Specification and optics same as Startravel-102 (AZ3) but supplied without Equatorial Mount and Tripod. Complete with tube rings. A very economic way to own a large aperture spotting scope, or as a guidescope on a larger instrument. Short enough to sit comfortably on Celestron and Meade SCTs, or mounted parallel on a dual saddle plate.

Our view

As an optical tube assembly we prefer this to the OTA used in the Celestron 102 SLT, even though its focal ratio is shorter. An excellent rich-field low and medium power small refractor for casual astronomy. A very economic way to own a large aperture spotting scope, or as a guidescope on a larger instrument. Short enough to sit comfortably on Celestron and Meade SCTs, or mounted parallel on a dual saddle plate.

Tips

Choose this scope as a budget priced white light solar telescope. Budget for an A4 sheet of Baader Astrosolar and make a simple secure cell over the full aperture out of cardboard or modellers plastic. To increase contrast and sharpness on the Sun’s disc, make an aperture stop down to 75mm. An aperture stop of 75mm is also useful when using this telescope for prime focus lunar or terrestrial photography, and for low to medium magnification observation of the moon. Keep the telescope at full 102mm aperture for deep-sky observation.