Product Description
AT152EDT Triplet Apo Refrator Technical Highlights
Aperture: 152 mm
Focal length: 1216 mm
Focal ratio: f/8
Weight: 28 pounds
The AT152EDT is an extension of the incredibly well received EDT series from Astro-Tech. We wanted to bring the best value and performance that we possibly could in a large refractor. We feel this is truly a lifetime instrument.
The AT152EDT comes with a 3.7" Dual Speed Racking and Pinion focuser that rotates and has 98mm of travel. Also, 4" of extension can be removed between the focuser and the body to change the backfocus from 140mm to 210mm. This comes in handy for astro-photography rigs and well as binoviewers. The interior of the focuser is lined with micro baffles to help with stray light. The focuser has many different ways to thread equipment on. The various thread sizes are M100x1 female thread, M92x1 female thread, M68x1 female thread. The optional .72x Reducer Field flattener threads directly on to the rear of the focuser. The visual end of the focuser uses a 2" to 1.25" Secure-Lock compression ring to make sure your eyepieces are locked in. The tube length with the dewshield retracted is 44.5" long.
The objective uses FK61 as a center element with Lanthanum as the rear element. This combination provides excellent color correction and is fully multi-coated. The elements are housed in a temperature compensated cell that is collimatable.
The dew shield is retractable and has a locking screw.
The scope comes with CNC tube rings with a Losmandy style dovetail on one side and a Vixen Style dovetail/handle on the other. A vixen style finder scope shoe is pre-installed on the focuser body.
Tech Details
Aperture | 6" |
---|---|
Focal Length | 1216mm |
Focal Ratio | f/8 |
Heaviest Single Component | 28 pounds |
Weight | 28 pounds |
Optical Coatings | Fully Mutli-Coated |
Supplied Eyepiece | None |
Telescope Type | Refractor |
View Finder | None |
Visual Limiting Magnitude | 12.7 |
Warranty | 1 year |
Back Focus | 140mm to 210mm |
Reviews
Performance: WOW. What superlative could do this scope justice? I hit a bunch of double-stars with ~1 second separation. They all split beautifully. Stars show textbook airy disks. I swung the scope over to Mars as it was now pulling away from Earth and was less than 10 arc seconds in size. I expected to just see a red blob. Noooo. I could see details on the surface. It looked better than it did at opposition.
Bottom line: Any problems I had with the scope were easily fixable. I noticed that the focuser was of very high quality (so I don't think I'll replace it), the alignment of the lens was right-on (and if it wasn't, it could be adjusted), there was no false color ever seen on any target including the usual suspects: the moon and Vega. Any optical aberrations were always the fault of the eyepiece being used. Contrast was mind-blowing. This is the scope I've been wanting since I was a tadpole. (Posted on 6/29/2019)
The telescope doesn't have some of the fancy features of other products of the same aperture. No carbon fiber tube, no finder scope included, no eyepieces or diagonal. Aw, gee! You mean I have to provide those myself? If that's a show-stopper, select another telescope. However, the features it does have are deluxe. The dual-speed focuser was very smooth and essentially without backlash. The entire focuser may be easily rotated to frame an object in a camera exactly as you wish. The 2" and 1.25" eyepiece holders use a rotary compression mechanism to very positively hold an eyepiece or camera without leaving any sort of marks on the eyepiece barrel.
It's heavy, 28 pounds without finder, diagonal, or eyepiece. Sorry, it's a fact of life. Bigger telescopes weigh more. You'll need a sturdy mounting to support it. A lot of that weight is in the exquisitely-crafted triplet of high-quality glass in the front. If that's what it takes to get that kind of performance, I'll certainly not complain.
I love this telescope and I'm very happy I purchased it.
(Posted on 3/10/2019)