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Download the Celestron PWI Telescope Control Software. If yes, what kind of focal reducers can I use? Just one question. Watch this before you buy Celestron 8SE SCT, or a Focal Reducer or a Hyperstar 7,758 views Mar 28, 2018 145 Dislike Share Ray's Astrophotography 42.3K subscribers Note: I am not paid or. Copyright 2021 Stargazers Lounge With spring galaxy season here, I decided to pick up a couple more to compare in a head-to-head shoot out. Nowadays I tend to use the Celestron more with my refractors for imaging and viewing. Try & buy if you like - usual mates rates. These reducers can also be used for visual observing with SCT scopes with eyepieces with a field stop as large as 24-27mm. Turn it on and push Align. In about three minutes, youre ready to observe! Is that distance D= Fo-d1=Fo-(d2/MR)? He tested this on an 8 Celestron , I have a Celestron 6SE. 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. All Rights Reserved. Edited by Tony Bonanno, 16 April 2021 - 06:44 PM. It works fine but you should stick with 1.25 EPs; or can use 2" EPs without corrector. The price for an item/offer must be listed and valid at the time of match. Reducer Lens .7x - EdgeHD 1400 The lens is housed in machined aluminum for are machined aluminum black anodized. All rights reserved. I was referring to the C6 to answer you specifically. These RC reducers cannot be used with other types of telescopes. I have the Antares and have no complaints. Reducer Lens .7x - EdgeHD 800 I even lost track of which reducer I was using. Brian Ventrudo is a writer, scientist, and astronomy educator. And when d1 = FR, that is, when the focal reducer is placed at a distance from the focal plane of the objective that's equal to the reducer's focal length, the focal length of the combined optical system is Fo, so it acts as a 0.5x reducer. Perfect for the serious student, professional scientist and discriminating hobbyist. Regardless, the difference was miniscule and is more than adequate on both and exceeds a 8 or 6 SCTs baffle tube diameter. The most popular accessories for your new telescope! Well done. ), ASI Air Plus - Connected items are 'greyed out', Cost of ordering used equipment U.S. - Can can more than double figure, Tuthill Isostatic Mount and Star Trap Power Module. I happily cycle through LRGB filters to build the image rather than do a whole run of one filter at a time. Rather than a direct side-by-side, I swapped the reducers so that I was using them on the exact same, well-collimated instrument. Thank you so much for the informative article, I now understand better how to integrate my reducer into my system to get better performance. More important, its clear that the Antares is a reducer/corrector, just like the Celestron and not merely a reducer. Much to my surprise, swapping back and forth between the two correctors using all three diagonal configurations, I also could detect absolutely no change in reduction between the two reducers. Increase that distance, and greater reduction results and visa versa. Possibly the design of the Antares was changed .. 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. Most amateur astronomers are familiar with a Barlow lens (or a focal extender), a negative or diverging lens that effectively increases the focal length and the focal ratio of a telescope's objective lens. I own both and concur heartily. 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). They never really recovered from selling a few 15 years back with element reversed. They are also less expensive than many external focusers of similar build quality. Just point the telescope at any three bright objectsstars, bright planets, or even the Moonand your telescope can orient itself with the night sky. ED stands for "extra-low dispersion," which refers to the composition and optical properties of the glass used for the lenses. 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. If you want to save a few buck watch the classifieds on CN. Images made with my ZWO 533 camera testing both show them to be essentially the same. Easy solution found a very tiny dab of super lube on the threads and all was well and quiet. We tested GSO's 1.25" 0.5x focal reducer at a variety of operating distances and calculated the field of view through a telescope to derive the actual reduction factor that is plotted below. Based on Test 1 and Test 2, I think there is perhaps more validity to opposing statements here in these forums that the Antares and current China-made Celestron do, indeed, have exactly the same optics just with different housings and branding. That is definitely a 2" eyepiece, but it is not a large or long focal length 2" eyepiece. A reducer is a set of converging (or positive) lenses that cause the light from a telescope objective to converge at a steeper angle to the focal plane as if it were coming from an objective with a faster (lower) focal ratio and a shorter focal length. Hmmm . Article Agena AstroProducts, 2019. They are designed (assuming you are referring to the f/6.3 version) for the f/10 light cone. Given past experience with them, I decided not to include the Meade version in my little experiment, as I have never met one I liked from getting one of the too-short focal length models, to one with some overflow cement in the doublet, to focus difficulties with some eyepieces. Sharpness is essentially the same. Explicitly designed for Celestron Schmidt-Cassegrain telescopes, this unique lens reduces your telescopes focal length and f/ ratio by 37%, turning your long focal length telescope into a fast, short focal length instrument. GSO, for example, has a 0.75x reducer for RC scopes with a back focus of 80mm, which is usually enough room for a wide range of astronomy cameras and accessories and spacers as needed. Product Details. Celestron is considered better in terms of QA, less likely to come with free dust, hair or fingerprint. Most different was that the sky background was a little darker and more uniform, providing a tiny contrast boost for fainter objects. which looks like the same one. Does anyone have any experience with the Celestron and Antares focal reducers? To calculate how much back focus spacing you need to add, take the thickness of the filter and divide it by 3. 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. Each focal reducer has a fixed specification called the working distance or required back focus. 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. At a significantly lower price point, the Antares is a steal, and theres no need to upgrade to the Celestron if you already have one. The most commonly available focal reducers for SCTs are the f/6.3 reducers from Celestron and a similar f/6.3 focal reducer from Meade. And, the reality is that every F/6.3 RC out there Celestron, Hirsch, Astromania, etc., etc. Thanks Peter! The previous post shows the reducer on what appear to be two different refractors. Start here to find the perfect telescope for you! A useful thing to know is how far from the objective lens (for a refractor) is the focal reducer located. We only send interesting emails and will never sell your data. It's important to match the back focus to within a millimeter or two to get an optimal image, especially with cameras with larger sensors. I've heard and read all kinds of things about the Antares being only a reducer and not a corrector, etc. if the illuminated field is 27mm wide without the reducer, it will be 27 x 0.63 = 17mm with it in place. The faster f/ratio allows you to use slower film or shoot in lower light level situations and still properly expose your subject. It threads onto the rear cell of 5" to 16" Celestron and Meade Schmidt-Cassegrain telescopes, making it possible to have a dual focal ratio instrument without sacrificing image quality. If you do so, you will achieve the design reduction factor. Equation (4) shows the relationship between the distance d2 and the reduction factor MR. When placed in the focal plane in front of a camera or eyepiece, a focal reducer leads to a wider field of view and a brighter image of extended objects, which is important for reducing the exposure times when imaging faint extended objects like nebulae or galaxies. Photographically you also get a wider field and much shorter exposures. You also wont be unhappy spending the few extra bucks on the Celestron for the pretty orange lettering, particularly if you can pick one up used, as I did. This fully multi-coated lens provides maximum light transmission with near full-field illumination. Assuming you use the reducer with the stock 1.25" diagonal, it will operate at f/6.3. Read our 101 article or get in touch. Fastar Technology allows imagers the option of drastically increasing the speed and sensitivity of their Celestron optical tube, allowing bright, detailed images with short exposures. This appendix summarizes how this works based on simple equations from the book Telescope Optics by Rutten and van Venrooij. Who cares? If you are using a camera that has a back focus of less than 55mm, additional spacer rings will be required between the reducer and the camera. If you want to use them for visual - try maybe long focal length eyepieces rather than the reducer. Reducer - Corrector This filter threads on to the rear cell of your Celestron or Meade SCT telescope. We will be glad to help. First, let's have a look at some key optical parameters are needed to understand focal reducers. The lens that the ZWO comes with give a perfect wide angle image of what is in front of it. The easiest way to use a focal reducer is to make sure you place it at the specified working distance in front of your camera or eyepiece. There may have been an almost imperceptible difference, but the Antares and Celestron were producing precisely the same reduction. Unleash the full pointing accuracy of your Celestron computerized telescope with a specialized telescope control software suite. Increasing the operating distance, that is, moving a focal reducer away from the eyepiece or camera reduces its reduction factor, or conversely increases the amount of reduction. In this case, d2 = FR/2, which means the back of the focal reducer is located at a distance FR/2 from the camera or eyepiece. Observing the microscopic world has never been easier! Celestron or Antares f/6.3 focal reducer for SCT? The stars at the edge could be worse or better. Still not sure what is the right gear for you? You can probably eke out 1.2 without noticing serious vignetting, which is a field stop of 31.5mm. Request stock alerts and we'll let you know when the item is back in stock. I don't know. Refractors, or SCTs with external focusers, may not have sufficient in-travel to reach focus in some configurations. Is there likely to be any differences in performance between using these on an 8 or something smaller like my 6SE? On the camera side, the focal reducer has male M42x0.75 or M48x0.75 threads that attach directly to the T-ring (with an M42-M48 adapter if necessary). Again, to my surprise, there was absolutely no difference between the Celestron and Antares on any star. Thanks for pointing this out. Celestron Nexstar+ 127 SLT, several budget plossl eyepieces, Celestron 8-24mm zoom EP and a 12.5mm illuminated double reticle EP, Svbony SV205 camera w/.5 focal reducer, Celestron SkyMaster 20x80 binos on a 40 yr old QuickSet PanHead tripod, Stellarium, Sharpcap and ManyCam on my laptop, SkyView and Nightshift on my phone and a dandy little $9 . It seems right to put some distance between the camera and the focal reducer, right? However, with appropriate spacers and a camera with a known back-focus, it is easy to determine the exact amount of focal reduction for a given setup (some imaging software packages will also let you derive this from images). Its a good thing I have the super lube handy or my neighbors wont be happy with me.come to think of it, Im sure the small mammals here wouldnt be thrilled either! The design reduction factor of a focal reducer is the relative amount by which the effective focal length of the telescope is reduced when the focal reducer is used at its specified working distance or back focus. An image of about 24mm across, approximately, allows an observer to use a 1.25" eyepiece with a maximal field stop. The working distance (backfocus) of the Celestron f/6.3 reducer is specified to be 105mm from the base of the male SCT thread on the camera side. Focal Reducer, 2", 0.7X. The reducer features fully coated optics in an anodized aluminum filter ring with an ergonomic rubber grip. * Not a Retail Store * 16313 Arthur StreetCerritos, CA 90703, USA, Availability: Item has been discontinued by Agena and we no longer carry this item. Completely stuck, completely frustrated. To further factor out my natural astigmatism (I normally wear glasses while observing), I did the tests with my regular progressive lenses, single vision glasses I use when observing, and naked eye. These reducers can also be used for visual observing with SCT scopes with eyepieces with a field stop as large as 24-27mm. The Reduction Factor and the Amount of Reduction are inversely related. Reducer Lens .7x - EdgeHD 1100 Learn More. On the trail, at the job site, in the classroom, or simply sitting at home relaxing the Celestron Elements ThermoTank 3 will keep your hands toasty. I wont bother with differences in packaging, caps, etc. This standard distance is a consequence of the design of DSLR cameras for which the distance of the sensor to the outer edge of the flanges is about 45 mm, while the T-ring that attaches to the flange for astrophotography is about 10mm thick. Sky recognition technology that has revolutionized the manual telescope by eliminating the confusion common among beginners and enhancing the user experience for even seasoned telescope users. and you will be fine. However, it will not thread into William Optics accessories, and with GSO it is a hit or miss. Sign up for our newsletter to get exclusive deals, observing tips, and new product announcements. The distance d2, which measures the position of the new focal plane of the objective from the back of the focal reducer is given by Equation 5: In these equations, d1, d2, and MR are all variables that depend on each other through Equations 2 and 4. 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. Antares' f/6.3 focal reducer provides a faster f/6.3 system for imaging or visual use when used with an f/10 SCT or other compatible telescopes. For imagers, the main purpose of a focal reducer is to increase the brightness of the image at the focal plane. Celestrons aplanatic EdgeHD optics revolutionized astroimaging. If I had to guess, the difference is maybe 10-15 grams. I have Hirsch focal reducer, which is yet another clone of the Celestron reducer. Explore Scientific Keys to the Universe Sale. This factor is designated by a power that is less than 1, and it usually lies between 0.5x or 0.8x. In many cases, the answer is yes, especially for electronically-assisted astronomy (EAA). Thanks for any advice or experience you could share. Place the plastic covers on the lens when not in use to reduce the dust collection. Designed distancing using the reducer with a 1.25 visual back and 1.25 Televue mirror diagonal; Now It only focuses near things, like some kind of macro zoom. Reducer Lens .7x - EdgeHD 1400 Learn More. You cannot, for example, use a 0.63x focal reducer intended for a standard Celestron or Meade SCT and use it on a Celestron Edge HD or a Meade ACF. I think there may be some confusion here, because Antares makes a variety of reducers for eyepieces and scopes in addition to this SCT R/C but this definitely is a reducer/corrector. It features a standard male SCT thread (2" OD, 24 TPI) on one side and a standard SCT female thread on the other. This is a. Celestron makes a series of focal reducers for the Edge HD line that are matched to the 8", 9.25", 11", and 14" apertures of these scopes. It's an either/or proposition: reducer and 1.25", or 2", but not 2" and reducer. Take control of your telescope! All Rights Reserved. This part is no longer in production, but it is sometimes available used and may be used with cameras with smaller sensors. This focal reducer and field flattener consists of a four-element multicoated 40mm lens in a metal cell. This is especially true when these reducers are used with cameras with smaller sensors with a dimension of about 1/4 to 1/3 the diameter of the reducer, and with telescopes with a focal ratio of f/7 or larger. This telescope control software replaces the hand control and allows the user to remotely control their Celestron computerized telescope from their personal PC or laptop. 800-483-6287 We have placed cookies on your device to help make this website better. Bear in mind you can't squeeze blood out of a turnip, i.e. ), but stars seemed a bit tighter and their colors were richer and more dramatic. because they really dont matter. The female end attaches to the rear cell of the telescope. Great report and verifies what I had thought all along, Fortunately, my neighbors are not out in their backyards at 11 pm, or they may have thought I was torturing a small mammal. This filter threads on to the rear cell of your Celestron or Meade SCT telescope. This also resulted in the clear aperture of the Antares being about 39-39.5mm, versus the Celestrons 41mm. Does anyone know if the Antares 4000 focal reducer is as good as the Celestron focal reducer. Sign up to receive sale alerts, news about upcoming celestial events, and telescope tips from our experts! More about this below. 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. 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. Unlike SCT telescopes, Ritchey-Chretien telescopes and Celestron Edge HD or Meade ACF scopes have internal optics that provide an inherently flat field, so these telescopes require a special focal reducer than does not provide additional correction for field curvature. Not one detectable iota of discernable difference. A slight nod to the Antares for heft and higher transmission, but points to the Celestron for nice threads and better contrast. As a consequence, the standard f/6.3 and f/3.3 focal reducers for SCT scopes do not work. I am a purely visual observer, so will evaluate for visual use only. It covers the basic optics and design specifications of a focal reducer, and goes through some practical factors to consider when selecting and using a focal reducer. More aggressive reduction, or using these reducers with larger sensors, will result in aberrations and distortions near the edge of the image. 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. I read another thread in a different forum about F6.3 reducer correctors and one amateur posted an image about glue coming out of an astromania f6.3 reducer which he planned to return. Best evidence would by obtained by using a camera and evaluating the image both by eye and with a computer analysis. Overall, this reducer does a phenomenal job at preventing gradients due to internal reflections from the camera sensor back to the glass in the reducer, as I suffered with the Antares reducer. Some are available in 1.25" barrel format but with C threads. It also leads to larger (although fainter) images of extended objects like the Moon or planets for astrophotographers or visual observers. 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. 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. The Celestron f/6.3 is ~150 compared to the Antares at ~70. The female end attaches to the rear cell of the telescope. Please re-enable javascript to access full functionality. 3. For example, the focal reducer for an 8-inch Celestron EdgeHD telescope has a design reduction factor of 0.7x and a specified working distance (or back focus) of 105mm. How about for visual observers? The more focal reduction, the further inward the focal plane will be. Our proprietary StarBright XLT optical coatings dramatically increase transmission, up to 97.4% on our Schmidt corrector lenses. We have tested our current batch and it works with Meade, Celestron, and Baader SCT accessories. For these items, please contact us to obtain a shipping quote before you check out using the online shopping cart.International Customers:Free shipping does not apply to international orders. This "speeds up" the optical train by reducing the focal length and magnification of the scope, requiring less time to integrate the same signal. Once installed, you can add additional accessories like T-Adapters, 1.25 Visual Back, Star Diagonal, or Off-Axis Guider. But is there a difference in quality between the Antares and the Celestron or Meade focal reducers? For this shoot-out, I used a standard Celestron C8 with Starbright coatings. The amount of reduction is simply the percentage by which a reducer shortens the effective focal length of a telescope and is calculated as (1 Reduction Factor) x 100%. The internal surfaces are blackened and glare-threaded to provide the highest contrast. Since the focal length of the reducer, FR, is fixed, as d2 increases then MR decreases. Because I have not heard any complaints about the made in China R/C. The working distance of the GSO 0.5x focal reducer with 1.25" barrel and the GSO 0.5x focal reducer with 2" barrel is about 51mm to 53mm, approximately, from the middle of the metal cell that holds the lens. 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. But nearly every observer who installs one of these devices is pleased with their performance. But while the image gets brighter, the size of the image circle gets proportionately smaller. Explore Scientific - Keys to the Universe Sale. Description. Hi. Nada. I've never found my 0.63 reducer causing CA when used with my SCT. These reducers have a back focus (or design working distance) of 80mm. They provide 0.75x focal reducers for these telescopes that takes an f/8 instrument down to f/6. Thanks. Any comments gratefully received. It has only one cover, which surprised me. In these equations: The combined focal length of the objective and focal reducer is given by Equation 1: For example, when d1=0, that is, the focal reducer is at the focal plane of the objective, Fcomb=Fo, so the focal reducer has no effect. This rugged, 3-in-1 device features a true tactical 3-mode flashlight, a hand warmer, and a portable power bank for recharging your personal electronics on the go. Reducer Lens .7x - EdgeHD 925 Learn More. I've seen some older threads saying that the Celestron, Meade and Antares FRs are all the same and manufactured in the same factory. As a Barlow's magnification increases with increasing distance from the Barlow, a focal reducer's reduction increases with increasing distance from the reducer. This focal reducer is made to attach to the rear cell of Schmidt-Cassegrain or Maksutov-Cassegrain telescopes. Some coma is visible in the corners, but the image is quite good for EAA applications. Go behind the scenes with Celestrons product development team and learn more about our award-winning and patented innovations. 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. looks virtually identical, except for the lettering. I use the Celestron version and it seems OK for both visual and imaging. No rainchecks will be issued for items out of stock at OPTcorp.com to match a competitor's price. Both exhibited consistent reduction, identical field flattening, and edge correction properties, and both were high quality optically and mechanically. The two samples I have PERFORM IDENTICALLY. Check out our 2022 telescope buying guide here! I'd favor the Japanese Celestron version over the others that are commercially available. Most reducers have a design reduction factor, MRD, that assumes the reducer is placed at a specific working distance, D, from the back surface of the focal reducer itself. This should not be the case if they have their purportedly different focal lengths.