Optical performance
Designed with wide field observing and imaging in mind these triplet apochromatic telescopes offer an array of features including a versatile mounting system, precision 2-speed (11:1) Rack & Pinion focuser and removable dew shield.
This Opticstar/Ascension ED Triplet Premium Plus refractor guarantees an RMS of 0.038 (0.945 Strehl) clearly outperforming diffraction-limited (RMS 0.071, Strehl 0.82) apochromatic ED refractors.
In imaging terms the high quality FCD-1 objective ED triplet will bring the image in sharp focus when imaging unlike apochromatic ED refractors that rely on a doublet ED objective for imaging.
| RMS Rating |
Strehl Ratio |
Comments |
Note |
| 0.094 |
0.710 |
--- |
not diffraction limited |
| 0.071 |
0.820 |
Rayleigh Limit (diffraction limited) |
good |
| 0.057 |
0.880 |
--- |
--- |
| 0.052 |
0.900 |
Ascension ED Triplet Premium |
very good |
|
0.038
|
0.945
|
Ascension ED Triplet Premium Plus
|
very good
|
|
The Strehl Ratio is calculated from the RMS rating value: Strehl ratio = 1 - (2π x RMS Rating)2
|
Features
The optical tube greatly benefits from metal knife-edge baffles that prevent light which has bypassed the optical system or which is outside the field of view from reaching the focal plane thus increasing image contrast.
At f/7 (102mm) the focal ratio of the Opticstar/Ascension 102ED Triplet is well suited for wide field astrophotography.
Field Flattener
This Field Flattener has been designed with the premium Opticstar/Ascension ED Triplet refractors in mind. It offers field correction to the edge of field, making it a desirable accessory for imaging.
The field flattener slots directly into the telescope's focuser. Externally, it offers a male T-thread (M42x0.75) for cameras and other accessories to attach to it.
Two T-thread adapters are included as standard:
- Canon EOS DSLR T-thread Ring adapter (M42 x 0.75).
- Nikon DSLR T-thread Ring adapter (M42 x 0.75).
LX65 Mount
The LX65 are smart scopes that know the night sky right out of the box. Enter your site information, find level and North, and Easy Align picks two alignment stars for you and places them right in your viewfinder. Centre them to fine tune your alignment and the wonders of the Universe are at your fingertips.
AudioStar™
The LX65 are smart scopes that know the night sky right out of the box. Enter your site information, find level and North, and Easy Align picks two alignment stars for you and places them right in your viewfinder. Centre them to fine tune your alignment and the wonders of the Universe are at your fingertips.
LX65 telescopes.
AudioStar handbox controller
The AudioStar computer controller with speaker helps you quickly find and GoTo over 30,000 objects in the night sky. With the AudioStar Controller plugged into your Meade telescope the astronomical universe is in the palm of your hand. Never before has such powerful telescope technology been so easy to operate, even by the most casual observer. Coiled cord and instructions included.
View planets, stars, galaxies, nebulae, comets and more-all at the push of a button. Don't know what you want to view this evening? Then go to the Tonight's Best™ tour in your AudioStar. It automatically selects the best objects in the sky for that particular time and location.
The Meade AudioStar handbox controller features audio files and an internal speaker. This amazing computerised celestial object locating system plugs into the telescope's handbox port allowing a quick telescope alignment.
Once aligned with the sky the AudioStar is ready to take you to any object in the over 30,000 object database. In addition to GOTO and tracking capability the AudioStar permits a wide array of fascinating and educational functions such as multiple Guided Tours, digital positional readouts, a database of up to 200 user-defined objects, 9-Speed dual-axis movement, the ability to link with a PC using optionally available software and cord, and much more.
AudioStar features
The AudioStar controller provides all of the telescope control functions of the previous AutoStar handboxes but adds unique Astronomer Inside digital audio software and a speaker built into the AudioStar body that can provide you with more than four hours of fascinating and professionally-recorded audio descriptions of the objects you are observing. With Astronomer Inside technology, everyone around your telescope can listen and learn about more than 500 of the celestial objects contained in the AudioStar database, including planets, nebulas, star clusters, the Moon, and much more. Astronomer Inside puts the experience and astronomical knowledge of a professional astronomer in the palm of your hand.
Included in the AudioStar’s database are all of the following 30,000+ astronomical objects and stars – a range of objects certain to keep even the most active amateur astronomer growing in his or her studies of the skies for years:
- the complete Index Catalog (IC), containing 5,386 galaxies, nebulas, and star clusters of all types;
- the complete New General Catalog (NGC), containing 7,840 galaxies, nebulas, and star clusters of all types;
- the complete Messier catalog of 110 Messier (M) objects, the best-known catalog of heavenly showpieces for the amateur astronomer;
- the 109 objects of the Caldwell Catalog, a new listing of the best objects for small telescopes that expands the Messier catalog;
- 16,800 stars from the Smithsonian Astrophysical Observatory (SAO) catalog, including double stars, variable stars, and other stars of special note;
- 50 Earth-orbiting satellites, 26 asteroids (including all of the brightest asteroids), 15 periodic comets, and the 8 major planets from Mercury to Pluto.
Carries full one year UK warranty.
