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Starlight Instruments Feather Touch Micro for Meade f/8 10" or 12" SCTs
Starlight Instruments Feather Touch Micro for Meade f/8 10" or 12" SCTs
Starlight Instruments Feather Touch Micro for Meade f/8 10" or 12" SCTs

Starlight Instruments Feather Touch Micro for Meade f/8 10" or 12" SCTs

by Starlight Instruments
SKU SI-FTM-M1012-F8
$440.00 USD - $440.00 USD
$440.00 USD
$440.00 USD - $440.00 USD
$440.00 USD
Price Match Policy!
  • Replaces the stock focuser knob on Meade f/8 10" and 12" SCTs
  • Dual-speed coarse and fine focusing
  • Fine focus without the coarse jumps of the stock knob
  • Installs with the supplied 5/64" hex wrench and the original screws
  • Designed, machined, and assembled in the USA
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  • Description
  • FAQ
  • Specifications
  • In the Box
  • Downloads
  • Warranty

  • Starlight Instruments Feather Touch Micro for Meade f/8 10" or 12" SCTs

    The Starlight Instruments Feather Touch Micro replaces the single-speed stock focus knob assembly on Meade f/8 10" and 12" Schmidt-Cassegrains with a dual-speed Feather Touch unit, with coarse and fine knobs. It still focuses by moving the primary mirror, but the fine knob makes the small adjustments of high-magnification focus much easier.

    For Meade f/8 10" and 12" SCTs

    This Feather Touch Micro fits Meade f/8 10" and 12" Schmidt-Cassegrain telescopes and will not fit the f/10 Meade 10" and 12" telescopes; for those, Starlight makes the FTM-M1012.

    It replaces the single-speed knob with coarse and fine knobs.

    Dual-Speed Focusing

    Feather Touch standard features include 10:1 coarse and fine knobs and an ultra-low backlash system: ten turns of the fine knob move the primary mirror as much as one turn of the coarse knob. There is no drawtube; the unit drives the telescope's mirror rod.

    While an SCT's focusing mechanism works by moving the primary mirror, the stock knob often moves it in coarse, discrete jumps, making it easy to overshoot the point of critical focus. The fine knob lets you make small adjustments near focus. The mirror still moves, so image shift is not removed.

    The Critical Focus Zone

    A Schmidt-Cassegrain's long focal length creates a very shallow depth of field, known as the critical focus zone. A single-speed knob moves the mirror a long way for a small turn, so it is easy to go past best focus.

    The fine knob makes this deliberate, which helps on planetary detail, close double stars and imaging.

    Installation in Three Steps

    The only tool needed is the included 5/64" hex-head wrench. The tube must be horizontal before removing the original focus assembly, or the primary mirror could move; on a German equatorial mount, remove the scope from the mount.

    • Step 1: Position Mirror & Remove Screws: Rotate the stock knob counter-clockwise to move the primary mirror fully forward. Then use the included 5/64” hex wrench to remove the three set screws holding the assembly.
    • Step 2: Remove Stock Assembly: pull it back and tilt its outer part to the left, so its shaft slides off the right end of the small rod on the mirror assembly.
    • Step 3: Install Micro Focuser: thread its inner shaft all the way out, tilt it to the left, slide the tip of the brass shaft over the right end of the same rod, centered, and attach it with the three original screws. An off-center shaft may bind and could break the focuser. Expect the telescope to be well out of focus at first.

    Future-Proofing Your Focus: Motorizing with the HSM20

    The Handy Stepper Motor (HSM20), sold separately, fits any Feather Touch Micro Focuser.

    The HSM20 runs on Starlight's Focuser Boss II or EFS controllers, which connect to ASCOM software and offer temperature compensation using the motor's built-in thermistor.

    Made in the USA: The Feather Touch Build Standard

    Starlight Instruments designs, machines, anodizes and assembles its Feather Touch components in-house in Columbia City, Indiana.

    The brochure lists durable hardened stainless steel, steel and aluminum construction and an anodized aluminum fine focus knob among the Feather Touch standard features.

  • Will this Feather Touch Micro fit my Meade 12" f/10 LX200?

    No. This specific model, the FTM-M1012-F8, is engineered exclusively for the Meade f/8 10" and 12" Schmidt-Cassegrain Telescopes. It will not fit the f/10 Meade 10" and 12" telescopes; for those, see the FTM-M1012.

    Does the Feather Touch Micro eliminate image shift on my Meade f/8 SCT?

    No, it does not eliminate image shift. Image shift in an SCT comes from the primary mirror moving along the baffle tube, and the Feather Touch Micro moves the mirror the same way. What it adds is a fine-focus knob, so you can reach focus without the coarse jumps of the stock knob.

    Is installing the Feather Touch Micro difficult, and what tools do I need?

    Starlight's instructions take three steps. The only tool required is a 5/64" hex-head wrench, which is included. You remove three set screws, slide the stock assembly off the mirror rod, slide the Feather Touch unit on, centered, and replace the screws.

    Do I need to remove my telescope from the mount to install the Feather Touch Micro?

    The optical tube must be positioned horizontally to prevent the primary mirror from moving during installation. For this reason, remove the scope from a German equatorial mount before beginning the installation.

    What does the 10:1 fine-focus ratio on the Feather Touch Micro mean in practice?

    Starlight's Meade instructions do not state a ratio for this model; the brochure lists 10:1 coarse and fine knobs among the Feather Touch standard features. At 10:1, the fine knob takes ten full rotations to equal one rotation of the coarse knob, which makes small adjustments much easier.

    Can I motorize the Feather Touch Micro focuser later on?

    Yes. The Feather Touch Micro is designed for motorization. The Handy Stepper Motor (HSM20) fits any Feather Touch Micro Focuser. It is sold separately and runs on a Focuser Boss II or EFS controller.

    How does the Feather Touch Micro help when imaging Jupiter with my 12" f/8 Meade SCT?

    Planetary imaging needs exact focus, and the fine knob lets you approach it in small steps. Seeing still sets the detail you record.

    Will the Feather Touch Micro make it easier to collimate my 10" f/8 Meade on a star?

    It helps. Collimation involves defocusing and refocusing a star, and the fine knob makes small, controlled focus changes easier than the coarse stock knob.

    What happens if I install the Feather Touch Micro incorrectly?

    The internal brass shaft of the focuser must be properly centered on the small rod of the mirror assembly. If it is not centered correctly, the focuser may bind. It may bind, potentially breaking it, and if the focuser feels tight when turning the knobs after installation, you should not continue to turn the knob; remove it again and check that the shaft is centered.

    Is the Feather Touch Micro a complete replacement for the original Meade focus knob?

    Yes. The Feather Touch Micro is a complete, self-contained focusing assembly. You will remove the entire stock knob unit from the rear cell of your telescope and install the Feather Touch unit in its place. It is not an add-on to the existing knob.

  • Made In USA (designed, machined and assembled)
    Fits Meade f/8 10" and 12" SCTs (not the f/10 versions)

    • Starlight Instruments Feather Touch Micro for Meade f/8 10" or 12" SCTs

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  • Starlight Instruments 2-Year Warranty