Starlight Instruments Feather Touch Rotatable 2.0" Crayford Focuser

The Feather Touch Drive: A 10:1 Ratio with an 8-10 Pound Capacity

At the core of this focuser are coarse and fine focus knobs with a 10:1 reduction ratio. On the 0.8" Shorty, a full turn of the fine focus knob moves the drawtube 0.070", with a repeatability of better than 0.0005". The Crayford drive mechanism operates on hardened stainless steel raceways and ball bearings, providing buttery-smooth motion with zero backlash. The focuser completely eliminates the image shift inherent in focusing Schmidt-Cassegrain telescopes using stock focusers.

An adjustable brake system allows you to increase drawtube tension, securing an 8-10 pound payload of cameras, filter wheels, and heavy eyepieces without slipping. The focuser can be locked in place for long-exposure imaging, and the adjustable brake lets you accommodate eyepieces with a wide range of weights.

4 Drawtube Options (0.8" to 2.5") with 52mm Filter Threads

This focuser is available in four distinct draw tube travel lengths: 0.8", 1.5", 2.0", and 2.5", allowing you to match the focuser to your specific telescope and imaging train requirements. The 0.8" model, known as the "Shorty," is designed primarily for catadioptric telescopes. Depending on the accessories used, its low profile can let it swing through the fork arms of a 10" or larger catadioptric telescope when used with one of Starlight's short adapters; smaller Celestron and Meade catadioptrics may not clear the fork arms even with the Shorty. Fully extended, it measures 2.4" from the mounting plate. The 1.5" model is designed for Dobsonian reflectors, refractors and catadioptric telescopes.

The 2.0" drawtube features internal, glare-resistant black baffling to maximize image contrast by eliminating stray light. The drawtube carries a 52 mm functional thread that can hold a minus violet filter for some refractors, or a nebula or light pollution filter; 48 mm filters need a reducer (2.0" manual).

360° Rotation & Adapters for SCT, Refractor, and Newtonian Telescopes

For astrophotographers, perfect framing is as crucial as perfect focus. The entire focuser body rotates a full 360 degrees within its telescope-specific adapter (sold separately). By loosening the set screws that hold the focuser in its base or adapter, you can turn it to the desired position and tighten them again; finger tight is enough, and the manual notes the set screws leave a mark inside the housing by design. This lets you frame a target without rotating the camera in the drawtube.

The 2.0" manual covers mounting on Newtonian tubes (a square base with a 2.75" bolt pattern, flat or curved, with leveling screws), on Schmidt-Cassegrains (a threaded adapter) and on refractors (Vixen and 3"/4" CNC focusers). Choose the base or adapter for your tube; it is sold separately.

USA-Made Durability: Hardened Stainless Steel and Anodized Aluminum

Feather Touch focusers are designed, machined, anodized and assembled in-house by Starlight Instruments in the USA. The focuser body and knobs are anodized aluminum to prevent corrosion, with a gold fine focus knob. The moving parts are polished stainless steel, and hardened stainless steel raceways are matched to stainless steel ball bearings.

• All-Steel Running Gear: The all-steel running gear and friction plate make the focuser more durable than less expensive focusers that use aluminum plates.
• Brass Compression Ring: The 2" eyepiece holder uses a soft brass compression ring (on non-Borg models) and tipped stainless steel set screws that grip accessories firmly without marring their barrels.
• Low Maintenance: The manual calls for only an occasional cleaning of the rails and friction plate with a cotton swab.

Automation-Ready: Add HSM20 Motor Control

The Feather Touch 2.0" Crayford focuser is designed for seamless integration with Starlight Instruments' motorization systems. The HSM20 Handy Stepper Motor (sold separately) fits Feather Touch Crayford focusers. It mounts on the pinion assembly in place of the focus knobs, and turning its housing disengages the gears for manual focusing. With a Starlight controller it can be driven by ASCOM-compatible programs for automated focusing.

Starlight's EFS controller adds backlash correction and temperature compensation; the Focuser Boss II hub can run one or two focusers over serial, USB or Ethernet, with optional WiFi.

Crayford vs. Rack & Pinion: Choosing the Right Drive for Your Payload

Starlight Instruments offers both Crayford and Rack & Pinion focusers, with the choice depending on your payload. This Crayford model provides exceptionally smooth focusing motion by pressing a steel shaft against a flat plate on the drawtube. It suits visual use and imaging loads within its 8-10 pound capacity.

For heavier imaging trains, Starlight's 2" Rack/Pinion focuser can lift and hold 13-15 pounds (brochure), and the larger Feather Touch rack and pinion focusers go higher.

Note: This product is the focuser body only. A telescope-specific base or adapter is required and sold separately.