Sky-Watcher Skymax 127 AZ-GTi 127mm f/12 GoTo Maksutov-Cassegrain Telescope

This 127mm (5") aperture Sky-Watcher Maksutov-Cassegrain provides exceptional high contrast/high resolution solar system images at a very sensible price. You can see the phases of Mercury and Venus; lunar rilles and craters less than three miles across; Martian polar caps and major dark surface features; cloud belts on Jupiter, with some detail in the belts, plus the shadows of Jupiter's moons on the planet during transits; Cassini's division in Saturn's rings on a regular basis, plus four or five of its moons; and Uranus and Neptune visible as very small discs.

Outside the solar system, the high resolution 127mm Sky-Watcher will show you dozens of globular clusters, emission nebulas, planetary nebulas, and galaxies; all of the Messier objects and many of the brighter NGC objects from a dark sky site (with some internal detail visible in many nebulas, although most galaxies will remain relatively featureless hazy patches). It can also be used as a very high performance terrestrial spotting scope.

Features of this 127mm Sky-Watcher Maksutov-Cassegrain . . .

Maksutov-Cassegrain optics: 5" (127mm) aperture, 1500mm focal length, f/11.8 optical system. The system's Maksutov corrector lens is fully multi-coated on both sides with multiple layers of anti-reflection materials for high light transmission and good contrast.

Internal focuser: Focuses by moving the primary mirror fore and aft in the optical tube by means of a large focusing knob on the rear cell.

Star diagonal: 2" 90° mirror type.

2" eyepiece: The 2" 54x eyepiece is a fully multi-coated three-element Sky-Watcher 28mm LET design with a long 20mm eye relief and a twist-up eyecup. The eyepiece field of view is little over 1° across, more than twice the diameter of the full Moon, for expansive views of the Moon, nebulas, and globular star clusters.

Finder: 6 x 30mm straight-through dark crosshair achromatic refractor.

Dovetail: Vixen-style dovetail for installing the scope on any altazimuth or equatorial mount that uses a Vixen-style saddle.

Warranty: two years.

This is a loaded lightweight mount.

The free SynScan Pro app for Android and iOS devices turns this mount into a serious observation machine with 42,900 objects in its database.  The AZ-GTi also has periodic error correction, backlash compensation, tours, and a DSLR camera control.  I can not state enough just how fuil featured this mount is.  The built-in wifi connection allows you to connect without needing an additonal router or internet connection.  With a payload capacity of 11 pounds most small to medium sized instruments should be right at home. Built in clutch knobs on both axis allow for easy movement by hand. With certain mounts when you move the scope by hand you will lose your computer alignment.  Not with this one.  The dual encoders will keep exact axis aligment when you unlock the mount and move the scope manually. Once you are locked in and tracking the DC servo motors run quietly and have minimum vibration. The mount runs on eight user-supplied AA batteries.

So, you want to know what exactly the SynScan App does? One this it doesn't do is cost money.  It is free at the app store.  The app will control the mount wirelessly allowing you to align, move, control from your device.  The GPS unit will automatically update your location, day, date, time making it even easier to line up your mount.  Once you get it all aligned the SynScan has a fantastic tour abilty taking you around the night sky to the best objects that are available.  It has three tracking rates (solar, lunar, and sidereal) as well as 10 slewing speeds.

And in closing, we can talk about the 5.3 pound tripod and pier extension.  The tripod is an adjustable height tripod with aluminum legs.  Its maximum height is 43.3" and the extension pier will give you a few more inches making night time viewing a tad more comfortable while keeping vibration at a minimum.  The tripod legs will spread to 42.3 inches and are held in place with a spreader tray that is designed to hold personal effects or accessories while you are out observing.  The feet of the AZ-GTi are spiked to increase stability when you are on different types of terrain or soft ground.