The Celestron f/6.3 is ~150 compared to the Antares at ~70. If the focal reducer is to be used for visual observation, the visual back is threaded onto the eyepiece side of the reducer, and then a star diagonal and eyepiece are installed as usual. Oceanside Photo & Telescope wants our customers to shop with confidence knowing that you will always get the best deal available. The Celestron is both a corrector and focal reducer and the Antares is just a focal reducer. For the best experience on our site, be sure to turn on Javascript in your browser. Focal reducers for refractors are easy to use. I focus using a moonlight electronic focuser and focusmax. During a twenty-year scientific career, he developed laser systems to detect molecules found in interstellar space and planetary atmospheres, and leveraged his expertise to create laser technology for optical communications networks. The Antares is supposed to be pretty comparable. I was referring to the C6 to answer you specifically. If I had to go out on a very thick limb, I would have to say that these two reducers/correctors are, indeed, identical the exact same glass in slightly different housings with different lettering. As I understand it, compared to the old Meade SCT's, the ACF is already "coma corrected", so the standard Meade, Celestron etc F6.3 focal reducers are not suitable and will only worsen the images. If you do so, you will achieve the design reduction factor. Free shipping $189.95 Your mileage may vary. Like many of us with SCTs, I have bought and sold a number of f/6.3 reducer/correctors over the years, and I have always been curious how they really stack up to each other. Each focal reducer has a fixed specification called the working distance or required back focus. EclipSmart solar products feature Solar Safe filter technology providing the ultimate protection from harmful solar radiation, including both IR and UV light, and filters 99.999% of visible light. You attach the focal reducer to the rear port on a SCT and can keep it covered. Imagine having two telescopes in one a long focal length instrument for lunar and planetary work and a short focal length scope for deep sky observing and astrophotography. Unique focal reducer and field corrector lens accessory, Reduces the focal length and f/ ratio of your Schmidt-Cassegrain telescope by 37%, Provides a dual focal ratio instrument, without sacrificing image quality, Compatible with all Schmidt-Cassegrain telescopes (see compatible list in description). StevieDvd Members 1,182 1,812 Location: Stevenage, UK Posted March 9, 2021 (edited) Don't know but your welcome to try out my Meade 6.3 sct reducer next time you are passing. Edited by Tony Bonanno, 16 April 2021 - 06:44 PM. The reduction factor MR can also be written in terms of d2 as: When the focal reducer is placed at the working distance, D, that is when d2=D, then the reduction factor MR is equal to the design reduction factor MRD: Equations (6) and (7) imply these important considerations: Most manufacturers do not publish the focal length of their focal reducers, so it is not usually possible to calculate the working distance and design reduction factor. At least these two units I tested make the answer - whatever. Equation 6 & 7 item two & three does not make sense, both say increase its reduction (one should say reduce its reduction?). This Antares 1.25" 0.5x focal reducer lens (tele-compressor) is used under the Orion brand name to thread into the nosepiece of Orion StarShoot Solar System cameras and StarShoot Deep Space Color Imaging Camera. Hello! Once installed, you can add additional accessories like T-Adapters, 1.25 Visual Back, Star Diagonal, or Off-Axis Guider. Observing the microscopic world has never been easier! Have a promo code? But in the Japan version I have never noticed any anomaly like the ghosting in the China R/C. And when used in some refractors, the field flattening is not as accurate as it is in the f/10 SCTs. Focal reducers for SCT, RC, and field-flattened Edge HD or ACF telescopes thread onto the back of the telescope tube with 2"-24 or 3"-28 SCT threads. looks virtually identical, except for the lettering. The Best Dedicated Astronomy Cameras for Beginners, Astronomik OIII 12nm CCD Filter - T-Threads, Pegasus Astro Dual Motor Focus Controller, 10 Micron 12kg (26.45lbs) Stainless Steel Counterweight- GM 2000, I would like more information regarding stock availability dates. Most focal reducers are designed to operate optimally at the working distance in the optical path to achieve their specified reduction factor, which is usually between 0.5x and 0.8x. Stars in the corner of the image frame are indistinguishable between the Antares and the Celestron. More important, its clear that the Antares is a reducer/corrector, just like the Celestron and not merely a reducer. Celestrons FREE planetarium app is an astronomy suite that redefines how you experience the night sky. There is one difference though the Antares came with only one lens cap whereas the Celestron had a cap for both ends. They usually have a 2" barrel that slides into the telescope focuser. This is one of our best-selling items, and customers have reported that this product is at least as good as, and probably better than, other leading f/6.3 focal reducers sold on the market for a lot more. control and Sky Viewer display makes selecting your target easy. This article explained the basics of how focal reducers work with various kinds of telescopes and how their working distance affects their reduction factor, and it provided sufficient detail to help amateur astronomer choose and use the right focal reducer for a particular application. You don't need to follow these equations to use a focal reducer, but they do show how the reduction factor changes with the placement of the reducer. The author finds differences in throughput and color balance, but then says he thinks the lenses are identical and he reaches his conclusions based on very long observing session. Does anyone have any experience with the Celestron and Antares focal reducers? Nada. However I've also read that the back focal distance on the Celestron is 105mm while the Antares is 81mm so they couldn't be identical. For visual use, this means you get lower power with the same eyepiece and a wider field of view. They are commonly available in 1.25" and 2" threaded cells that conveniently thread into the nosepiece of a compatible camera or the barrel of an eyepiece. Clearly cost is a big factor for satisfied users. It's highly unlikely that they could be so precisely identical unless they were. Celestron Reducer Lens .7x - EdgeHD 925 The EdgeHD .7x Focal Reducer Lens makes your EdgeHD 925 one full F-Stop faster than f/10, reducing your exposure time by half to capture the same brightness of object 5-element lens design Maintains similar. Reducer Lens .7x - EdgeHD 800 Learn More. Telescope Optics, Rutten and van Venrooij, Chapter 15, Willman-Bell (1988). Description. Due to the design, the Reducer/Corrector lens does diminish a small amount of field curvature common to all Schmidt Cassegrain telescopes but does not eliminate it. Nowadays I tend to use the Celestron more with my refractors for imaging and viewing. Most refractor manufacturers such as William Optics, Tele Vue Optics, Explore Scientific, Sky-Watcher, William Optics, and Stellarvue make their own focal reducers optimized for use with their telescopes. Regardless, the difference was miniscule and is more than adequate on both and exceeds a 8 or 6 SCTs baffle tube diameter. First, I wanted to compare the actual reduction provided by these competitors, as many threads here cite different ideal spacing from the reducer to eyepiece focal plane to achieve the correct f/6.3 result. Not one detectable iota of discernable difference. How about for visual observers? You can adjust your cookie settings, otherwise we'll assume you're okay to continue. The female end attaches to the rear cell of the telescope. For Ritchey-Chretien telescopes such as those manufactured by GSO, there are also dedicated focal reducers with a reduction factor of 0.7x to 0.8x. Using one on such a scope would make demands on the eyepiece design and increase the exit pupil to an extent that focal reduction on fast Newts is not practical. The focal length of a focal reducer is usually measured from the rear lens surface of the reducer (and not the reducer's housing). What is likely is that fatigue sets in, and also that as the targets move toward or a way from the meridian there will be changes for that reason alone. Now, Celestron is using that same technology to allow star gazers to connect to the night sky and enhance their experience of the cosmos in fun and unique ways. 2023 OPT Telescopes. This means that there must be sufficient travel on the telescope focuser to make up for this. Celestrons patented StarSense Technology makes it easier than ever to locate objects in the night sky, even if youve never used a telescope before. M44 was a perfect target for this, as its large size maxes out the FOV on a C8 with a corrector, and its bright stars make great targets for measuring the very edge of the visible field. Images in the Celestron tended to appear ever-so-slightly dimmer (maybe? This filter threads on to the rear cell of your Celestron or Meade SCT telescope. For both imaging and visual observing, these reducers also improve image sharpness at the edge of the field by correcting for coma and field curvature. It's an either/or proposition: reducer and 1.25", or 2", but not 2" and reducer. 800-483-6287 Please let us know what topics you are interested in. My Celestron was made in China and the Antares in Canada. During check-out, you will be presented with several shipping choices and costs. A useful thing to know is how far from the objective lens (for a refractor) is the focal reducer located. Nebula Filters. Celestrons aplanatic EdgeHD optics revolutionized astroimaging. Unscrew that wide angle lens and put it away, then attach the ASI120 to the nose-piece that came with the camera and fit that into the eyepiece holder. I have a Raspberry HQ camera, a Sony TV Zoom 12.5-75mm f1.8 and a Astromania 1,25" 0.5x focal reducer. Powered by Invision Community. Details: The item must be the identical item, brand name, size, weight, color, quantity and model number. Focal reducers (and focal reducer/field flatteners combos) are usually used with two types of telescopes, refractors and compound telescopes such as Schmidt-Cassegrain or Ritchey-Chretien. For imagers using longer focal-length refractors and SCTs, especially when using smaller sensors that place less demand on the focal reducer, there are economical alternatives for focal reducers from manufacturers such as GSO, Agena, and Antares. I was originally hoping to do this with a made in Japan Celestron, but ended up with a newer China version but thats probably better in the end since it is the version now available, with the Japan ones rarer and only available used. It works fine but you should stick with 1.25 EPs; or can use 2" EPs without corrector. No negative issues to report. Sign up for our newsletter to get exclusive deals, observing tips, and new product announcements. Like you, I am primarily visually observing but I have everything together now that so I am going to start experimenting with photography so we'll see how it does there. We have placed cookies on your device to help make this website better. Just one question. However, in principle, the reduction factor of a focal reducer can be varied by changing the distance from the back of the focal reducer to the camera or eyepiece. For the best experience on our site, be sure to turn on Javascript in your browser. I've heard and read all kinds of things about the Antares being only a reducer and not a corrector, etc. This fully multi-coated lens provides maximum light transmission with near full-field illumination. I also used several eyepieces including the ES 24mm/68, 17.5mm and 12.5mm Morpheuses, and a 10.5mm Pentax XL. For example, an 8" SCT without a focal reducer has an illuminated field of 38mm at 50% fall-off. Copyright 2003-2022 Agena AstroProducts. Depending on the design of the telescope, they may require separate focal reducers if they require focal reducers at all.
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