Starlight Instruments SIPS Coma Corrector w/FTF2015BCR Lightweight Focuser

The SIPS Advantage: A Single, Optimized Optical Assembly

For observers with fast Newtonian telescopes, achieving perfect coma correction typically involves adjusting a tunable-top corrector for every eyepiece change. The SIPS eliminates this entirely. The Paracorr Type 2 optics sit in a stationary module below the focuser, fixed at the optimum distance from the primary mirror, turning a multi-step process into a simple focusing adjustment.

This integrated design is inherently more rigid than a corrector inserted into a standard focuser. It greatly reduces potential flexure, especially with heavy eyepieces or an imaging camera, which translates to sharper stars edge-to-edge. You spend less time checking settings in the dark and more time observing.

Tele Vue Paracorr Type 2 Optics: Correcting Coma in Fast Newtonians

At the heart of the SIPS are the world-class optics of the Tele Vue Paracorr Type 2. This corrector is the industry benchmark for taming the distracting, comet-shaped stars (coma) that are unavoidable in fast parabolic mirrors. The Type 2 design offers improved performance over the original, delivering sharper stars across a wider, flatter field, especially in scopes faster than f/4.

By integrating these specific optics, Starlight Instruments ensures that your fast Dobsonian or imaging Newtonian performs at its full potential. The result is a view that feels more like an apochromatic refractor, with pinpoint stars from the center to the very edge of the field stop.

Feather Touch FTF2015BCR: The 2-inch Crayford Foundation

The mechanical half of the SIPS is the Feather Touch FTF2015BCR, a 2-inch lightweight Crayford focuser renowned for its precision. Its ultra-smooth dual-speed mechanism provides the fine control needed for critical focusing, both visually and for imaging. The focuser's hardened stainless steel raceways and ball bearings ensure zero image shift and long-term durability.

• Dual-Speed Focusing: A 10:1 reduction ratio on the fine focus knob allows for precise, repeatable adjustments without vibration.
• Brass Compression Ring: Securely holds your 2-inch eyepieces and accessories without marring their barrels.
• Internal Baffling: Minimizes stray light for improved contrast, ensuring the only light reaching your eye is from the target object.

SIPS vs. A 2-Piece Alternative: Why Integration Matters

While a separate focuser and tunable-top Paracorr offer more flexibility, the SIPS offers superior convenience and rigidity for dedicated Newtonian users. The primary trade-off is that the SIPS is a dedicated unit; the corrector stays fixed in the SIPS module and is only removed for collimation.

• Standard System Advantage: A standalone Paracorr can be removed, allowing the focuser to be used on a different type of telescope, like a refractor.
• SIPS Advantage: Once installed and adjusted, the SIPS requires no further optical adjustment unless collimation moves the primary mirror. There is no tunable top to reset in the dark, and the fixed-spacing design guarantees optimal correction and rigidity every time you observe.