Askar 103APO - a 103 mm aperture, 700 mm focal F6.8 native ratio
In astrographs, the size of the aperture has a significant impact on observability and image quality. The aperture of 103 mm gives it an inherent advantage in terms of light-gathering power, resolution, brightness, and contrast, allowing the photographer to gather more light and present more details and brighter objects in the image.
The Askar 103APO not only adopts a triplet lens design (while budget astrographs on the market typically use doublet), but it also has an ED glass to further enhance image quality.
Useful details
In addition to the carefully designed lens itself, every aspect of the Askar 103APO is dedicated to providing a better shooting experience for users.
All the inner of the Askar 103APO´s dew shield is covered with matting felt, while the inner walls of the main tube are coated with matting paint and equipped with the internal baffle. This effectively reduces light scattering and reflection inside the OTA, thus enhancing the brightness, contrast, and resolution of the observed targets.
Each piece of Askar 103APO is equipped with a unique name ring for identification, making each Askar 103APO telescope exclusive to its owner.
The retractable design of the dew shield, along with the enlarged locking screws, provides convenient usage. The dew shield serves the purpose of protecting the lens from the impact of external and internal light and protecting the lens itself.
Additional features
On the Askar 103APO, there are a total of two finder bases. Each side of the focuser is equipped with a finder base. Many users have expressed concerns about the limited space for installing additional astronomical accessories along the use. To address this, we have specially set finder bases on both sides of the focuser. This not only eliminates the need for disassembly when changing the position of the finderscope but also provides additional mounting positions for other astronomical accessories.
The handle of the Askar 103APO has a special slot design, making it also a base for installing a finder scope. The handle itself is sturdy and durable.
The overall design of the tube brings is lightweight, with a total weight of only 750 g. The thumb screw of the tube ring allows for easy opening and locking. At the same time, the raised base creates more space to accommodate astronomical accessories. In everyday use, the convenience of each step is taken into consideration.
The dovetail plate is the standard Vixen dovetail plate, compatible with most equatorial mounts and bases on the market. We have also made additional extensions and hole position designs, the length reaching up to 290 mm, making it more convenient for balancing on the equatorial mount. With the slot on the handle, the spacing between the tube ring can be adjusted as desired. Additionally, there is also a Losmandy dovetail plate available for purchase, to be used with different equatorial mounts.
The detachable main tube design makes it possible for an OTA to increase the focal ratio to f/4 from the native f/6.8. It can also be used for observations with binoviewer.
Optical accessories
The Askar 103APO has three optional advanced accessories: a 1x flattener, an 0.8x reducer, and an 0.6x focal reducer. All three accessories have built-in 2" filter threads for direct filter installation. Additionally, they are equipped with M54/M48 adapters, and the 0.6x reducer includes an additional M68 adapter ring for convenient connections.
The 1x flattener does not change the telescope´s focal ratio itself. After connecting with the Askar 103APO, it still maintains a focal ratio of f/6.8. The flattener corrects field curvature and coma, resulting in flatter field edges and finer star points.
The 0.8x reducer can bring the Askar 103APO´s focal ratio up to f/5.4. This is a standard reducer with field flattening capabilities as well. A shorter focal ratio allows the OTA to have a wider field of view and faster exposure times, making it suitable for capturing large areas of nebulae, star clusters, and faint, fast-moving celestial objects.
The 0.6x reducer can bring the Askar 103APO´s focal ratio up to f/4 while also providing field flattening. Askar 103APO adpots a detachable tube design, where the rear part of the tube can be removed when using the 0.6x reducer, allowing the telescope to have the necessary length to achieve an f/4 focal ratio.
Exemple with 0.6x Reducer
Using the Askar 103APO for visual observation
Thanks to the detachable lens tube design, the Askar 103APO can be used for observations with binoviewer.
In terms of visual observations, the Askar 103APO pays great attention to observation quality. It can easily achieve focus when connected to 1.25" or 2" diagonals or various eyepieces.
In terms of the focuser, Askar 103APO is equipped dual-speed rack and pinion large 3.3-inch rigid focuser, which can be compatible with most motorized focusers on the market. There is also a high-precision scale on the 10 cm focusing travel. The entire focuser barrel is CNC machined with an anti-reflective internal design and matting paint, providing extra measures to eliminate stray light.
The rear of the focuser features a 360° high-precision big rotator, along with precise scales for convenient adjustment and saving of rotation angles, enabling precise rotation. It is also equipped with an enlarged rotator locking screw that can easily secure even under high loads.
The telescope interface at the rear comes with a 1.25"/2" adapter.
Features:
- Aperture size: 103 mm
- Focal length: 700 mm
- Focal ratio: f/6.8
- Objective lens: Triplet air-spaced apo (including one ED glass)
- Total length: 600 mm (when the dew shield is retracted), 711 mm (when the dew shield is stretched)
- OTA weight: 4.75 kg
- OTA with tube rings and dovetail bar weight: 5.5 kg
- Adapters: 2", 1.25"
In the Box:
- 103APO
- CNC tube rings with carrying handle and dovetail bar
- Two finder shoes mounted on the focuser
- Carrying bag
