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• Advanced Coma-Free catadioptric designed to emulate the optical performance of a Ritchey-Chrétien telescope: 8” aperture catadioptric (2000mm focal length f/10). Fully multicoated UHTC (Ultra High Transmission Coatings) optics for 15% higher light transmission than standard single-layer optical coatings. The primary and secondary mirrors are crafted of low thermal expansion Pyrex optical glass. The corrector lens is made of water white glass, for up to 10% higher light transmission than conventional soda-lime (plate) glass. Oversized primary mirror for brighter field edge illumination. Aluminum tube construction with glare-stop baffling. Guaranteed diffraction-limited performance with a flatter field edge-to-edge than other commercially-available catadioptric optical systems. For more details, click on the “ACF UHTC optics” icon above.

• Finderscope: 8 x 50mm straight-through achromatic design in a quick-release dual ring bracket. The finder has a wide 5.8° field of view that makes it easy to locate objects. Focuses by loosening the trim ring behind the objective lens cell, screwing the lens cell in or out to focus, and tightening the trim ring to lock in the correct focus.

• Star diagonal: 1.25” prism type.

• Eyepiece: 1.25” 26mm Super Plössl eyepiece (77x) with a 0.65° field of view (30% wider than the full Moon) for sharp images of the lunar landscape, star clusters, and the brighter nebulas and galaxies. Higher-power lunar and planetary images, using optional eyepieces and/or Barlows, reveal subtle details that are often lost in telescopes of lesser optical resolution. Optional lower power eyepieces can give bright images encompassing volumes of space three lunar diameters across.

This Telescope’s Mount . . .

• Heavy duty LXD75 computerized German equatorial mount: The machined aluminum mount uses four precision stainless steel ball bearings to support the right ascension and declination axes for smooth motion in all directions. Dual-axis worm gear drives and electric slow motion controls are standard. Power for the drives is supplied by a battery pack that rests on the telescope’s accessory shelf and plugs into the control panel. The pack uses eight (user-supplied) D-cell batteries that will power the scope for as long as 40 hours. Optional adapters with 25’ cords are available for uninterrupted AC and 12 volt DC car battery operation, as well.
      The mount’s adjustable height tripod has tubular chromed steel legs with a center leg brace to add rigidity and excellent damping characteristics. A set of optional #895 vibration suppression pads under the tripod feet will even further improve telescope damping time for steadier high power observing. The center leg brace is drilled to form a convenient accessory tray that holds three 1.25” eyepieces to keep them up out of the dew-soaked grass.
      An adjustable dovetail slide bar allows the optical tube to be quickly and precisely balanced fore and aft on the mount, eliminating the need for an extra counterweight to balance a camera or other accessories. Setup and takedown times are exceptionally fast, as a single large hand-tighten knob holds the optical tube in place. For more details, click on the “LXD-75 mount” icon above.

• AutoStar computer hand control: The built-in Autostar dual-axis electronic control system has a database of 30,223 objects it can find and track for you, including the complete Messier, Caldwell, IC, and NGC catalogs, although not all objects are visible in this size scope. In addition to the 30,223 objects in its database, the Autostar can automatically move the scope to any object with known right ascension and declination coordinates.
      All of the database and scope operation information is displayed on a two line, 16-character, LED display on the hand control. A numeric keypad on the hand control gives complete control over the many, many Autostar functions and convenience features. On-screen operation instructions guide you through setup and use of the Autostar and a built-in help function is only a keystroke away.
      The computer uses a three-star alignment method to precisely align the scope’s optical and mechanical systems on the heavens. Alignment is easily accomplished in only a few short minutes. You can be observing in less than 15 minutes after you first take the scope outdoors. For more details, click on the “AutoStar computer” icon above.

• AutoStar Software Suite: This standard equipment software package is designed to integrate your telescope with your Windows-based PC or laptop computer for an enhanced range of performance features. The AutoStar Software Suite includes a planetarium program with a database of 19,000,000 stars and deep space objects for display on your computer screen. It includes all the standard planetarium program features for stand-alone use when nights are cloudy. In addition, it contains programs for controlling the telescope from your laptop or PC. For more details on the many capabilities and features of the AutoStar Software Suite, click on the “Autostar software” icon above.

What can you see through this scope:

    Given the right assortment of eyepieces, you can see virtually all the Universe! Under good seeing conditions, no less than six of Saturn’s moons can be seen shuttling around the visibly multi-ringed planet. Distant galaxies barely visible in other telescopes begin to show their essential structure. The UHTC multicoatings show nebular wisps and fragments with markedly wider extent than any identical aperture scope with standard coatings. Orion’s nebulosity often fills your entire field of view, particularly with a narrow band light pollution filter to increase the contrast of the fainter segments. Densely packed globular clusters are often resolved to the core. Thanks to the sharp coma-free field edge performance, all the stars in expansive open clusters stay sharply in focus across the full field, even in a very wide field eyepiece. Even cold and distant Pluto, a faint magnitude 13.8 speck, can occasionally be glimpsed making its lonely way across the skies under appropriate seeing conditions.
    While this 8” scope will perform well under mildly light-polluted suburban skies, it is at a remote site with truly dark and steady skies that you’ll best be able to take full advantage of all its superb optical performance and the extra light transmission of its UHTC optics. It’s not a scope that’s happy staying in a heavily light-polluted city or suburban observing environment. Luckily (actually more by design than by luck) the 8” LXD-75 ACF is a scope that one person can easily move to a dark sky site by himself or herself. A one-person setup once there is also reasonably easy to accomplish. Since the self-contained scope runs off flashlight batteries, there’s no need to haul power adapters or a portable power supply with you, making transport and setup easier still.
    This 8” scope has enough performance with its premium coma-free design and UHTC optics to keep you busy observing and photographing for the rest of your life. And the 8” LXD-75 ACF has virtually all the features you’ll ever need to keep you happy out in the field or in your backyard. So, from the standpoint of being the perfect balance of being big enough to keep you observing for many years to come, portable enough to make it easy for you to take the scope to the right site for observing, with superb optics and enough useful features to keep the most ardent gadget lover in seventh heaven ‘til the cows come home . . . and all at a price that won’t break the bank . . . the 8” LXD-75 ACF catadioptric with Advanced Coma-Free UHTC optics may indeed be the perfect scope for you.