Sky-Watcher Telescopes

Sky-Watcher is a global leader in astronomical instrumentation for the serious amateur astronomer. Are you searching for a fine instrument for astronomical pursuits? Look no further! Sky-Watcher offers the equipment you need at a value that makes sense in today’s economy.

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Sky-Watcher 102AR
EQ5 PRO Refractor:
High Performance for Just $525! 

Fortunate indeed is the amateur astronomer with a SW 102AR refractor on a clear night with transparent skies and a stable atmosphere. During those cherished moments of transparent and stable air, the refractor delivers the closest experience to actually being there human beings may ever know. Due to its unobstructed near textbook perfect diffraction pattern this telescope will deliver near pristine celestial views with a dramatic coal-black sky background that makes stars glisten like diamonds. The SW 102mm refractor delivers performance second to none in its aperture size. It's a steal at just $525, and quantities are limited.

 

Industry Leading, World-Class Optical Quality 

Sky-Watcher's Crown (BK7) and Flint (F2) achromatic lenses are fabricated to the highest optical standards from Grade-A glass free of striae and other image-degrading imperfections. Each lens set is individually pitch-polished, and hand figured by a master optician ensuring diffraction-limited premium optical performance that is second to none worldwide. All lenses are uniformly air-spaced. Each optical lens surface is coated with exotic anti-reflection metallic coatings (fully coated) to ensure the optimum light throughput. Four layers are applied to each surface (Magnesium Fluorite, MgF2, and Hafnium Dioxide, HfO2). The proprietary Sky-Watcher "Metallic High-Transmission Coatings" (MHC) are the finest photon anti-rejection coatings in their class. 

The objective lens cell is light-baffled to reject stray, unfocused light. The drawtube is likewise baffled to insure optimum contrast. The tube's interior is flat black to help prevent unfocused internal light reflections from reaching the focal plane. The optical tube is aluminum, powder coated reflective gloss black with gold fleck accent. The front and back cells are cast aluminum painted black. Optical focus is achieved by means of a mechanically ultra-smooth, backlash-free, precision 2" Crayford-style rack & pinion focuser assembly. 

Quality Accessories: include Super Plossl 20mm and 7.5mm 1.25" eyepieces, Red-Dot Viewfinder with bracket, and 2" mirror diagonal. 

Observing with the Sky-Watcher
102AR EQ5 PRO Manual Refractor

Turning the telescope to the first quarter Moon, the Apennine Mountains snap into focus revealing a cornucopia of jagged mountain ridges, canyons, and numerous small craters in razor-sharp detail. Not far removed, reaching skyward the crater wall of Archimedes pops into view in bold relief against the smooth flatlands that transverse the distance between it and the Apennine Mountains. This is lunar observing at its best. The gas giant Jupiter displays its swirling equatorial bands in high-definition with festoons, and tonality within the bands. Saturn's storied surface phenomenon is simply stunning. Follow Venus' Moon like phases. Mars is a challenge in most any telescope, but its red-orange color is one of the most colorful in the sky. Hunt down double stars like Epsilon Lyrae, the ""double-double in Lyra. A 102mm refractor will provide a crisp well defined image superior to even a larger reflector. Always a star-party favorite, Alberio the beautiful double located in the tail of Cygnus never fails to please. Alberio appears as if a gold sparkler and its companion appears blue-green. It is a perfect refractor object. Compact globular star clusters lend themselves well to a refractor. Located outside our galaxy the globular M2 may resolve more stars in a 4" refractor than a 6" reflector. M4, M10 and many other globular cluster can be seen well with a 102mm refractor. M13, the fantastic globular in Hercules is a stunning sight in a 102mm refractor. The bright central cores of prominent nebulae can be seen and the brightest stars can be resolved. 

Telescope Tube Attachment Hardware: 

The optical tube comes with attachment hardware that allows it to be securely fastened to the SW EQ5 PRO mount. These quick-release tube rings are cast-aluminum, power coated white. 

The SW EQ5 PRO Manual Mount is Standard-Equipment: 

To facilitate precise equatorial alignment of the SW EQ5 PRO mount, a polar alignment scope is installed as standard equipment in the center of the R.A. axis. A transparent etched glass screen displays the region about the north celestial pole. The screen shows the position of Constellation Cassiopeia, Ursa Major (Big Dipper), and the defining position of Polaris, the North Star. It also shows Constellation Octans whose star Sigma Octantis visually defines the south celestial pole. The Sky-Watcher EQ5 PRO equatorial mount is a premium-grade observing platform utilizing quality throughout: 

Equatorial Body: The elegantly appointed equatorial body is cast from virgin aluminum and powder coated in classic scientific instrument white. The professional fit & finish of the SW EQ5 PRO mount is abundantly obvious from the very first minute the mount is uncrated. The large polar and declination castings provide large, stable thrust bearing surfaces with tight tolerances. Setting-circles are provided in both RA and Dec. axes. All gears are internal to the equatorial body. The counterweight shaft is made from solid stainless steel. The provided 7.5 lb. and 4 lb. counterweights are cast iron, powder coated white. SW EQ5 PRO Series telescopes come with optical tube mounting rings and/ or dovetail attachment brackets of cast aluminum. 

Slow-Motion Manual Controls are Standard: Sky-Watcher EQ5 PRO manual EQ5 PRO mounts offer precision slow motion control in both axes via spring-steel cable controls with deluxe knobs. Bronze-metal worm-gear control systems enable precise, incremental mechanical movement with minimal gear backlash in RA and DEC. Gear size in R.A. and DEC. is a robust 72mm (2.83") with 144 teeth. Sealed ball bearings are used on load bearing surfaces in RA and DEC. Mount tracks celestial objects in R.A. axis when equatorially aligned. 

Mechanical Surface Controls: Thumb-locks are provided in RA and Dec. to allow swift manual orientation of the optical tube assembly. Micrometric elevation and azimuth controls are provided to help achieve precise polar alignment. For manually operated SW telescope models, deluxe spring-steel cable control knobs are provided in R.A. and Dec. to enable precise manual tracking of sky objects. 

Rock-Solid Tripod and Payload: Every SW EQ5 PRO mount includes a metal tripod commensurate in rigidity and load bearing capacity to the EQ5 PRO mount itself. Tripod legs are made of industrial strength tubular steel of 1.75" diameter, except for the SW 250N EQ5 PRO, and SW 11" SCT EQ5 PRO which are supplied with 2" diameter legs. The tripod head is rigid cast aluminum. A spreader-bar with tension

Details

• Shipping Weight 63.00 lbs
• Optical Design: achromatic refractor
• Lens Material: Crown & Flint glass elements
• Aperture (Diameter) 102mm
• Focal Length 1000mm F-Ratio F/9.8
• Highest Practical Power 236x
• Faintest Stellar Magnitude 12.5
• Resolving Power 1.6 arc sec
• Finderscope Red-Dot Finder
• Focuser Diameter 2"
• Diagonal: 2", 1.25" adapter
• Eyepiece(s) 1.25" Super Plossl 25mm and 7.5mm
• Mount Type: Equatorial
• Slow-Motion Control Spring-steel Flex Cables
• Counterweight7.5lb
• Piggyback Bracket Standard
• Accessory Tray Standard
• Tube Weight 7 lbs
• Tube length: 35" long
• Tripod Height 34" to 48"

Price $525.00

Computerize this scope with the
Retrofit GOTO-Nova EQ
kit for $431.00

 

• GoToNova^TM hand held controller
• 130,000 objects in database
• Fits most equatorial mounts
• DIY easy installation
• Drive motor with 9-speed setting for precise tracking
• Dual-axis Servomotor
• Standard-equipment AC connection (Optional DC adaptor available)
• USB cable for firmware upgrading