Sky-Watcher StarTravel 102 AZ3 Telescope - S10100

Sky-Watcher StarTravel 102 AZ3 Telescope

• 102 mm Achromatic Refractor
• 500 mm Focal Length (f/4.9)
• Manual alt-az mount (AZ3)
• Accessory tray
• Fine motion control knobs
• Adjustable Aluminum tripod
• 25 mm and 10 mm 1.25" Super eyepieces
• 1.25" erect-image 45 degree diagonal
• 2" Rack and Pinion focuser
• 2" to 1.25" adapter
• Red dot finder

The Sky-Watcher StarTravel 102 mm (4") f/5 AZ3 Telescope is a two-element, air-spaced, fully multi-coated objective, achromatic refractor, which will show you exciting "rich field" astronomical views. It provides excellent vistas of star fields, clusters, nebulae, galaxies, planets, the Moon and (with correct filtering or by projection) the Sun. You can also use it as a fine terrestrial telescope when mounted on an alt-azimuth mount or a photographic tripod. Crisp images at a reasonable price make it an excellent beginner's "first telescope", or a great travelling telescope for a more advanced observer. This scope accepts 2" diagonals for awesome wide field views, while exhibiting minimal chromatic aberration. It is also light weight, at 6.5 pounds.

This Sky-Watcher StarTravel 102 AZ3 Telescope being a refractor is quick and easy to set up and the low-maintenance, enclosed optics come fully collimated from the factory. Weighing about 3 kg (6.5 lb) the optical tube assembly is readily carried and with a compressed length of approximately 50 cm (21.7"), it is very easy to be transported.

The optical tube assembly (OTA) comes with "tube mounting rings". These hinge open to allow easy installation of the OTA and the locks can be loosened during use to allow tube rotation and/or balancing. Mounting the telescope on the included AZ3 Manual Altitude-Azimuth mount or an (another) equatorial mount is quick and simple with the appropriate mounting plate. This particular OTA easily mounts on the included AZ3 mount. This telescope also performs well as a fixed aperture, 510 mm lens for doing both terrestrial photography and astrophotography. The "fast" f/4.9 focal ratio, combined with today's high-speed films, is excellent for capturing lunar and solar eclipses as well as for taking nature photographs.

A solid, equatorial type mount and a method of guiding are required if you wish to do longer-exposure astrophotography, because for longer exposures required by fainter objects, your mount must be able to track the celestial sphere. A T-mount thread on the eyepiece holder allows direct attachment of an appropriate T-adapter, and the optional extension tube which can be purchased gives closer focusing for terrestrial photography. Note: A T-adapter which attaches to your camera is not provided with this product.

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