Your partner for astronomy

New Products

Blog Archives

New: Improvement to the Orion-Dobsons and the Skywatcher EQ-5, new QHY camera and apos by William Optics!

October 27 2017, Stefan Taube

We would like to present to you a small selection of items that we included in the range recently:

1.Orion Dobson telescope N 254/1200 SkyQuest XT10 PLUSOrion XT10 PLUS

Dobson telescopes with 10-inch aperture by Orion are, of course, nothing new. Orion now offers its 10-inch in an improved PLUS version.

New features:

  • Friction brake for the height axis. This enables the use of heavy eyepieces.
  • Filters for observing the sun in safety.
  • Crayford focuser with reduction for fine focusing.
  • 2″ wide-angle eyepiece and Barlow lens
  • Eyepiece tray

With the XT10 PLUS you will receive an easy-to-use telescope with small improvements for even better performance and more fun during your observation sessions!

There is also an 8-inch Dobson by Orion in this improved version: XT8 PLUS.

 

2. Skywatcher mount AZ-EQ-5-GT SynScan GoTo

The AZ-EQ-5 mount by Skywatcher is actually not new. You will receive this mount immediately with a classic tripod as you known it with other mounts. Until now, Skywatcher delivered the mount with a column where the tripod legs didn’t fit right under the mount. This tripod was very compact for carrying, but not as sturdy as the classic tripod.

The AZ-EQ-5 mount is a real all-purpose mount that can take up to 15 kg: It is very light to carry and can be operated in either equatorial or azimuthal position, so for either astrophotography or for simple observation.

The mount is, thanks to the toothed belt drive, relatively light and fitted with the latest version of the SynScan computer control system.

 

3. William Optics apochromatic refractor AP 61/360 ZenithStar 61

Are there any astrophotographers who don’t dream of an apo by William Optics? With the ZenithStar series you will receive a lens telescope in William-Optics quality at a fair price!

The small optics with an aperture ratio of f/5.9 weigh less than 1.5 kg and can be combined with a photo mount. You will receive a light, compact system for travel with which you will achieve amazing wide-angle shots of nebula regions of the Milky way – all that’s missing is the suitable flattener and a DSLR camera.

 

4. ALccd-QHY camera 9c Colour

Alccd-QHY-9c

We are constantly extending our range of cameras by ALccd-QHY. We have recently added the the 9c Colour camera. It has a Kodak KAF-8300 sensor: 8.9 megapixels with a 22.5 mm diagonal and 5.4 µm pixels.

The most important information;

  • The chip is fitted with microlenses.
  • The active cooling with a larger fan cools down the camera to 50 °C under the ambient temperature.
  • The 32 MB SDRAM buffer ensures a quiet transfer of the images.

This camera meets the high requirements of advanced astrophotographers.

Compact and smart: The new mount AZ-GTi from Skywatcher

October 20 2017, Stefan Taube

Astronomy with a smartphone:

It all began with telescopes of the series Nexstar Evolution: Celestron equipped this series with WIFI, so that they can be controlled via mobile units by using the SkyPortal app.

The graphic user interface offers many possibilities and can be intuitively controlled. The omission of a hand controller is another benefit of controlling the system via an app. This way one needs only a limited amount of equipment.

Now available: The new AZ-GTi from Skywatcher:

The mount AZ-GTi GoTo WiFi from Skywatcher is completely new. It carries telescopes with a weight of up to 5 kilogrammes, which can be directed to almost 10,000 sky objects via a smartphone using the SynScan app.

AZ-GTi

With this GoTo control even beginners will easily find their way around the sky. The mount not only swings the telescope to the desired object, but also keeps on tracking, keeping the object in the eyepiece, despite the earth’s rotation.

The mount AZ-GTi is an azimuthal mount, which, in contrast to an equatorial mounting does not permit astrophotography with longer exposure times. However, azimuthal mounts are smaller, lighter and ready more quickly for use than equatorial mounts.

Skywatcher AZ-GTi telescopes:

Skywatcher currently offers the AZ-GTi in three sets. The most inexpensive set is the Explorer-130PS AZ-GTi. Here you can obtain the mount with a Newton telescope and an aperture of 130 millimetres. The combination is not only more reasonable in price, but also has the biggest mirror optics and thus the highest light gathering capacity.

The combination with the 127mm Maksutov is also very interesting: SkyMax-127 AZ-GTi GoTo WiFi. Despite its high focal length, the Maksutov still has a short tube and, as a closed system, is almost indestructible.

An app for the mobile unit offers more possibilities than a hand controller, and the smartphone is always close at hand. Controlling the system via smartphone makes sense especially for small mounts.

Photos taken of the sun in H-Alpha light with the filter QUARK and the new ToupTek camera.

October 13 2017, Stefan Taube

Our Spanish Colleague Carlos Malagon has a clear view of our day star almost every day. He sent us this image of the sun he had taken with the new camera EP3CMOS02300KMC from ToupTek:

H-Alpha-Sonne

The image shows the chromosphere of the sun: This is a part of the sun’s atmosphere above the photosphere, appearing in light with a wavelength of 656 nanometres. This wavelength is also referred to as H-Alpha. It represents a certain excitement condition of the hydrogen atoms in the sun’s atmosphere. At the edge of the sun you see a very nice protuberance.

Besides the camera from ToupTek Carlos Malagon used the H-Alpha filter QUARK from DayStar and the Omegon Pro Apo 80/500 on the mount SkyWatcher Star Adventurer.

This small mount is ideal for travelling. It carries a camera with small optics and tracks it parallel to the rotation of the sky. The Star Adventurer can be screwed on any photo tripod. For this purpose, Carlos Malagon used the Omegon aluminium tripod Titania 500. The photo below shows the complete equipment.

Carlos_Ausrüstung

By the way: Since the sun filter QUARK can simply be inserted into the eyepiece holder between camera and telescope, it can also be quickly removed. The easy to handle equipment can then be simply used to take photos of the night sky.

New telescopes from Omegon: On the right track with Advanced X and ProDob Dobson

October 6 2017, Stefan Taube

The new Omegon telescopes are impressive instruments for any visual stargazer. With the Advanced X and ProDob Dobsonian telescopes, gazing at planets, nebulae and galaxies becomes a lot of fun. Just as with other equipment? No. Because these telescopes are in many ways a lot better than other Dobson telescopes.

Both new series are equipped with a particularly good mirror with up to 94% reflection for bright images. And with a fan which allows you to start observing even earlier.

The Dobson telescopes from Omegon consist of only two parts. Even if you have a stressful day and little time, these telescopes will provide you with many pleasant stargazing hours. Because set up only takes a few minutes, you can start stargazing almost instantaneously. And all this for a lower price than comparable models on an equatorial mount.

Omegon now offers two new Dobson series – in excellent workmanship.

Omegon Dobson telescope Advanced X

A fast telescope for easy observation of planets, star clusters, nebulae and galaxies. Excellent workmanship, consisting of only two parts and very easy to operate. Suitable for any Astro beginner, because no axes need to be aligned. A simple principle: Set up and watch.

  • Teflon pads in height and azimuth axis
  • Primary mirror with 94% mirror coating
  • Primary mirror fan
  • 2” Crayford focuser
  • 8×50 finderOmegon Dobson Teleskop Advanced X

Omegon Dobson telescope ProDob

To make sure that you always stay on track when observing!

Omegon Pro Dobson telescopes for successful stargazing nights.

The new friction system makes the exact alignment and tracking of sky objects an even simpler task. The axes run in needle bearings in azimuth and ball bearings in the height axis, instead of Teflon pads.

This allows even lighter navigation of the telescope and extremely soft following of your movements. Keep celestial objects in your field of view, even with high magnification. An unbeatable advantage! For this purpose the range of high-quality accessories includes: e.g. the Omegon SWA 32mm eyepiece. It is of a much better quality than many other eyepieces, which are normally part of the scope of delivery of other telescopes. Our customers’ reviews: “Super!”, “Simply high-class.” or “[…] just perfect and good”.

 

  • Friction system: ultra-soft and precise movement
  • Needle bearings: soft and exact movement in azimuth – even with just one finger
  • Primary mirror with 94% mirror coating
  • Primary mirror fan: quicker cooling, ready faster for stargazing
  • Red dot finder Deluxe, premium eyepiece 2” SWA 32mmOmegon Dobson Teleskop ProDob

No matter whether you’re a beginner or an advanced stargazer: With an Omegon Dobson under the dark sky, you will experience everything the universe has to offer. If you are looking for a telescope for visual observations you should buy a Omegon Advanced X or ProDob telescope.

Skywatcher AZ-5: The new azimuthal mount for small optics

September 29 2017, Stefan Taube

A small all-around mount for nature observations and star gazing. It does not always have to be the biggest telescope, many times you just want to have a glance at the Moon, planets or the Milky Way. For this purpose, the new mount AZ-5 Deluxe from Skywatcher is just ideal!

Skywatcher Montierung AZ-5 Deluxe mit Stativ

This mount is able to carry optics of up to five kilogrammes, whereby the standardised prism rail connection also accepts telescopes from manufacturers other than Skywatcher. With an optionally available L-holder one can also connect binoculars or a spotting scope with a camera screw.

The AZ-5 Deluxe is equipped with a friction clutch for quick adjustment of the desired object: Simply apply slight pressure to the tube to move the optics to the right direction. Sensitive fine tuning and tracking is then accomplished via two flexible shafts. The mount and optics rest on a sturdy aluminium tripod.

The mount can also be used for nature observations. The fork arm can be adjusted in various positions, so that looking down into a valley is also possible.

Skywatcher also offers the AZ-5 Deluxe in a set with different optics. We would like to briefly introduce these sets:

Explorer_130

The Explorer-130PS AZ-5 is a Newton telescope. Telescopes of this design offer the largest aperture for your money. They gather more light from faint star clusters and galaxies than other telescopes of the same price range.

This telescope in combination with the mount is well suited for beginners who would just like to watch, but not take any photos, and who are looking for a simple instrument for occasional observing sessions on the balcony.

Startravel-102

The name Startravel-102 AZ-5 stands for an achromatic refractor. This optical system is slightly more expensive than the Newton, but has some advantages. The refractor provides sharper images, because it has no secondary mirror in the optical path.

Even experienced stargazers may have lots of fun with this instrument, because it is very quickly set up for use and then enables the observation of large sky fields (“Rich field”) and comets. Equipped with a 45°-Amici-Prism, it is well suited for nature observations.

Skymax-127

The Maksutov Skymax-127 AZ-5 has been a very popular instrument for many years. With its large focal length, it brings the Moon, planets or other objects very close, even on a bright day, with sharp contours.

In combination with a motorised mount, this telescope’s optics are highly suitable for photographic purposes. Looking at it this way, the set Skymax-127 AZ-5 is an investment in the future or a supplement, if you already have an astronomical mount, but would additionally like to have a light AZ-mount and Maksutov optics.

 

 

Useful helpers: StarSense AutoAlign for Skywatcher mounts

September 22 2017, Stefan Taube

People who already have a Celestron mount know about the StarSense AutoAlign module for the automatic alignment of the mount. However, Celestron also offers this technology for Skywatcher mounts: The Celestron StarSense AutoAlign module for Skywatcher.

StarSense AutoAlign Modul

Why is this accessory useful?

Mounts with integrated computer control (“GoTo”) enable the search for sky objects from a database, simply by pressing a button. For this to work correctly, the computer needs some information, like date, time, observation location and alignment of the telescope right at the beginning. You can only use the GoTo control, after having completed the alignment procedure. The StarSense AutoAlign module is a convenient helper who will do most of the work involved.

For this purpose, the module is mounted to the optical tube and not to the finder scope. An integrated camera scans the night sky and runs the alignment automatically. If you are using an azimuthal mount with GPS (e.g. a Celestron CPC) the initialisation and alignment of the telescope will run fully automatically. You only need to switch the telescope on, and wait for approx. three minutes, until it is ready for star gazing!

When using an equatorial mount, you must also align the polar axis with the polar star. Also in this case, the StarSense AutoAlign module will help you: The hand controller of the module will assist you in the polar alignment, so that you don’t need a pole finder. Once the polar axis has been aligned, any further alignment will be automatically performed by the camera, just as with an azimuthal mount.

Use the possibilities of the StarSense AutoAlign for Skywatcher or Celestron for even more fun with your hobby!

iOptron: A variety of astronomical mounts

September 15 2017, Stefan Taube

Mounts from iOptron are becoming more and more popular, not only in the USA, but also in Europe. Reasons for this also include product diversity, mechanical quality and excellent equipment. Let us introduce a selection of mounts from  iOptron:

The iEQ45 Pro GoTo is of particular interest for astro-photographers.

iEQ45

The mount can support twenty kilogrammes and is thus in the size range that is preferred by most ambitious amateur astronomers. It can also accommodate ample sized optics, but is still easy to transport. The tripod with its 50 millimetre legs ensures stability.

While stargazing, the iEQ45 Pro is quickly ready for use. Its readiness is assured by the integrated GPS, the electronically supported alignment of the mount with the polar star and the various initialisation methods for the GoTo system. The GoTo system will assist you in finding your way through the sky. The iEQ45 Pro is equipped with an eight-line remote to make sure that you won’t lose track.

If you are a novice and would like to start slightly smaller, then the CEM25P GoTo would be the right choice. This mount is available for a considerably lower price, but still is able to carry 12 kilogrammes. A 6-inch Newton telescope is a good match for this mount.

 

Unbelievably quiet and load-bearing AZ Pro GoTo

AZPro

The only time you need an equatorial mount is when you want to take photos of faint nebulae and galaxies. In all other cases, the azimuthal mount AZ Pro GoTo is a highly interesting alternative. The AZ Pro is simply remarkable: It works almost silently, when carrying even heavy optics of up to 15 kilogrammes!

This mount does this with all imaginable comfort: Large display, GPS, automatic alignment and installed power pack. You don’t need a Powertank! Without an external power supply and due to its dice-shape design, the AZ Pro is very compact – more mobility is hardly possible!

With an azimuthal mount of this kind, you can, in addition to visual observations, also take photos of the Moon and planets, or use the Atik Infinity camera for video astronomy.

 

The smallest mount from iOptron is the SkyTracker Pro

SkyTracker

Over many years, the photo mount SkyTracker Pro has found lots of friends. No further explanation required.

Photo mounts like this one enable astro-photography directly with a DSLR, i.e. without any telescope.

This is simple, possible anywhere and very well suited for taking photos of large constellations, allowing you to take photos of the Milky Way or just atmospheric landscape shots with the night sky.

 

The observatory mount from iOpton: CEM60 GoTo

CEM60

With a load bearing capacity of 27 kilogrammes, the CEM60 GoTo is not the biggest mount at Astroshop. However, it is a very interesting solution for stationary operation on a concrete column, because it meets the requirements of many small garden observatories and is available for quite a reasonable price.

Special ports below the dual mounting saddle enable the operation of accessories for astro-photography applications. In case you do not want to constantly operate the mount stationary, the scope of delivery also includes a transport case. For mobile use, we can also supply you with the matching iOptron tripod or even an especially high-quality wooden tripod from Berlebach.

This is a selection of particularly interesting mounts from iOptron. You will find the whole product range here.

Astronomik: new clip filters for Canon DSLR cameras

July 31 2017, Stefan Taube

Northern German company Astronomik is a specialist for astronomical filters for astrophotographers or purely visual star gazers. Clip filters are a special innovation of Astronomik. These filters have a special mounting shape, which allows them to be placed directly into a DSLR or system camera – without using any tools!

Astronomik currently offer clip filters for:

The camera mentioned last is designed with extremely high sensitivity. We offer this camera as a specially astro-modified camera. For more information please follow this link: Sony Alpha 7s Astro.

For APS-C Format EOS cameras from Canon, Astronomik have now developed a new series. A special feature of these new XT filters is the very thin carrier with a thickness of only 0.3 mm, to which the filter layer is applied. When using filters with thicker glass carriers, image faults may become visible in the corners of the photos. Stars appear slightly dash shaped. This can be particularly noticed when using short focal lengths. So if you would like to use a Canon EOS with the camera lens on a camera mount to take wide angle shots of the night sky, an XT filter might be the right investment.

XT filters are available in the usual versions, from CLS to H-alpha all the way to SII filters. For novices we especially recommend the CLS filter, which suppresses artificial light pollution.

The red transmission curve reveals: The CLS filter blocks the light from the yellow street lamps.

The red transmission curve reveals: The CLS filter blocks the light from the yellow street lamps.

 

By the way: Removing a clip filter from the camera housing is just as easy as putting it in.

SkyGuider Pro: the large camera mount from iOptron

July 17 2017, Stefan Taube

The SkyTracker Pro from iOptron is one of the most popular camera mounts. This handy unit tracks photographic equipment of up to three kilograms in weight to follow the rotation of the sky. This allows you to take panorama shots of the night sky with long exposure times.

The new SkyGuider Pro from iOptron can even carry up to five kilograms of photographic equipment. This is easily sufficient for a small telescope, such as the Photography Scope with camera. The scope of delivery already includes a mounting plate for small telescopes.

The scope of delivery also includes a counterweight for balancing the photographic equipment. This provides stability and takes pressure off the rotation axis.

However, you can also install a second camera with up to three kilograms in weight instead of the counterweight. This way you can take photos of the same sky area, but with two different focal lengths.
Alternatively, you can use the second camera as an autoguider.

On the product page for the iOptron Mount SkyGuider Pro you will find an illustration showing the vast variety of applications for this camera mount.

In addition to the counterweight, the scope of delivery of the SkyGuider Pro includes almost everything you need. The only thing missing is a tripod and a ball head might also make sense. Both these articles can be found under the tab “Recommended Accessories” on the product page.

The SkyGuider Pro comes with a power pack which can simply be recharged via USB. There is hardly any mount for sky photography available for use with photographic equipment of up to five kilograms in weight, that is more light-weight or more compact. As with other mounts from iOptron, the SkyGuider Pro also offers a satisfying, solid mechanical design. We are convinced that this new camera mount will meet your approval!

Good things always return: The ETX-125 telescope from Meade

June 29 2017, Stefan Taube

It is available again, the ETX-125 from Meade. Easy to transport, versatile in use and computer controlled – this made the ETX-125 a classic in the past!

ETX125

The advantages of the Meade ETX-125:

  • Compact Maksutov optics: Longer focal length despite the short tube. Ideal for watching the moon and planets, but also for observing nature in the daytime. The robust Maksutov is stable in adjustment and, due to the closed tube, has a well protected mirror.
  • With its opening of 127 millimetres, it is the biggest optics of the ETX series and also suitable for watching objects beyond our solar system: The Orion nebula, the big star cluster M13 in the Hercules constellation, and many other objects.
  • The optical tube is fixed in a bracket mount. It reliably carries the optical system, its motors in both axes align it with the desired observation object and track the telescope in line with any rotation of the sky. The integrated battery compartment provides the required electric current for the motors during outdoor use. However, the ETX-125 can also be powered via an optionally available power supply unit.
  • The tube is actually fixed in the fork, but the fork can be removed from the tripod for easier transportation. The steel pipe tripod carries the telescope without any negative wobbling. Another special feature: The tripod comes with an integrated equatorial wedge. This makes the azimuthal bracket mounting an equatorial GoTo mount, as is needed for astro photography.

And all this for a fair price!

The Meade ETX-125 is a GoTo telescope. This means that it is equipped with computer control, which makes it possible for beginners to find and identify objects in the sky.

The telescope is controlled via the new AudioStar-Handbox:

AudioStar

With AudioStar, you can choose from 30,000 celestial objects. However, the control also suggests objects for watching. A special feature of AudioStar is the audio output. It provides interesting information about the chosen object – however, only in English.

The compact, robust and computer controlled Meade ETX-125 also convinces in its new design!