The Sharpstar SQA55 Quintuplet Refractor is a Petzval designed f/4.8, 256 mm focal length telescope which offers an interchangeable lens/scope design, a dual-speed helical focuser and an aperture adjustment wheel. The Petzval design offers an optical system that is exceptionally well corrected and provides very fast focal ratios which means […]
The Photographic Atlas of the Moon by longtime ATT contributor Roger Reeves is a guide to our closest celestial companion written in a non-technical narrative that brings fresh insights from an astro imaging perspective. It provides comprehensible, jargon-free language about the Moon, its orbit, its creation and the differing geologic […]
The QHY Liquid Cooling kit is a unique and non-traditional way to achieve cooling for QHY cameras. Instead of relying on fans, this kit employs liquid cooling to maintain optimal operating temperatures for QHYCCD astronomical and scientific cameras. There are many benefits of liquid cooling. It is more efficient than […]
Rigel Systems has announced that their wifi-nFOCUS precision focusing system has been added to the wifi-nSTEP as fully ASCOM ALPACA compliant for focusing control from wifi access points. As Dr. Leon Palmer of Rigel Systems notes, “ASCOM has undergone a rapid transformation from Windows-only to a universal technology. Classic ASCOM […]
The Kson Olympus AS102 APO is a classic air spaced FPL51 and Lanthanum Doublet refractor with a generous f/12 (f/15 with aperture cap) focal length. Designed to for excellent visual observing for planetary, lunar, double star and some DSO viewing, it offers one of the longest focal length modern achromats […]
A set of exquisitely restored Nikon 20×120 Type II Bigeye Binoculars is now available from Luxxoptica, a specialty optical company located in Palm Beach, Florida that restores original World War II antique “Big Eye” optics in addition to creating their own high end reproduction optical instruments. As the company notes […]
nPAE Precision Astro Engineering Limited is again hosting its annual Southern Hemisphere Astrophotography Competition. Participants can enter by sending in their favorite Southern Hemisphere object which can be a Deep Space Object (DSO), Planetary, Lunar or Solar image. Participants can enter a maximum of 2 photos and the images must […]
The Orion 9×50 Achromatic Crosshair Finder Scope features a multicoated 50mm achromatic lens assembly with 9x magnifying power which provides a bit more resolution over a 7x or 8x finder, while still providing a wide field of view to help locate objects. It’s an ideal step up from a red […]
The Askar 52mm f/4 Guide Scope offers a robust and lightweight option for guiding finished in a black or silver coating with a slightly textured feel and offering a compact body, helical focuser and doublet objective lenses. With an aperture of 52mm, a focal length of 208mm and a travel […]
New Video Collimation Kits for 1.25” & 2” Focusers are available now from Rigel Systems. In our Volume 18, Issue 3 of Astronomy Technology Today, Dr. Leon Palmer’s article “Video Collimation Using a Rigel Systems Aline, iPhone and iPad” investigated how to make a dynamic, affordable alternative for live video […]
The AstroCase for astrophotography cameras is a new twist on cases for astro gear by a new company that has launched this year providing cases for astrophotography cameras. Damen Knight created AstroCase and, as he notes, “A few months back, I had a really bad day. I was in the […]
New PiFinder software updates are now available with the release of versions v1.10.0 and v1.10.1. The PiFinder platform is an open source, all-in-one plate solving telescope finder that can add push-to functionality to any telescope without modifications. As Richard Sutherland, creator of the PiFinder notes, “We’ve got new PiFinder software […]