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Refractors
Refractors are the only optical design that is unobstructed without a secondary mirror in the pathway of the
incoming light. This means that images will appear the sharpest, and sky background will be the darkest
with the greatest amount of contrast. Star images will appear as tiny minute pinpoints of light. Planetary detail
will be the sharpest of any optical design. Because of the unobstructed design, refractors are rated at 1.5 times
the performance of reflectors. So in other words a 5 inch refractor will deliver performance comparable to an
8 inch reflector with images being sharper and crisper with better contrast. Images are always right side up in
refractors which makes them good choices for terrestrial viewing as well.
     There are 2 types of refractors. Achromatic and Apochromatic.
The Achromatic type are the most common and the least expensive. They have one negative which is chromatic abberation or false color caused by the less expensive glass used in the objectives. This results in a slight bluish edging surrounding bright objects like moon, planets, and bright stars. It is not noticable on deep space objects such as galaxies, clusters, and nebulas. On the moon, a moon filter will cancell it out. On planets and bright stars a V-Block filter will also cancell it out. To many beginning and intermediate as well as
some advanced observers, Achromatic refractors give very pleasing views at a fraction of the cost of the more
expensive Apochromatics.
     The Apochromatic type are the most expensive, cost about 3 to 5 times as much as achromats and are considered the finest telescopes available, and produce the most perfect images. They use a type of glass
called ED glass, extra low dispersion glass, which cancells out nearly all of the chromatic abberation.
Additionally, the optics are given preferential treatment and are held to very high tolerances to produce
stunning images. Quality of the tube assemblies is usually higher than most achromatis as well.

Celestron
Onyx 80 EDF OTA........................................................................................................................$ 799
Nexstar 102 SLT (Go-To)............................................................................................................   479
Advance Series C6R-GT (Go-To)...............................................................................................1069

Meade
LXD75-AR5 AT (Go-To)................................................................................................................... 999
LXD75-AR6 AT (Go-To)..................................................................................................................1199

Orion
Sky View Pro 80 ED..........................................................................................................................799
Sky View Pro 80 ED (Go-To)........................................................................................................1249
Astro View 100 EQ............................................................................................................................ 419
Sky View Pro 100 ED......................................................................................................................1199
Sky View Pro 100 ED (Go-To)......................................................................................................1649
Astro View 120 ST EQ.......................................................................................................................519
Sky View Pro 120 EQ........................................................................................................................619
Sky View Pro 120 EQ (Go-To)......................................................................................................1069
Sky View Pro 120 ED .....................................................................................................................2399
Sky View Pro 120 ED (Go-To)......................................................................................................2849

Tele Vue
TELE VUE 60 OTA..............................................................................................................................825
TELE VUE 76 OTA........................................................................................................................... 1320
TELE VUE 76 COMPLETE..............................................................................................................1725
TELE VUE-85 OTA............................................................................................................................1750
TELE VUE-85 COMPLETE..............................................................................................................2150
TELE VUE NP 101............................................................................................................................ 3685
TELE VUE 102 OTA.......................................................................................................................... 2250
TELE VUE 102 COMPLETE.............................................................................................................2685
TELE VUE NP 127is...........................................................................................................................6985

Vixen
ED 80 SF with Porta Mount..............................................................................................................999
ED 100 SF with Porta Mount..........................................................................................................1599
ED 103 S with GPD2 Mount............................................................................................................3099
ED 103 S with SPHINX MOUNT.....................................................................................................3899
ED 115 S with GPD2 Mount............................................................................................................4099
ED 115 S with SPHINX MOUNT.....................................................................................................4899
ED 130 S OPTICAL TUBE ASSEMBLY.........(ONE OF ONLY A FEW IN USA).....................4500

Newtonians
NEWTONIANS OFFER THE BIGGEST BANG FOR THE BUCK. THEY COST LESS PER INCH OF APERTURE THAN ANY OTHER OPTICAL DESIGN. IN LONG FOCAL LENGTHS FROM F/8 DOWN TO F/5 THEY OFFER GOOD RESOLUTION SUITABLE FOR BOTH PLANETARY AND DEEP SKY OBSERVING. IN SHORT FOCAL LENGTHS FROM F/5 DOWN TO F3.5 THEY ARE BETTER SUITED FOR JUST DEEP SKY. GENERALLY THE BIGGER THEY GET THE SHORTER THE FOCAL LENGTHS GET IN ORDER TO KEEP THE SIZE PRACTICAL. IF LOTS OF LIGHT GATHERING POWER IS A REQUIREMENT TO SEARCH OUT FAINT DEEP SKY OBJECTS, THEN NEWTONIANS ARE AN EXCELLENT CHOICE. THEY ARE THE MOST ECONOMICAL TYPE OF LARGE APERTURE TELESCOPE. EVEN THOUGH NEWTONIANS REQUIRE MORE ADJUSTMENTS THAN OTHER SCOPES, THEY ARE LESS DELICATE AND CAN TAKE MORE ABUSE.

CELESTRON

6.0 C6-NGT ............................................................................................................................................799
8.0 C8-NGT...........................................................................................................................................1019
10.0 C10-NGT.......................................................................................................................................1199

DISCOVERY

6.0 DHQ DOBSONIAN F/5.................................................................................................................. 339
6.0 DHQ DOBSONIAN F/8..................................................................................................................339
8.0 DHQ DOBSONIAN F/6................................................................................................................. 449
8.0 DHQ DOBSONIAN F/7................................................................................................................. 449
8.0 PREMIUM DHQ F/6 DOBSONIAN...............................................................................................799
8.0 PREMIUM DHQ F/7 DOBSONIAN...............................................................................................799
10.0 DHQ DOBSONIAN   F/4.5.......................................................................................................... 649
10.0 DHQ DOBSONIAN F/5.6............................................................................................................ 649
10.0 PREMIUM DHQ F/4.5 DOBSONIAN......................................................................................... 999
10.0 PREMIUM DHQ F/6 DOBSONIAN............................................................................................ 999
12.5 PREMIUM DHQ F/5 DOBSONIAN...........................................................................................1299
12.5 TD F/5 TRUSS TUBE DOBSONIAN........................................................................................1999
15.0 PREMIUM DHQ F/4.5 DOBSONIAN........................................................................................1799
15.0 TD F/5 TRUSS TUBE DOBSONIAN....................................................................................... 2699
17.5 PREMIUM DHQ F/5 DOBSONIAN............................................................................................2499
17.5 TD F/5 TRUSS TUBE DOBSONIAN........................................................................................3399
24.0 TD F/5 TRUSS TUBE DOBSONIAN........................................................................................8999

MEADE

6.0 LXD75 SN-6AT F/5 SCHMIDT-NEWTONIAN (GO-TO)........................................................... 999
8.0 LXD75 SN-8AT F/4 SCHMIDT-NEWTONIAN (GO-TO)..........................................................1199
8.0 LIGHT BRIDGE F/6 TRUSS TUBE NEWTONIAN-DOBSONIAN............................................499
10.0 LXD75 SN-10AT F/4 SCHMIDT-NEWTONIAN (GO-TO).......................................................1399
10.0 LIGHT BRIDGE F/5 TRUSS TUBE NEWTONIAN-DOBSONIAN..........................................699
12.0 LIGHT BRIDGE F/5 TRUSS TUBE NEWTONIAN-DOBSONIAN..........................................899
16.0 LIGHT BRIDGE F/4.5 TRUSS TUBE NEWTONIAN-DOBSONIAN.....................................1849

ORION

4.5 STARBLAST DOBSONIAN F/4................................................................................................. 179
6.0 ASTROVIEW 6 EQ F/5.................................................................................................................. 419
6.0 XT-6 CLASSIC DOBSONIAN F/8.............................................................................................. 269
8.0 XT-8 CLASSIC DOBSONIAN F/5.9 .......................................................................................... 369
8.0 SKYVIEW PRO 8 EQ F/4.9........................................................................................................... 629
8.0 SKYVIEW PRO 8 (GO-TO) F/4.9............................................................................................... 1079
10.0 XT-10 CLASSIC DOBSONIAN F/4.7......................................................................................   549
10.0 ATLAS 10 EQ-G F/4.7............................................................................................................... 1649
10.0 ATLAS 10 EQ (GO-TO) F/4.7.................................................................................................... 1949
12.0 XT-12 CLASSIC DOBSONIAN F/4.9......................................................................................... 899

Schmidt-Cassegrains
SCHMIDT-CASSEGRAINS ARE NOTED FOR BEING THE MOST COMPACT OF ALL TELESCOPE DESIGNS. THEY CAN BE EASILY TRANSPORTED AND STORED IN A LIMITED AMOUNT OF SPACE. THEY CAN SERVE AS BOTH TERRESTRIAL AND ASTRONOMICAL SCOPES IN THE 5 AND 8 INCH SIZES. THERE ARE MORE ACCESSORIES AVAILABLE FOR SCHMIDT-CASSEGRAINS THAN ANY OTHER TELESCOPE. THEY ARE THE PREFERRED SCOPE TO BE ADAPTED TO 'GO-TO' COMPUTERIZATION. HAVING SHORT TUBES THEY TEND TO HAVE LESS VIBRATION PROBLEMS THAN SCOPES WITH LONGER TUBES. SCHMIDTS DO BETTER AS DEEP SKY TELESCOPES THAN AS PLANETARY SCOPES.   DUE TO THEIR LARGE CENTRAL OBSTRUCTIONS, CONTRAST AND SHARPNESS IS NOT QUITE AS CRISP AS IN REFRACTORS, LONG FOCAL LENGTH NEWTONIANS, OR MAKSUTOVS.   AS GENERAL PURPOSE TELESCOPES THEY ARE A GOOD CHOICE IF COMPACTNESS AND PORTABILITY IS IMPORTANT.

CELESTRON
5.0 NEXSTAR 5SE (GO-TO)................................................................................................................799
6.0 NEXSTAR 6SE (GO-TO)................................................................................................................999
8.0 C6-SGT (GO-TO)..............................................................................................................................999
8.0 C8-SGT (GO-TO)............................................................................................................................1514
8.0 NEXSTAR 8SE (GO-TO)...............................................................................................................1399
8.0 CPC800 GPS (GO-TO)..................................................................................................................1999
8.0 CGE800 (GO-TO)...........................................................................................................................3654
9.2 CPC 925 GPS (GO-TO)..................................................................................................................2499
9.2 C9 1/4-SGT (GO-TO).................................................................................................................... 1999
9.2 CGE925 (GO-TO)............................................................................................................................4019
11.0 C11-SGT.........................................................................................................................................2279
11.0 CPC1100 GPS (GO-TO)............................................................................................................. 2799
11.0 CGE1100 (GO-TO)...................................................................................................................... 4424
14.0 CGE1400 (GO-TO)...................................................................................................................... 6134

MEADE

8.0 LXD75-ACF-8AT ADVANCED COMA-FREE (GO-TO)........................................................... 1499
8.0 8LX90-ACFADVANCED COMA-FREE (GO-TO)......................................................................2099
8.0 8LX200-ACF ADVANCED COMA-FREE (GO-TO).................................................................. 2899
10.0 10LX90-ACF ADVANCED COMA-FREE (GO-TO)..................................................................2799
10.0 10LX200-ACF ADVANCED COMA-FREE (GO-TO)...............................................................3999
12.0 12LX90-ACF ADVANCED COMA-FREE (GO-TO)..................................................................3399
12.0 12LX200-ACF ADVANCED COMA-FREE (GO-TO)...............................................................4999
14.0 14LX200-ACF ADVANCED COMA-FREE (GO-TO)...............................................................6999
16.0 16LX200-ACF ADVANCED COMA-FREE (GO-TO)..............................................................14999


Maksutov-Cassegrains
MAKSUTOVS HAVE BEEN LONG REGARDED AS SCOPES OF HIGH QUALITY. ON THE PERFORMANCE SCALE THEY ARE ONLY SECOND TO REFRACTORS IN PRODUCING HIGH CONTRAST SHARP IMAGES. THEY ARE JUST AS COMPACT AS SCHMIDT-CASSEGRAINS AND HAVE THE SAME HANDLING ATTRIBUTES. THEY HAVE AN ADVANTAGE OF NEVER NEEDING COLLIMATION. PHOTOGRAPHICALLY THEY TEND TO BE SOMEWHAT SLOW AS FAR AS TERRESTRIAL APPLICATIONS ARE CONCERNED. THEY ARE ALMOST THE IDEAL COMPROMISE IN A TELESCOPE. THEY DO WELL AT PLANETARY AND AT DEEP SKY IN THE 5 TO 7 INCH SIZES. EVEN THOUGH THERE ARE FEWER MODELS AVAILABLE THEY ARE GAINING IN POPULARITY DUE TO THEIR GOOD IMAGING AND COMPACTNESS. THEY ALSO ARE A VERY GOOD MULTIPURPOSE SCOPE, FINE FOR ASTRONOMY AND
TERRESTRIAL APPLICATIONS.

CELESTRON

4.0 NEXSTAR 4 SE (GO-TO)..................................................................................................................599

MEADE

3.5 ETX 90-PE   (GO-TO)..........................................................................................................................599
5.0 ETX 125-PE   (GO-TO)........................................................................................................................899

ORION

5.0 STARMAX 127 EQ...............................................................................................................................619
5.0 SKYVIEW PRO 127 EQ...................................................................................................................... 699
5.0 SKYVIEW PRO 127 (GO-TO)...........................................................................................................1149
6.0 SKYVIEW PRO 150 EQ.......................................................................................................................949
6.0 SKYVIEW PRO 150 (GO-TO)...........................................................................................................1399
7.0 SKYVIEW PRO 180 EQ....................................................................................................................1549
7.0 SKYVIEW PRO 180 (GO-TO).......................................................................................................... 1999
7.0 SIRIUS 180 EQ-G...............................................................................................................................1999
7.0 SIRIUS 180 EQ-G (GO-TO).............................................................................................................. 2349

QUESTAR

3.5 QUESTAR..............................................................................................................................................CALL
7.0 QUESTAR............................................................................................................................................. CALL