Sharpstar Optics has released the ASKAR FMA180 Pro, an upgrade to the ASKAR FMA180 triplet air-spaced APO refractor.
The FMA180 Pro is similar to the FMA180 in optical design. The objective lens features a sextuplet air-spaced APO design and includes two pieces of ED glass, providing excellent correction of chromatic aberration. In addition to the ability to perform at a high level for visual observation, the FMA180 pro is specially optimized for astrophotography.
Compared to original FMA180, the FMA180 Pro adds a finder base and a 360° rotator. And the focuser is designed for internal focusing, which promotes its stability and ensures its performance in use as a delicate, high-quality, and compact astrograph.
As the Sharpstar Optics team notes, “The FMA180 Pro’s overall appearance design is more integrated and user-friendly. The new finder base and 360° rotator can carry more accessories and there is a new one-piece internal focus system, adding integrity and stability. The original dovetail plate is upgraded to a Vixen dovetail plate, for ease of integration. The optical design is specially optimized for astrophotography, with better star performance. In a word, the FMA180 Pro is a compact astrograph for astrophotography offering more integrated functions than before and a more dedicated design.”
The FMA180 Pro comes with an M48 adapter at the rear end, and the back focus is the standard 55mm. The multifunctional base can be used for astrophotography as well as mounted onto other telescopes’ finder bases as a finder scope after the Vixen dovetail plate is detached.
As the company points out in its description of the telescope, “For traditional astrophotography, it is difficult to achieve a focal length of less than 200MM with many telescopes. The primary choice in this range is the ordinary camera lens. However, the camera lens is not optimized for astrophotography, so the result is not satisfactory. The FMA180 solves this problem offering superior optical performance.”
In addition to astrophotography and observing, the FMA180 is also suitable as a high-performance finder-guider. The overall tube length is 145mm and the FMA180 tips the scales at a just 395g (14oz)..
The ASKAR FMA180 Pro features include:
– Aperture: 40mm
– Focal Length: Objective Lens (220mm); Plus Reducer (180mm)
– Focal Ration: Objective Lens (f5.5); Plus Reducer (f4.5)
– Objective Type: Triplet Dual ED Air-Spaced APO (O5bjective Lens); Sextuplet Refractor for Full-Frame Astrophotography (With Reducer)
– Back focus: 55mm
– Image circle: 44mm
– Overall Length: 145mm (Photographic Mode with Focal Reducer); 160mm (Observation Mode Without Star Diagonal)
– Weight: 395g (14oz)
– Rear-end thread type: M48×0.75 (built-in 2″ filter thread)
– Back-End Adapter: M42x0.75 (Photographic Mode); 1.25” Adapter (Observation Mode)
– Package Includes: FMA180 Body, Two Tube Rings, Finder Scope Bracket, Two Extension Tubes, 1.25” Adapter, Allen Wrench, Owner’s Manual.
You can learn more about the ASKAR FMA180 Pro here.
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