unlike most starter-telescopes, both optical and mechanical quality are very good. We don't sacrifice one for the other. Altair's philosophy is not to start with low quality equipment, but to include high quality accessories an optics in a beginner telescope at a good price to make using the product an enjoyable. experience The Starwave 70 ED is an ideal beginner's choice for wide-field imaging with your DSLR or compact camera. The Starwave 70 ED is a lot easier to use than a Newtonian reflector, due to it's small size and light weight, and because the optics do not require frequent collimation (alignment). For visual observing, you don't even need an astronomical mount right away - the Starwave 70ED will fit a camera tripod to get you started with wide field observation of the night sky right out of the box.

The advantage of ED optics for Astronomical visual observation: When compared to small Achromatic refractors of similar size, length and focal ratio, the Starwave 70 ED offers better mechanics for easier focusing, and truer colour rendition due to the ED optics. The Starwave 70 ED delivers a sharp "contrasty" image with good colour correction and tight star images. The 70mm aperture gathers about 100 times more light than the human eye, and in a dark-sky location, observation of star clouds and larger more extended objects is most enjoyable. With a higher power eyepiece or Barlow lens, this telescope will show plenty of detail on the moon, and it will show the planetary disc of Jupiter, with the major cloud bands visible across the disc, as well as the four largest Galilean moons and their movements from hour-to-hour. Saturn's rings are visible as distinct from the planet at high powers as is the Cassini Division when the skies permit - a good test of any small refractor. 

The Starwave 70ED can be used as a daytime land-based spotting scope: By adding an optional 1.25" Lightwave Premium Correct Image Diagonal, (code: LW-125-45-DIAG) which turns the image upright for land-based viewing, the Starwave 70 ED becomes a real performer when it comes to daytime spotting and nautical observation, offering performance in the same category as ED spotting scopes costing many times the price as well as the possibility of higher powers with astro eyepieces. Simply increase the brightness on the Red Dot Finder and you can align the scope with pinpoint accuracy during daytime.

Mount choices: Due to it's compact size, this is an ideal telescope to use with small mounts: The Skywatcher Star Adventurer, iOptron Sky Guider, iOptron Cube PRO, or the iOptron Smart EQ PRO GOTO mounts. If you don't want to bother with 12volt power in the field, and enjoy just sweeping around the sky or land, the Altair Mini-AZ mount is the ideal choice for the Starwave 70ED. By the way, you don't even have to buy an astronomical mount right off to enjoy the heavens, because the Starwave 70 ED fits directly to a standard photo tripod out of the box, having two Standard 1/4 thread photo tripod holes underneath the dovetail base. 

Astro imaging or terrestrial photography with the Starwave 70ED: A smooth dual speed "non-slip" Rack and Pinion focuser is supplied, with 1:10 ratio microfocuser, able to carry a full weight DSLR or CMOS camera such as the Altair Hypercam PRO series. The Rack and Pinion gear eliminates slippage and increases the focuser's carrying capacity to about 3.5KG, which is more than enough for a DSLR or Astro camera and filter-wheel. The ED Doublet lens system features a special ED glass element, which results in less colour aberrations in the final image. The optics are compatible with the Starwave field flattener and reducer range, in particular the Starwwave 0.8x Field Flattener. (Product codes SW70ED-08XR-NDSLR for Nikon cameras or SW70ED-08XR-CDSLR for Canon EOS). The machined aluminium tube transmits heat to the optics, which benefits users of dew control heaters like the Pegasus. The Starwave 70ED is the ideal weight for use with the popular "super portable" mounts and tracking devices for imaging.

Finder scopes and auto-guiding: The Altair MG32 Mini Finder Scope and GPCAM Guide Camera system (codes: AAMG32-QRB-KIT and AAMG32-QRB-GP130M) attach directly to the focuser using the included Universal Finder Bracket (code: UNIFBR), enabling auto-guiding and easy guide-star selection, in a compact light weight package for travel anywhere.

Ready for travel: The ED optics offer improved colour correction within a short, portable telescope tube. The light yet tough optical tube folds down to 30cm in length and weighs about 2kg, sporting a retractable dew shield.

Mounting the Starwave 70ED: This telescope can be mounted on a photo tripod with standard 1/4" thread and for attachment to other scopes or imaging systems, it can be attached to a longer dovetail bar with commonly available 1/4" tripod thread screws.

Specifications and accessories:

• 70mm F6 ED Doublet with FPL53 Low Index Flouro-Crown Glass (420mm focal length)
• Fully multicoated optics
• OTA Weight: Approx. 2kg
• OTA folded length: 30cm
• RDF finder multi-reticule, variable brightness with metal body and mounting stalk.
• 1.25" Dielectric Diagonal 99% reflective.
• Wide field 17mm Eyepiece with 65° APOV, 16mm Eye Relief, 1.25" barrel and dust caps giving 25x magnification.
• Case Dimensions: 28x39x15cm  (*see note at bottom of page)
• Dual speed focuser (1:10 ratio microfocuser)
• Focuser tension is adjustable to carry higher loads with a steel "non-slip" focuser guide plate
• Retractable dewshield, 92mm OD
• 2" visual back with 3x thumb-screws and brass compression ring
• 1.25"-2" Pushfit adapter with brass compression ring
• 2x Standard  "1/4 Thread" Photo Tripod Screw-holes are provided in the base mounting platform
• 2" rear visual back with 3x thumbscrews and non-marring brass compression ring.
• Front metal and rear plastic dust caps.

* Please note: The case is sold as "packaging only" and is provided with this telescope to protect it during shipping. The product guarantee does not extend to damage of the case during shipping, nor failure of the case, catches, zips, foam, or other fittings, and you are not being charged for the case when buying this telescope. If the case has absorbed damage, it is considered to have fulfilled it's function to protect the contents (which are of course guaranteed to arrive in perfect condition).