Daystar 80mm f/6.25 ED APO Refractor

The Daystar 80mm f/6.25: A Dual-Purpose APO for Night and Day

By day, with the included 90mm white light filter attached, it shows the solar photosphere, with sunspots and an orange-tinted Sun. By night, its ED apochromatic doublet and 80mm aperture suit the Moon, planets, star clusters and bright nebulae. The diagonal and case are included, so only a mount and eyepieces need to be added.

FPL-53 and BK7 Doublet: Apochromatic Correction with Metallic High-Transmission Coatings

The heart of the telescope is its ED apochromatic doublet objective, using BK7 and FPL-53 extra-low dispersion (ED) glass. The ED glass elements are fluorite-based and virtually eliminate all false color, the purple fringing seen around bright objects in refractors without ED glass.

• Apochromatic Correction: With false color controlled, bright stars, the Moon and planets show little of the color fringing an achromat gives.
• Metallic High-Transmission Coatings: The optics are fully multi-coated, and the ED elements carry proprietary Metallic High-Transmission Coatings; fully multi-coated optics ensure utmost light transmission.
• Dual Baffles: Dual baffles prevent stray light from affecting your photography.

80mm Aperture and 500mm Focal Length: The f/6.25 Advantage

The telescope's core specifications of an 80mm aperture and 500mm focal length create a versatile f/6.25 focal ratio. This combination provides a generous field of view, making it easy to frame large deep-sky objects like the Andromeda Galaxy (M31) or the Pleiades (M45). The 80mm objective shows bright nebulae, galaxies and the main planetary features.

The f/6.25 focal ratio balances a wide field for deep-sky sweeping with enough focal length for the Moon and planets at higher magnification, and keeps the tube short for quick observing sessions or travel.

The 2" Hybrid Drive Focuser: Precision for Visual and Imaging

This refractor is equipped with a top end 2" Crayford / rack and pinion hybrid drive focuser, CNC-machined from aluminum like the tube. It accepts 2" eyepieces and accessories.

CNC-Machined Build with Dual Baffles

The entire telescope body and focuser are CNC-machined from aluminum for durability and precision. The tube has a deluxe high-gloss anodized finish. A retractable dew shield, or sunshade, extends to block stray light and prevent dew from forming on the objective lens during long nights. Internally, Daystar fits dual baffles to keep stray light from affecting your photography.

An 80mm APO at the Eyepiece: Exploring the Moon, Planets, and Deep Sky

For visual astronomy, the Moon shows craters, rilles and mountain ranges. On the planets, an 80mm refractor shows revealing Jupiter's main cloud bands and its Galilean moons, the rings of Saturn, and the phases of Venus. For deep-sky objects, the wide field of view is ideal for framing open clusters, finding globular clusters like the Hercules Cluster (M13), and the bright nebulosity of the Orion Nebula (M42).

Safe Solar Viewing with the Included 90mm Filter

The package includes a 90mm white light Universal Lens Filter, made with Thousand Oaks density 5 film (ND 5, 99.999% rejection). It folds into a cup that fits over the front of the telescope, for outside diameters of 85-109mm. It lets you view and image the Sun, which appears with a crisp, clear orange tint, and see large sunspots when they appear.

• Observe Sunspots: Track the movement and evolution of sunspot groups across the solar disk. Large sunspots are visible when they appear.
• Safety First: The film meets the transmission requirements of ISO 12312-2:2015 filters for direct observation of the Sun. Note that ISO 12312-2 certification is for eyewear and does not encompass integrated-type filter devices. Do not use it if damaged, torn or punctured, do not use it unassembled or flat, check that it is snug on the telescope before tipping the telescope downward, and use caution when moving the telescope so as not to dislodge it. Never look at the Sun through a telescope without a proper solar filter installed.

H-Alpha Ready: Pairing the 80mm Refractor with a Daystar Quark

This 80mm f/6.25 refractor falls within the F/4 to F/9 range of the Daystar Quark H-alpha filter (sold separately). A Quark filter reveals the Sun's chromosphere, a dynamic layer of plasma above the visible surface where you can see prominences, filaments, and plages.

An 80mm telescope calls for an Energy Rejection Filter (ERF), which is recommended on telescopes of 80mm aperture or more, or when tracking the Sun for long periods. This can be a UV/IR cut filter mounted before the diagonal or a full aperture red or yellow glass ERF mounted in front of the telescope; the front-mount glass ERF gives the best performance. A Herschel wedge or white light filter cannot be used with the Quark, so remove the Universal Lens Filter when using a Quark.

Imaging and the 2" Dielectric Diagonal

The Daystar 80mm f/6.25 can also be used for wide-field astrophotography: its 500mm focal length frames large emission nebulae like the North American Nebula (NGC 7000). There is no dedicated field flattener for this telescope.

The included 2" dielectric-coated mirror diagonal gives a comfortable viewing angle for visual use; it can be removed for straight-through imaging.

Selected for the NSO Citizen CATE Projects

This 500mm refractor was selected for use on the National Solar Observatory's (NSO) Citizen CATE projects, eclipse-observing projects run with many identical telescopes.

Unboxing and First Light: What's Included with the Daystar 80mm

The Daystar 80mm refractor arrives as a complete kit, ready for your first observing session. Inside the rugged aluminum carrying case, you will find the optical tube assembly with its 2" hybrid focuser, the 90mm white light solar filter, and the 2" dielectric mirror diagonal. The case protects the kit during transport and storage.

To get started, simply attach the optical tube to a suitable astronomical mount (not included), insert the 2" diagonal into the focuser, and add your favorite 2" or 1.25" eyepiece. For solar viewing, securely place the 90mm filter over the front of the telescope before pointing it towards the Sun. Never point the telescope at the Sun without the solar filter properly installed.