Astro-Tech AT60EDP 60mm f/5 Dual ED Petzval OTA

I'm entirely happy with the mechanics and finish of the AT60EDP. The focuser and camera rotator rings have virtually no play and are not overly firm to adjust. The finish of the AT60EDP is first rate. The glass coatings are even and show no signs of being mis-applied. Thus far, I've been imaging mostly open and globular clusters (waiting for galaxy season to start) and the clarity and sharpness of this Petzval design is first rate. I'm able to reach deeper into the images to resolve and bring out the fainter stars which I never could before. I attribute this to the ED glass and Petzval design. My ultimate targets are wide-field nebulae and molecular clouds. I'm sure the AT60EDP will perform admirably when those targets are in better position. If one is looking for a capable astrograph in this aperture range, I heartily recommend this little Petzval gem of a 'scope. (Posted on 4/18/2024)

Great job on this one. It really has nice wide angle view. (Posted on 4/1/2024)

So after buying and selling several wide field scopes I ended up buying this when it was on sale I think the price is still the same. The scope is amazing no more dealing with back focus issues or flatteners I just put a camera on the back and things work great. The color is amazing I get no chromatic aberration. Things you should know about the scope it does weigh about 7 lbs. That's expected because it has a flattener and a reducer or whatever it is all built into the scope. It's a quality piece of equipment, there is a bit of a trade-off in that it's never going to be any faster than the F5 that it is. That's not a terrible speed but in today's standards it's not lightning fast either, I'm okay with that because the faster scopes all also tend to have some issue with color correction. This is crystal clear. I did a lot of research between this scope and the redcat. When comparing the RedCat 51 to this scope it was a pretty close comparison you just get a better resolution with the bigger aperture from this scope, when you compare the redcat 61 to this it's really close in specs, but the red cat costs twice as much. I'm super happy with this scope. I've tried it with several cameras The largest sensor I've used is the ASI 2600 MC, which is an aps-c crop. There is no vignetting, and the image circle is completely filled. I would guess this will fill a full frame sensor as well I just haven't tried it yet. (Posted on 3/29/2024)

I purchased the Astro-Tech AT60EDP looking for a widefield scope to take images of vast areas of the sky. Was also looking to not have to hassle with focal reducers and the tedious spacing that is sometimes required. Did I get that with the AT60EDP....... yep, I absolutely did. This scope works beautifully with my ASI2600MM-Pro with pinpoint stars across the entire field. Just attach your camera and start imaging! The build quality is fantastic with a solid and smooth focuser. This is a solid piece of astro gear that you will be happy to own. Highly recommend! (Posted on 1/3/2024)

I have a pretty good setup, a RASA8, an Esprit 120mm, and a TV-85, but I liked some of the wider field views I saw on NightSkiesNetwork.com and posted on the web. People whose advice I often take were pointing me at the Red Cat and the Askar FRA300. Then I saw the AT60EDP on sale and thought why not? I ordered one along with adapters to fit a GGE rail and a ZWO focuser. Shipment was prompt and the box arrived with the usual signs of gentle handling but no damage.
The only issue, and it was minor, was that the handle was not aligned with the scope. Two minutes work to fix and then I mounted it on top of the RASA 8.
With a Player One Poseidon (IMX572) camera installed I grabbed some frames and put them through the CCD analyzer in ASTAP - the report was trivial tilt and round stars in the corners. So far, I've used the scope with two filters, an SVBony220 (dual narrow band) and an Antlia quad-band. I am well pleased with this scope. I have to remind myself that it is an f/5 and not an f/2 RASA but give it some time and the result is very pleasing. Some areas just beg for a wide field view.
The focuser and the rotator both work just as they should. As promised the ZWO focuser was an easy to install. (Posted on 12/2/2023)

I've bought a lot of Astronomy Equipment and you usually get what you pay for. However, this little scope far exceeded my expectations. First, its construction is solid as a rock making it a bit heavy but manageable. Everything works as it should from the two speed focuser to the extending dew shield. I received it yesterday and really wanted to try it out on a clear Moonless night like last night. I have a C11 Edge HD and Astro-Physics 130 Starfire mounted side by side and found a place between them on the AP 1100 GTO mount. Not wanting to disturb my Flat recordings on the ZWO cameras I mounted an old Canon 60-Da on the AT60-EDP. Then shot several wide field views of different nebula. The results were great. Round stars to the edge of the field as promised. Color far exceeded what I was expecting and the ability to focus with a small focusing mask was very easy. Overall, a true five star value in performance, construction and price. (Posted on 10/19/2023)