Similar to their Schmidt cousins, this 102mm f/13 Maksutov-Cassegrain Telescope from Sky-Watcher exchanges the conventional front corrector plate with a convex meniscus lens, which results in a smaller secondary mirror—limiting obstruction and increasing contrast, while ...Similar to their Schmidt cousins, this 102mm f/13 Maksutov-Cassegrain Telescope from Sky-Watcher exchanges the conventional front corrector plate with a convex meniscus lens, which results in a smaller secondary mirror—limiting obstruction and increasing contrast, while eliminating the need for periodic collimation. The Maksutov optical path results in a slower focal ratio and narrower field of view versus a similar Schmidt, but the optical benefits, when coupled with the larger aperture and fully multi-coated optics, make this an ideal scope for solar, lunar, planetary, and deep-sky observation of bright objects like stars and clusters. The scope is outfitted with a 1.25" visual back and, to get users started, Sky-Watcher includes 10 and 25mm eyepieces that produce low and moderate magnifications and a 90° star diagonal for more comfortable viewing when the optical tube assembly (OTA) is pointed at or near the celestial zenith.
The OTA is offered here without a mount or tripod for users who have a platform or want to use it as part of a dual-OTA setup for star parties or observation/imaging rigs. It is outfitted with a Vixen-style dovetail plate for easy attachment onto many mounts. This OTA's compact form factor belies its observation power and resolution and is ideally suited as a grab-and-go option for quick observation sessions or heading out to remote locations.