Maksutov-teleskop MC 102/1300 StarSeeker IV AZ SynScan-GoTo

The StarSeeker IV GoTo Telescope presents a winning combination of motorized object-location technology and great optical performance at an unbelievably low price. This smart GoTo telescope will lead you and your family on a guided tour of the stars on any clear night.

The MC 102/1300 telescope: This telescope is an ideal companion for trips and is suitable both for astronomy and for use as a reflector spotting scope for nature watching. This telescope is also super for letting children take their first steps in observing the night sky. The extremely compact design fits into virtually any hand luggage and is also known for the very high-contrast image it produces. Its 102mm aperture collects much more light than its 90mm little brother - the light collecting capacity is 212X more than the naked eye alone (for a 7mm exit pupil). Although the overall length is only 28cm, it has a long focal length of 1300mm resulting in an aperture ratio of f12.7.

Astronomically, this telescope has had a lot to offer: with a resolution of 1.13 arc seconds, planets become beautiful objects to observe. Exploring deep sky objects such as the Orion Nebula or the summer Milky Way is also highly enjoyable. This telescope also provides an appropriately low priced alternative as a spotting scope for nature watching. Many classic spotting scopes only start to include adapters for use with a camera at the higher end of the market, at several hundred Euros. This telescope is different: it comes with a large range of adaptations for nature photography included. The 1300mm focal length means that low cost bird photography is possible. The built-in T-2 thread allows the simple connection of an SLR camera. And, for astrophotography, you can also take shots of the Moon for example. The focusing sharpness is set by adjusting a knob on the side which moves the primary mirror forwards or backwards. This type of focusing mechanism provides a large back focus, enabling a wide range of add-on options to be used.

The advantages in a nutshell:

• compact telescope with long focal length and 102mm aperture
• high contrast image
• 1.25" connection with T-2 thread
• nature watching and photography possible

The StarSeeker IV mount - as indicated by the version number, this is a further development of this tried-and-tested single-arm mount. Your telescope can be straightforwardly attached via the prism rail (Vixen-Style) and secured using a single lock-screw. Observing can start immediately after running through a short procedure where the computer learns how the mount is oriented with respect to the night sky ('2 Star Alignment'). Then simply select any object you would like to observe from among the huge database available in the hand control box. The telescope will then slew to this object and hold it centred in the eyepiece. The object would constantly move out of the field of view, due to the rotation of the Earth, without this motorized tracking - but not with the StarSeeker IV mount!

But best of all is that the mount is equipped with encoders on both axes! This means that, even after the computer has been set up, you can move where the telescope points to manually without the computer losing its orientation. This is particularly useful if you want to manually point the telescope at a completely different part of the night sky - this is silent and saves on battery life. Simply move the telescope by hand to roughly the correct part of the night sky and then let the GoTo computer find the exact position.

Thanks to the mount's design, you have full freedom of movement - 360° in horizontal rotation and 90° in height (zenith), without the optics fouling the mount! The StarSeeker version IV comes with a sturdy steel tube tripod. This is a real advantage as compared to the aluminium tripod provided with this mount's predecessor.

This single-arm mount is suitable for smaller OTAs weighing up to 6kg. It is very portable, quick to set up and easy to operate. It is hence ideal for casual observers who do not want to spend a lot of time organizing and assembling their equipment.

The motorized tracking also makes this mount a good platform for astrophotography of bright astronomical objects - especially the Moon and planets.

It not only matters which telescope you buy but also where you buy it. Our additional services:

• We are a leading telescope dealer and know the devices we sell. Our customer service team will gladly help you after your purchase if you have problems with assembly or operation.
• We provide a copy of the 80-page Telescope ABC beginners handbook with every telescope.
• We also provide an edition of the exciting astronomy magazine, “Sterne und Weltraum” with each telescope.