It is a continuing delight for me to see how capable telescopes at the ‘starter’ end of the market are becoming. A reflector of 150mm (six inches) aperture such as this is entirely able to provide light grasp and resolution sufficient to observe a wealth of planetary detail and pierce the gloom of faint nebulous objects.
At f/5, this instrument leans a little towards wider field astronomy, but shorter focal length eyepieces conjoined with the Barlow will comfortably allow access to higher power lunar and planetary magnifications. With those supplied, powers of 30×, 60×, 75× and 150× are possible.
The computerised AZ GOTO mount features FreedomFind™, which allows manhandling to different stellar quarries without disturbing its ability to afterwards track and slew to other requested targets via the Synscan handset, of which there are nearly 43,000 in its database. This makes it ideal for someone new to finding their way amongst the stars.
It also comes with a camera adapter, thus tempting the visual observer into the fascinating world of astrophotography too. Supported by a stainless steel tripod, the mount is powered by a 12V DC supply.
Diameter of parabolic primary mirror: 150mm
Telescope focal length: 750mm (f/5)
Eyepieces supplied: 10mm & 25mm (1.25″)
x2 Deluxe Barlow Lens (1.25″) with camera adaptor
Finder: Red Dot
Mount: Star Discovery AZ Go-To Alt-Azimuth Go-To
Synscan™ computerised handset
Stainless steel tripod with accessory tray
Power requirement: 12v DC 1Amp power supply (tip positive) or 8 x AA batteries (not supplied)
Price: £399
For more information: www.opticalvision.co.uk
