Sky-Watcher Explorer-150PDS Parabolic Newtonian OTA

OPTIMISED FOR PRIME FOCUS ASTRO-PHOTOGRAPHY

The Explorer 150PDS is a high-quality 150mm f/5 instrument optimised for prime-focus astrophotography as well as being a fine performer for visual use. The telescope features a high quality, internally darkened rolled steel tube of excellent rigidity. An optically matched Sky-Watcher M48 Coma Corrector (code 20233) is available separately for best astrophotography results.

Supplied with a set of tube rings, 45mm dovetail bar, 28mm 2” LET eyepiece, piggyback camera adaptor and a 6x30 fully multi-coated finderscope with crosshair reticle. 1.25” & 2” eyepiece adaptors are included allowing virtually any standard 1.25” or 2” eyepiece to be used. Equipped with a 2” Dual-Speed 10:1 ratio Crayford focuser which allows coarse and very precise fine adjustments to the focusing to ensure no detail is missed.

The heart of any Newtonian telescope is in the quality of its mirror optics. The accuracy of the figure, the material they are made from and the coatings applied all play an important part. Sky-Watcher’s prowess and reputation for commercial mirror making is well known and one of the jewels in its crown. Sky-Watcher has demonstrated its unwavering ability to produce telescope mirrors of consistent high quality over decades. Parabolic (or Paraboloidal) mirrors are a complex shape so need to be well made to provide the high performance expected of them. A properly figured parabolic primary mirror will eliminate spherical aberrations by bringing the light rays to the same focal point. Sky-Watcher’s diffraction-limited parabolic primary mirrors will produce sharp, contrasty images that are full of detail.

The secondary mirror is held in place by four specially designed 0.5mm thin spider vane supports which are extremely rigid when tensioned. They serve to minimise obstruction to the light path, allowing the passage of more precious photons and keeping diffraction spikes to an absolute minimum.

Both primary and secondary mirrors are finished with Sky-Watcher’s RAQ Radiant Aluminium Quartz coatings, which include layers of aluminium, tantalum pentoxide and silicon dioxide for a brilliant, highly durable finish with 94% reflectivity that will last for years.

The colour scheme is not just an aesthetic. The OTA is tastefully finished in Sky-Watcher’s proprietary Black Diamond flecked metallic paintwork and features, by design, complementary contrasting white painted surfaces. The white surfaces are a highly practical feature for providing more visibility, which can help prevent your expensive and carefully aligned telescope from being knocked accidentally in the dark.

With a tube weight of 5kg, this OTA would be a good match for the EQ3 Pro, EQ5 Pro, EQM-35 Pro and EQ-AL55i Pro mountings