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The new Gran Turismo 81 Apochromatic Refractor by William Optics

August 24 2018, Stefan Taube

William Optics, the specialist for high-quality lens telescopes, is bringing a very interesting “photo machine” to the market with the Gran Turismo GT 81. This refractor features a travel telescope forma-factor, so it’s still easy to handle – a real dream for astrophotographers!

The GT 81 is fitted with a three-element lens that ensures high colour correction and ultra-sharp depiction. In addition to the usual high-quality workmanship of William Optics, the equipment of this apochromatic refractor is worth looking at: A high-quality eyepiece holder, pre-mounted guide scope rings and a prism rail. A special highlight is the patented focus mask that is also included in the scope of delivery.

We are offering a matching guidescope and a field flattener with this telescope. With the Gran Turismo 81 by William Optics, you’ll be receiving a high-quality piece of optical equipment for life-long fun with astrophotography!

Tags: William Optics, telescope
Posted in New Products »

5 Simple Ways to See and Photograph the Lunar Eclipse and the Opposition of Mars

July 13 2018, Marcus Schenk

Attention all lovers of nature, amateur astronomers and night owls: the night of the 27th of July, 2018 will be totally different. In this particular night, we will experience the Opposition of Mars and a rare Total Lunar Eclipse in Europe! It is sure to be a midnight Summer dream, in the middle of warm temperatures and mystical experiences.

In this article, you will learn about, that which you can use to observe and photograph the Total Lunar Eclipse and Mars.

Another interesting point: currently, there are a number of other planets to see. Now is the perfect opportunity to jump into Astronomy. You will be rewarded with a fireworks show of planets. Mars, Jupiter, Venus and Saturn are waiting for you to rediscover them!

As the night slowly falls, the Moon will rise in the southeast. Our satellite will look unusual and simultaneously fascinating. Almost completely eclipsed, it will rise higher and higher. The “blood Moon”, which evoked fears and superstitions of death and destruction in earlier times, will be visible for us to witness with our knowledge and science in a relaxing manner and with a smile.

The highlight of this year: at a length of 1 hour and 44 minutes of totality, we will get to enjoy the longest Lunar Eclipse of the century! More information about this event is available below.

Now you can read on to learn about the 5 ways and effective products, to observe the Moon and the Planets. Let’s go!

1. Discover the Sky with Binoculars

The lunar eclipse is visible with the naked eye, but with a pair of binoculars, the Moon in the Earth’s shadow becomes an especially intense experience. For an great observation, we recommend the Omegon Binoculars Nightstar 20×80. These binos are a great alternative to a telescope or as an entry into Astronomy. They are bright and something that you can always carry with you. Just point the binos to the sky or mount them on a tripod. Then you will see the Moon in all its glory and innumerable craters. It is amazing with both eyes, as if you were there. But there is more. You can can even view Jupiter and its moons as well as starclusters, such as the Pleiades or the Andromeda Galaxy.

The Omegon Binoculars 20×80

2. Getting closer with a telescope

Much like a mega zoom into the cosmos: A telescope allows you to see real detail. Observe the entire Moon, singular lunar craters, Jupiter, or Saturn with its massive system of rings. However you want. The possibilities are endless! With a greater magnification, only available with telescopes, you will be able to see Mars for the planet that it is and not just the red “star” in the night sky. The Omegon AC 70/700 AZ-2 is the most budget-friendly entry point. With a 70mm aperture, it collects 100 times more light than the naked eye. The eyepieces enable a 35x and 70x magnification, or in combination with a barlow lense up to 140x. More details and more resolution is available in the Omegon AC 90/1000 EQ-2. The telescope is our tip for entry into lunar and planetary observing. With a 90mm aperture, you will be able to see many details, such as the cloud bands on Jupiter or the polar caps on Mars.

The Omegon AC 90/1000 EQ-2 – Recommendation for entry into Astronomy

3. The simplest way to your own astrophotos

A photo of the lunar eclipse? It’s possible with the simplest tools.

With a telescope, the path to your own photos is just a small step. The best camera for such a task is right in your pocket: your smartphone! Pick up a Smartphone adapter, which will keep your phone perfectly positioned above the eyepiece. We also offer the more budget-friendly Omegon Smartphone Adapter, which demands a bit of finesse or the Omegon Easypic Universal. This smartphone adapter is a self-centering and easy-to-use device. It only takes one minute and you will already have taken your own lunar photo.

Omegon Easypic Universal Smartphone adapter

4. The right eyepiece is decisive, when it comes to details

With eyepieces, you often must separate the wheat from the chaff. An eyepiece is essentially an extended arm of the telescope’s optic and you should put a lot of stock into selection, just as you would with a telescope itself. A good tip would be to replace old or standard eyepieces with high quality ones, which can provide you with a significantly better image. Excellent crispness and great contrast can be found in the Omegon LE Planetry Eyepieces for all 1,25“. The customer reviews range from “just fantastic” to “you cannot believe it”.

The Family of Omegon LE Planetary Eyepieces

5. Color filters for better contrast

Much like a chain, the planets of Venus, Jupiter, Saturn and Mars will appear to us in a line, and all after darkness has fallen, during the most comfortable time of year. The constellation of planets is so rare, that now is the time to jump into astronomy. Amateurs can easily pinpoint the planets and see details of each. Polar caps and other structures on Mars, or the big red dot on Jupiter become more visible with the appropriate color filters. Placed into the eyepiece, filters can lead to an epiphany for any motivated observer. The Omegon Color filter set features the most important ones for all planets. Other contrast filters or our Lunar Filter are also a helpful inclusion to your collection.

Color filter set with 6 color filters

Other information about the Total Lunar Eclipse and the Mars Opposition is available here:

Infographic: Total Lunar Eclipse on the 27th of June 2018

Mars Opposition 2018: How to Observe Mars and its Details

Tags: Telescope Accessories, Eyepiece, Binocular, Lunar Eclipse, Opposition of Mars, Omegon, Filter, Smartphone-Adapter, telescope
Posted in Observations »

New: Star Discovery telescopes by Skywatcher with a smartphone app

June 25 2018, Stefan Taube

An increasing number of telescopes can be controlled with a smartphone. The advantages are obvious: Smartphones offer, with their colour display, touchscreen and GPS mobile, more possibilities and are more intuitive to operate than a classic hand-held controller. The app can be kept constantly up-to-date and the telescope can be controlled wirelessly.

So, the manufacturer, Skywatcher, now offers its azimutal one-arm mount, Star Discovery, without a hand-held controller only. Instead, a Wi-Fi module is included, with which the smartphone can be linked. The telescope can then be controlled with the free SynScan app.

At the moment, Skywatcher is offering the Star Discovery mount with two telescope optics. We can recommend in particular the Star Discovery P1 50i:

The 150/750-Newton optic of this telescope has proven to be valuable for beginners and can be used in many variants. With a mirror diameter of 150 mm, objects from the Deep Sky guide can be viewed, but it is also a pleasure to observe the Moon and the planets with this telescope! Thanks to the relatively small focal length of 750 mm, the telescope is still very compact and transportable.

Those who prefer to observe with a classic telescopic lens should get hold of a Star Discovery 90i. Thanks to its deep eyepiece, it is especially suitable for children.

Both optics can be removed from the mount by way of a handy screw to they can be transported. The Star Discovery has a classic prism rail connector thanks to which almost any small telescope optic weighing up to five kilogrammes can be secured. The mount is also an attractive option if you already have a telescope.

Take another look in the App Store for the SynScan app. You can get the right telescope from us.

Tags: Skywatcher, telescope
Posted in New Products »

Value for money set: Celestron CPC 800 telescope with StarSense AutoAlign

April 27 2018, Stefan Taube

We are currently offering you a valuable set, comprising a CPC 800 telescope and the StarSense AutoAlign module. You save €345.00 compared to buying all the items individually!

The telescopes in the CPC series are modern classics! The American developer, Celestron, offers Schmidt Cassegrain optics with this series in a very sturdy azimuthal bracket mount. This compact system is great for when you’re on the move. If you want to drive to a dark sky, you can load this robust CPC into any small car and set it up quickly and easily at your observation site. The NexStar computer control will help you to adjust to interesting celestial objects at night. There are hardly any other telescope systems that will allow you to use your precious observation time so effectively as the CPC by Celestron.

Before you can use the NexStar control, you must first of all initiate your computer. This means you must tell the computer where the telescope is, enter the date and time, and orient it to the starry sky. The CPC telescopes shorten this procedure, too: The built-in GPS tells the NexStar control the location, date and time, and thanks to the SkyAlign technology, you don’t have to already know the stars for initialisation. It’s enough to adjust to three bright celestial objects of your choice in the telescope.

But it gets even easier: With the StarSense AutoAlign module, this last procedure isn’t necessary. Switch on the telescope and just wait for a short while. The telescope will initialise fully within three minutes and be available for you to start your observation session.

The StarSense AutoAlign module is suitable for GoTo telescopes by Celestron. There is also a special version for Skywatcher mounts.

You can now get the CPC 800 with StarSense AutoAlign at a great price!

The telescopes in the CPC series come with an 8 to 11-inch aperture (200 to 279 mm). With your compact SC optics, these are real all-rounders, and are especially suitable for observing and photographing the moon and planets.

Tags: MEADE, telescope
Posted in Sale »

New Skywatcher Apochromatic Refractor: EvoStar ED 72 DS Pro

March 29 2018, Stefan Taube

The telescopic lens tubes in the EvoStar series by Skywatcher have been greatly appreciated telescopes for years for both beginners and advanced users.

With the EvoStar 72, the Skywatcher now offers a dual-lens ED apochromatic refractor at a good price: You can purchase the EvoStar 72 ED DS Pro OTA for just €349.00!

The very decently priced EvoStar 72, thanks to its short design, is the ideal instrument for travel, but more than that, it’s great for constellation astrophotography. You only need a small parallactic mount with a load capacity of 5 kg.

The apochromatic refractor has a double lens made from particularly tough ED glass. High-quality glass by Schott is used for the crown glass element. Every glass-air surface of this optical item is fitted with a metallic anti-reflective coat to achieve high maximum light transmission of 99.5 %! The optical construction of this apochromatic refractor considerably reduces chromatic aberrations and creates a much sharper image!

The apochromatic refractor comes with a carry case and a sensitive eyepiece holder with 1:11 reduction. For visual observation, you will also need a zenith mirror and eyepieces. You can find these in the “Recommended accessories” section for EvoStar 72.

We will be pleased to advise you personally!

Tags: Skywatcher, telescope
Posted in New Products »

Astronomical Easter: Gift ideas for astronomy fans, large and small

March 23 2018, Marcus Schenk

You look for suitable gifts for stargazers? These gift ideas will most definitely be appreciated.

If you order by Sunday 25 March, we ship promptly and your delivery will arrive by Easter (only stock items)!

1. Omegon N 76/700 AZ-1 telescope
A mere photograph can never replace actually looking up into the night sky. The 76/700 AZ-1 Newtonian telescope lets you experience the starry night sky ‘live’ with your own eyes. This small entry-level telescope can provide both children and adults with their very first experience of observing the Moon and planets. This telescope is just itching to give you your first view of the Moon – and now for 69.90€ instead of 99.00€.
Or alternatively you can order our extensive starter set, which additionally includes a star map, book and Moon filter – all for 99€ instead of 129€.

2. Omegon Universe2go hand planetarium
Experience the stars without needing a star chart or book – and still learn everything. This has become possible with the Universe2go star viewer. Download the app, insert your smartphone and you’ll see constellations, planets and galaxies – with pictures and names are superimposed onto the field of view. And your personal astronomy guide will tell you everything worth knowing about the night sky. You don’t need the holodeck on the Starship Enterprise if you have Universe2go with Augmented Reality! Get yours now: Buy Universe2go now for only 49.90 Euros – with FREE shipping worldwide.

3. Panoramic poster of the Milky Way
The Milky Way in your own living room or in your child’s bedroom – this poster lets you enjoy a view of our Galaxy in a panoramic view that is 150cm across. The poster is printed on both sides – one side lets you float into the remote distance, letting the starry night sky take you over, while the other side shows the same photograph but with constellations and labels included – making this poster not only beautiful, but also educational. Now only 24,90 Euro.

4. Kala antique design pocket sundial
A perfect gift for astronomers – a pocket sundial designed to look like an antique. When batteries fail in other devices, this instrument continues working perfectly. You only need the Sun for telling the time. This pocket sundial also looks really classy, seeming to date from a time before electricity or computers. It tells the local time extremely accurately. Now only 39,90 Euro instead of 42 Euro.

5. Genuine NWA 7986 Moon meteorite
Why not give someone an actual piece of the Moon as a present? – surprise friends, acquaintances and relatives. You have the chance here of acquiring a real piece of Moon rock NWA 7986. Sample sizes vary between 7 and 14mg. This rock was ejected from the Moon by a meteoric impact and subsequently fell to Earth (the NWA in its name means North West Africa), or more precisely, fell in the Sahara. Only about 40kg of lunar meteorites exist in total worldwide and only 1/3 of these are commercially available. Only 12.2g of NWA 7986 exists! We guarantee the authenticity of this Moon rock. Now only 24,90 Euro.

6. Sky Publishing Pocket Sky Atlas
Small, handy and full of detail – the Pocket Sky Atlas. Perhaps you have already observed the usual astronomical objects and are looking something new? This atlas will help you locate it. It includes more than 30,000 stars down to mag 7.6 and 1,500 deep-sky objects, including 675 galaxies. This atlas lets you really extend your knowledge and experience of the night sky – for visual observing away from the usual ‘run-of-the-mill’ objects. Now only 26,90 Euro.

7. GeoSafari motorised Solar System orrery
How does the Solar System actually work? Why do the inner planets orbit faster than the outer ones? This motorised solar system orrery will show children exactly how the planets move around the Sun. And what is really special is that, in no time at all, you can turn the model into a small planetarium that projects constellations onto the ceiling. Now only 38,00 Euro.

8. Könitz astronomy knowledge mug
Astronomy, physics, chemistry, biology, mathematics and many other subjects – Könitz ceramic ‘knowledge mugs’ from Germany combine fun with scientific facts. The lovingly and classically designed collection of facts combined with the large capacity of these mugs make them very popular with scientists and anyone interested in science. Now only 16,90 Euro.

9. Sega Toys Homestar Pro original home planetarium
See 60,000 glittering stars from the night sky on your ceiling – imagine that you could observe the night sky while sitting comfortably on the couch. The Homestar high-resolution 3 Watt LED home planetarium turns this dream into reality – it simulates the rotation of the night sky and faithfully reproduces how it appears over the course of a year. Two interchangeable projection discs are included that show the fixed stars of the night sky in the northern hemisphere as we see them in real life. Now only 119,00 Euro.

10. Daye Turner BETEIGEUSE men’s analogue silver watch – with dark brown leather strap
BETEIGEUSE in the ‘Love Planetary’ wristwatch collection is a classic design that harmoniously melds form and function. This multi-function watch is not only captivating with its dynamic and sporty look, but is also flexible and modern in its functionality. Men’s wristwatches from DAYE/TURNER have been lovingly developed in Germany with great attention to detail. The minimalist dial has its own specially developed typeface which defines the style of this brand. Now only 149,00 Euro.

If you order by Sunday 25 March, we ship promptly and your delivery will arrive by Easter (only stock items)!

Tags: telescope, pocket sundial, moon rock, Sky Atlas, Solar System, Watch, Poster, mug, Omegon, Planetarium, universe2go
Posted in Sale »

New Explore Scientific Dobson with 20-inch mirror!

March 6 2018, Stefan Taube

With the Ultra Light series, Explore Scientific is offering telescopes with the Dobson construction that can be taken apart easily for transportation. This means you can travel to dark observation sites with Dobson telescopes. For an unimpeded look into the night sky!

The latest model in the series has a 20-inch mirror: Dobson N 500/1800 Ultra Light telescope.

It’s no longer quite so ultra-light. There needs to be two of you to set it up at the observation site. But apart from that, it can be taken apart into practical parts just like the smaller models.

Other features of the Dobson N 500/1800 Ultra Light Hexafoc telescope:

Truss tubes made from solid aluminium: Very high level of stiffness
Main and secondary mirrors made from quartz with a test certificate
Low viewing height of just 1.63 m at the zenith
The main mirror can be adjusted from the top, and hence, during observation
Very transportable thanks to the small packaging dimensions
Large 2.5-inch eyepiece holder with 1:10 fine adjustment
Large powder-coated adjustment wheels for wobble-free tracking

The telescope is made in Hungary and Germany

Tags: Dobson, Explore Scientific, telescope
Posted in New Products »

“Hot Product 2018” by Sky & Telescope

February 9 2018, Stefan Taube

At the beginning of each new year, the magazine Sky & Telescope features interesting product developments. The criteria are innovation, an elegant solution to a typical problem, or the particularly high quality of a product.

We would like to present from this long list of “Hot Products 2018” those that we also considered to be particularly noteworthy:

Explore Scientific GoTo control PMC-8 with WIFi

The company, Explore Scientific, has developed a control system that, in conjunction with the app, ExploreStars, enables wireless control of astronomical mounts via a smartphone, tablet or other mobile device. You will receive this control system in combination with two tried and tested mounts with completely different load-bearing capacity, namely:

the relatively small mount Bresser EXOS-2
and the heavy mount, Losmandy G-11

Stargate Dobsons by Skywatcher

For the purists who would rather invest in optics than in electronics, the Skywatcher Dobsonian N 458/1900 StarGate-450P telescope is a dream! The Dobsonian telescope with truss tube, mirrors and a lightweight construction collects a great deal of light, but despite its size, it is still relatively easy to transport.

Sky&Telescope awarded both motorized Stargate versions with GoTo control:

They are equipped with the tried and tested SynScan control system, which helps you to find celestial objects and then automatically guides the telescope.

Mini Star Adventurer by Skywatcher

Camera mounts have taken a positive development in recent years. Thanks to the high demand for this very immediate method of astrophotography, manufacturers are always coming up with new innovations. Sky & Telescope awarded the Mini Star Adventurer by Skywatcher. This mount also creates its own WIFI, so it can be controlled via the app. This eliminates the need for a manual control box; control is done wirelessly – and thus vibration-free – and the clear graphic user interface can be used for adjusting your mobile device.

Things that make the life of astronomers easier and lovelier

The many smaller things on which Sky & Telescope has bestowed the Hot Product Award 2018, include the Astro Lamp by Orion, which, of course, can also be operated with glare-free red light. The editors of the magazine also like:

Diagonal mirror with TwistTight fixation for 1,25″ and 2″ connector diameter, also by Orion. This special fixation centres the accessory, keeps it secure, won’t scratch, and can be screwed in place while wearing gloves.
The “bible” for one of the most powerful astrophotography programs Inside PixInsight by Springer Verlag. The book is available in English, and is very popular. The book is published in the Practical Astronomy
Sky & Telescope has also awarded its own Globes. At least for the Pluto Globe, this is most justified. The globe shows the spectacular view of the dwarf planet, Pluto, as the New Horizons spacecraft revealed in 2015.

Mount and accessories for observatories

We can help you with advice and support for your observatory project. This also includes the high-end products by Software Bisque. So, we are pleased that Sky & telescope has awarded the recently developed bracket mountings, Paramount Taurus.

The Spanish company, Lunático, is making a useful accessory for observatories. Its remote control, Dragonfly, has made it to the list of Hot Products 2018.

Every year, it is interesting to see what products the well-known magazine, Sky & telescope, will award – and we are pleased that every year, these award-winning products are already part of our offer.

Tags: Telescope Accessories, Mount, Skywatcher, Orion, Explore Scientific, Hot Product, Losmandy, Lunatico, telescope
Posted in New Products »

Telescope bundles: These telescopes will turn you into a “professional” astronomer

January 26 2018, Marcus Schenk

New astrographs and RC optics come as complete telescopes with mounts by Skywatcher and iOptron. Both manufacturers are known for their sturdy mounts that are loved by astrophotographers. Important principle: Having the right equipment is essential for quickly becoming successful in astrophotography. With these telescopes, you’ll be able to achieve that.

You, of course, also need practice: But with this equipment, your frustration will turn to a passion for the stars. Discover the new combinations with which you’ll shine at the next telescope meeting.

Our experienced astronomy experts have put together a telescope collection and combined both tube types with appropriate mounts. The benefit: Now, you can simply select your telescope in the shop without having to worry about getting the right mount.

There is a wide selection available: They range from small, transportable optics to large observatory telescopes. And you have everything together: They are so sturdy that they make astrophotography simply fun.

Omegon astrographs in 8 different versions

In the “Pro Astrograph” category, you can choose from four different astrographs with a diameter of 154 mm, 203 mm, 254 mm or 304mm. All optics have a super-fast f/4 aperture. This means: These Newton telescopes are fast. Short exposure times and large fields of view at reasonable prices are the main strengths of these optics.

There are eight different full telescopes to choose from, which means two different mounts per tube size.

Omegon RC telescopes in 11 different versions

Among the Omegon RC optics you can choose from six different tubes: three full tubes measuring 154 mm to 254 mm, and three-truss, wire-mesh tubes measuring 304 mm, 355 mm and 406 mm. This means we have the right telescope size for all astrographs.

You can, for example, use the smallest RC telescope with an EQ-6R Pro mount by Skywatcher. An ultra-sturdy combination that can also take other accessories. Or treat yourself finally to your dream observatory with a 16” truss RC on a 10-micron mount. By the way: We would also be glad to plan your entire observatory.

These telescopes look great, but are also a dream for all astrophotographers. For it’s possible to take better astrophotos with these “photo instruments”. Finally, it is no wonder that almost all professional observatories use RC telescopes.

Why not set up an astrophotography master in your own garden? Order now, or if you have any further questions: simply give us a call.

Tags: Omegon, telescope
Posted in New Products »

Merlin GoTo and AZ: A small mount with Omegon Maksutov optics

January 19 2018, Marcus Schenk

The Merlin mount has been a favourite for years: for both beginners and advanced amateurs who want a travel telescope.
We have now combined three GoTo and three Autotrack mounts with 60 mm, 80 mm and 90 mm MightyMak Maksutov optics by Omegon. Six useful mini telescopes with a table-top and regular tripod are the result. Ready to go!

Tabletop tripod with Synscan GoTo controls

The small Merlin mount with table-top tripod has everything: compact, very light, and yet it can find any object in the sky. As with large mounts, you can orient it towards more than 42,000 objects using the controller. This means you’ll be able to find any bright object in the sky without having to wait more than a second.

The Merlin with the table-top tripod offers:
• It positions objects like a large mount: Object catalogue with 42,000 objects
• Table-top tripod: especially space-saving
• Carries telescope tubes weighing up to 4 kg

Tripod with autotracking

The version with the tripod has autotracking control. What does this mean? It means it has a motorised two-axis tracking system. As soon as you enter an object, the mount takes over with automatic tracking. This telescope is also interesting for terrestrial targets: With four direction buttons, it’s a veritable pleasure to observe landscapes.

The Merlin with the tripod offers:
• Autotracking: It automatically tracks objects in the sky
• Sturdy tripod: Height very adjustable
• Can hold telescope tubes weighing up to 4 kg

Ideal travel companion: for astronomers and nature watchers

Not everyone has room for large telescope when they go on holiday. This is a fitting opportunity to enjoy nature with serenity. Combining the Omegon Maksutov with the Merlin GoTo mount is simply great. Treat yourself to a Merlin telescope with Omegon Maksutov optics for fast observation, either as a fill-in or when you next go on holiday.

Now to the compact mini telescopes.

Tags: Omegon, Merlin, telescope
Posted in New Products »