Sky-Watcher TelescopesSky-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.
SW 120ED EQ5 PRO Hi-Fi Refractor
Was $2995.00 Now $2945.00
Back-OrderedSky-Watcher is a leader in the design and manufacturer of ED-APO systems. Sky-Watcher offers one of the most extensive lines of ED-APOCHROMATIC REFRACTORS in the world. Using only the finest fabrication materials available, Sky-Watcher APO refractors are manufactured to painstakingly rigorous, exacting standards of optical and mechanical quality to insure the amateur astronomer peak performance and a great experience each and every time a Sky-Watcher ED-APO is taken into the field. We know the amateur astronomer has very high expectations regarding astronomical equipment purchases. Sky-Watcher has been delivering consistent satisfaction for decades.
In a given aperture size, refractors will always exhibit sharper images than other optical designs because the refractor concentrates more light into the central airy-disk and first diffraction rings. There is no diffraction pattern interference caused by a diagonal mirror, or secondary mirror suspended in the optical path (central obstruction) as is the case with reflectors.
Watcher ED-APO refractors provide the finest images obtainable—bar none—in their design class. If you are on a quest for the ultimate in pristine, near textbook-perfect astronomical imaging, look no further! Sky-Watcher ED-APO refractors deliver dramatic coal-back skies and faithful, contrast-rich views of planetary and deep-space phenomenon that are second to none. Sky-Watcher ED-APO refractors are the logical choice as an investment in advanced instrumentation for exceptional viewing or photography.
Virtually Eliminates Residual Chromatic Aberration: The Sky-Watcher ED-APO design assures virtual elimination of secondary, residual "false color" normally present in 2-element achromatic lens designs using Crown and Flint glass. Sky-Watcher APO refractors utilize a second lens element made from the mineral fluorite instead of Flint glass. Fluorite, CaF2, is a halide with unique properties and a hardness of only four. It is an exotic and difficult material to fabricate into a lens. Hence, the cost of manufacturing a fluorite lens is quite high compared to a Flint lens element, for instance. Why fluorite? Fluorite's molecular properties have several distinct advantages. First, it has superior dispersion characteristics compared to pure silica-based glass. It functions as a high-index lens with very low dispersion. We use the term ED to signify "Extra-low Dispersion". Fluorite also corrects well for spherical aberration. Sky-Watcher utilizes only the very finest available fluorite lens, FPL-53.
Schott Glass Used in Selected Models for Crown Element: Select models of ED-APO refractors will benefit from the inclusion of Schott glass used for the positive front Crown element in the objective. Schott is the recognized world leader in glass utilized for precision optical lens systems, including medical instrumentation, and famous-brand camera lenses.
Pride and Perfection in Optical Manufacturing: Every lens element is individually inspected for purity and absence of striae and other image-degrading imperfections. Highly skilled opticians utilizing state-of-the-art methodology and rigidly controlled optical testing procedures pitch every lens polished to exacting standards of optical fabrication and performance. The result is high quality, diffraction-limited optics performing to the theoretical limits of their respective aperture sizes. All lenses are uniformly air-spaced in their cell housings.
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 light 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 rack & pinion focuser-assembly that includes course and fine focusing controls.
Quality Accessories: include Super Plossl 32mm and 10mm 1.25" eyepieces, 8x 50 optical Right Angle Viewfinder with bracket, and 2" dielectric mirror diagonal. The optical tube includes a foam-lined carry case suitable for storage and transportation.
Observing with the Sky-Watcher 120ED EQ5 PRO Refractor
The additional aperture provides a dramatic increase in resolution and a heighten sense of seeing lunar and planetary surface phenomenon in seemingly 3D high-definition.
The superb capabilities of the SW 120ED provide performance that approximates that of a 7" reflector on lunar, planetary, double-stars, globular star clusters, and depending on your ranking of unobstructed high-contrast as a necessary attribute, perhaps even the brighter nebulae will look better to you in a SW 120ED. These objects will stand out in bold relief contrasted against a very dark velvet-black sky background. Many advanced amateur astronomers feel the ED-APO experience is astronomy's richest.
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 Computerized Mount is Standard-Equipment
The Sky-Watcher EQ5 PRO equatorial mount is a premium-grade observing platform utilizing quality mechanical and electronic component materials 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, motors, and electronics are internal to the equatorial body or separate motor-controller chasse box. The counterweight shaft is made from solid stainless steel. The provided two 11lb. counterweights are cast iron, powder coated white. (Note: All SW EQ5 PRO Series telescope models come with optical tube mounting rings and/ or dovetail attachment brackets of cast aluminum).
Motors, Gears, & Bearings: Sky-Watcher EQ5 PRO computer models utilize high-torque DC stepper motors with yielding resolution of 0.28764 arc-seconds. The advanced Allegro IC-driver is a DMOS dual full-bridge micro-stepping PWM motor driver with power savings feature. A 12vDC car plug adapter is provided to connect to a user supplied power supply (Power requirement: 12V DC-power 2000mA mini w/2.1mm tip positive plug). 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-lock is integral to the tripod to help insure optimum rigidity. The mount and tripod support a hefty payload of up to 25 lb.
Computer Operation: Sky-Watcher GO-TO telescope models include the revolutionary SynScan Computer Controller. The SynScan's remote hand-controller plugs into SW motor-control panel. The easy-to-read, 2-line, 16-character backlit LCD display will operate to approximately minus 10-degrees F?. Astronomical object location has never been easier or more fun. The telescope responds instantly to keypad commands at the touch of a fingertip. Serial PC connector/ Hand-controller phone-jack plug computer interface cable included.
Motor Speeds, Tracking Modes, and Alignment Types
The operating versatility of SynScan provides guiding speeds of .25x, .5x, .75x, and 1x. Slewing speeds include 1.25x, 1.5x, 1.75x, 2x, 8x, 16x, 32x, 64x, 400x, 500x, 600x, 800x, or 3.4 degrees per second. SW tracking modes offer Lunar, Solar and Sidereal rates. Sky alignment choices are One-star, Two-star, and Three-star. Mount is compatible with operations in both the Northern and Southern hemispheres.
Astrophotography
Sky imagers will appreciate the auto-guider port for guiding using a PC via the RS-232 port. SW firm-wear includes a programming algorithm for periodic error correction (such error is common to all worm gears). In addition, programming is provided for RA and Dec worm-gear backlash compensation to keep slewing and tracking response prompt and uniform. SW can also be controlled remotely by PC using popular planetarium software via a RS232 connection on the hand-controller. There is even a GPS upgrade option to facilitate entering precise time, date, and location.
Database
The SynScan computer includes a celestial database of over 30,000 objects, including all the crowd pleasers like planets, the Moon, Messier objects, and interesting double stars. In addition, the library includes objects for advanced studies cataloged within the CNGC, IC, Caldwell, and other lists, plus 25 user-defined celestial favorites.
Advantages of the Sky-Watcher EQ5 PRO
Equatorial Telescope Mounting SystemThe equatorial mount is the most versatile telescope platform ever designed. Without question it is the most popular and most utilized mounting system favored by amateur astronomers today worldwide. There are several important reasons for its popularity.
Versatility: In the process of becoming serious amateur astronomers, observers at some point often desire to vary their viewing routine. More often than not, this involves changing the optical configuration used for observing between reflective, refractive, or compound systems. It is a well-established fact that no one optical design serves every situation perfectly. The SW EQ5 PRO mount, for instance, will hold a large SW 6" refractor offering pristine, text-book-like images of subtle planetary surface phenomena. It will also carry a SW 10" Newtonian reflector with huge light-gathering capability for observing faint, gaseous filamentary structure in galaxies and nebulas. The versatile SW EQ5 PRO mount will also house a SW 11" Schmidt-Cassegrain optical tube assembly. In contrast, fork-mounts typically work with one telescope optical configuration only – there is no flexibility for changing optical tubes based on observing needs or preferences.
Portability: Equatorial mounts, like the Sky-Watcher EQ5 PRO, also offer great convenience to observers seeking portable equipment that disassembles into manageable components that can be easily lifted and carried. This is especially helpful with larger aperture optical systems. In contrast, one-piece optical tube/ mount configurations can be surprisingly heavy to lift and awkward to transport by one individual.
Stability and Balance: The equatorial mount is renowned for stability, and ease-of-use in achieving mechanical balance of the optical tube and mount. The SW EQ5 PRO is mechanically rigid, and mechanical motions are smooth and inherently vibration-free. An industrial strength tubular steel tripod is standard equipment.
Computer Operation: The SW EQ5 PRO Series offers manual or computerized operation. The revolutionary SW SynScan computer works seamlessly with the SW EQ5 PRO mount to facilitate effortless, automatic tracking and object location of over 30,000-objects.
Astrophotography: The equatorial mount is also the preferred platform for astrophotography. Why? An equatorial alignment facilitates astronomical tracking in just one axis, which is the best physical orientation for imaging the sky. Computerized altazimuth mounts track the sky in two axes, but this introduces undesirable field rotation. Field de-rotators have not proven to be particularly practical. Serious amateurs who own fork-mounted altazimuth telescopes, for instance, buy equatorial wedge adaptor plates to place between the tripod and mount. They then switch the telescope's tracking mode to equatorial. If you are seriously contemplating astrophotography, an equatorial mount is your best bet for insuring quality results.
Details
- Shipping Weight 96.00 lbs
- Optical Design: ED-APO refractor
- Lens Material: Crown front element; Fluorite 2nd lens
- Aperture (Diameter) 120mm
- Focal Length 1000mm F-Ratio F/8.3
- Highest Practical Power 240x
- Faintest Stellar Magnitude 12.8
- Resolving Power .96 arc sec
- Finderscope 8x50 Viewfinder
- Focuser Diameter 2"
- Diagonal: 2" Dielectric, 1.25" adapter
- Eyepiece(s) 1.25" Super Plossl 32mm and 10mm
- Mount Type: Equatorial
- Slow-Motion Control Computer micro-slewing
- Counterweight(s) 2 x 11 lb
- Piggyback Bracket Standard
- Accessory Tray Standard
- Motor Drive Micro-step stepper
- Go-To: SynScan
- Tube Weight 9 lbs
- Tube length: 40.5" long
- Tripod Height 34" to 48"
Was $2995.00 now $2945.00
Back-Ordered
