Do I need a separate field flattener for the Askar 130PHQ?
No. The Askar 130PHQ is a flat-field astrograph with a built-in corrector lens as part of its quadruplet optical design. It supports a 60mm medium-frame image circle without additional accessories.
What size camera sensor can the Askar 130PHQ fully illuminate?
It has a medium-frame 60mm image circle, which covers a full-frame (36x24mm) sensor with margin, with tiny distortion of the peripheral stars.
How does the 1000mm focal length of the Askar 130PHQ frame the Andromeda Galaxy (M31)?
At 1000mm a full-frame sensor covers about 2.1 x 1.4 degrees, which frames the core and inner disk of the Andromeda Galaxy (M31) with M32; the whole galaxy with M110 needs a mosaic or the 0.7x reducer. An APS-C sensor gives a tighter view of the core.
Can the Askar 130PHQ resolve details on planets like Jupiter?
The 130PHQ is suited for viewing and shooting. At 1000mm it gives a good native image scale. For high-magnification planetary imaging, you would typically add a Barlow lens to increase the effective focal length and use a high-frame-rate planetary camera.
What are the back focus distances for the Askar 130PHQ?
Maximum connection distances with the focuser fully retracted, measured from the base of each male thread:
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186mm from the M86x1 thread
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156mm from the M68x1 thread
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136mm from the M54x0.75 thread
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116mm from the M48x0.75 thread
For visual use, the distance is 148.5mm from the end of the 2" eyepiece holder.
How do I connect my camera to the Askar 130PHQ?
The telescope includes a 4-piece adapter set that terminates in a standard M48x0.75 male thread. If your camera uses M42, add an M48-to-M42 step-down adapter.
Is the Askar 130PHQ suitable for visual observation?
Yes. The 130PHQ is suited for viewing and shooting; its length figures include a 1.25" eyepiece holder, and a 2" eyepiece holder figure is also given. Add a star diagonal and eyepieces.
What is the benefit of the quadruplet design in the 130PHQ?
The four-element (quadruplet) objective with two ED glass elements offers excellent control of chromatic and other aberrations, and the self-flattening design removes the need for a separate flattener.
How do I use the optional 0.7x reducer with the 130PHQ?
Askar's 3" 0.7x flat-field reducer brings the 130PHQ to f/5.4 and 700mm. It has a standard 55mm back focus and comes with M68, M54 and M48 thread adapters.
What are the first steps for setting up the Askar 130PHQ for imaging?
For your first night:
- Mount the OTA onto a polar-aligned equatorial mount using the Losmandy dovetail plate.
- Attach your camera using the appropriate adapters from the included 4-piece set.
- Slew the telescope to a bright star and use a Bahtinov mask to achieve precise focus.
- Once focused, slew to your target and begin your imaging sequence.
