Skip to content

Demilitarized giant illuminated Red Dot Visor (RDV)

Originally this product had a military function, hence it is built like a tank.

With both jump covers flipped open, the unit works as a terrestrial as well as an astronomical Red Dot Finder for straight through aiming with both eyes open, featuring a sharp 2 MOA red dot with 11 brightness set points. The three lower light settings are intended for night work against the sky.

With both jump-covers closed, the unit works as a safe daylight solar finder, projecting the solar disc through a 1.5 MOA (minutes of arc) pinhole onto a 40 mm wide rear 2 MOA reticle. The reticle is applied onto a yellow UV-blocker for added safety against accidental straight viewing. The projected solar image can be centered onto the reticle without looking straight through the finder.

  • To not loose sighting stars, the view though the SkySurfer V is markedly brighter compared to regular gunsight red dot visors.
  • All lenses and optical windows of the SkySurfer V are fully multicoated for maximum starlight throughput
  • The optical body and all adjustments are waterresistant, fogproof and shockproof
  • SkySurfer V comes fully assembled with anti-dew extensions and jump covers mounted.

Features of the SkySurfer V

  • Fully multicoated lenses provide increased light transmission
  • Illuminated red dot reticle is highly visible in daylight and dimmable for unimpaired night vision
  • Unlimited eye relief
  • Use with both eyes wide open
  • Red Color does not impair nightvision
  • 35 mm deep added dew-shields on either side prevent fogging of the lenses and work as a perfect straylight shield.
  • 70 mm elevation of Universal Red Dot Mount enables effortless aiming – even when mounted onto the optical tube of a Newtonian telescope (most low profile red dot aiming devices dont provide enough "face-space" between telescope and finder.
  • Ready out of the box: Extension tubes and jump covers readily mounted
  • Front jump cover features a 1.5 MOA center hole to work as moisture release when closed after use and to work as daylight pinhole projector.
  • Rear jump cover features a 40 mm yellow UV-blocked window with integrated opaque reticle with 2 MOA (minutes of arc) center hole to catch the solar image projected by the front 1.5 MOA center hole.

Technical Data

  • Magnification: 1x
  • Objective Lens Diameter: 40 mm
  • Reticle: Illuminated, 2 MOA (minute of arc) Red Dot
  • Adjustment Gradation: 1 MOA per click / 48 clicks per revoution
  • Waterresistant and Fogproof
  • Battery: 1 CR2032 (included)
  • Fits directly on 11mm Weaver micro gunrails, and with standard adapter (not included) onto Weaver- und Picatinny rails
  • Length: 210 mm (8.5")
  • Weight: 310 g (base: 55g)

Sky Surfer V - scope of supply

  • Sky-Surfer V basic optical module (Fits directly onto 11mm Weaver micro gunrails. When reversing the clamping brackets, the SkySurfer V directly fits onto all standard rails (20 mm) of Weaver and Picatinny)
  • 2 pc. 35 mm optical tube extensions (mounted on optical body)
  • Front jump cover #2957311 with 0.7 mm through-hole to work as solar "camera obscura" when cover is closed (mounted on extension tube)
  • Rear jump cover with yellow glass cover with opaque crosshair reticle and UV/IR blocking filter
  • Baader Universal RDM Red Dot Mount #2457010
  • Baader Standard Base #2457000

SkySurfer V Red Dot Reticle

  • Nocturnal Red Dot Size: 2 Minutes of arc (2 MOA), provides a most (unleserlich???) "vanishing point"
  • Daylight Red Dot Size: 3 Minutes of arc (3 MOA)
  • Use with both eyes wide open
  • Red Color does not impar nightvision
  • 11 variable illumination settings (3 settings for night vision)
  • Lithium battery with up to 4000 hours lifetime at #1 nocturnal dial

Test Review:

Read here a test review about the first version of the SkySurfer V on astro-baby.com

Solar Observation Safety Note

Before pointing the telescope towards the Sun make sure that both jump covers are securely closed and snapped into place. Now the solar image is being projected onto the rear-side reticle. The position of the bright solar dot on the reticle can be seen from any sideways angle. It is not necessary and not recommended for solar work to position the eye straight behind the line of sight and to eye the solar dot from straight behind. Now center the yellow solar dot into the middle of the reticle by using the telescope mount controls. If found convenient, indicate your own center mark onto the reticle with a pencil.

Pay utmost attention to safely cover the front aperture of your telescope (or any other optical device aiming at the Sun) with a suitable solar filter, for instance AstroSolar® film.