Product Description
The SVX102T is the aluminum tube version of our premier high-performance lightweight 4” f-7. (714 mm focal length) air-spaced apo triplet refractor. The SVX102T includes:
- Stellarvue 3" focuser
- 2" and 1.25" compression ring adapters
- Heavy duty mounting rings
- Heavy-Duty Case
Optics
Our SVX102 series apochromatic telescopes use objectives that have the highest optical ratings as measured and documented on our Zygo Phase-Shifting Laser Interferometer. These SVX series optics are rated at .99 - .996 Strehl with excellent optical correction of aberrations commonly seen in mass-produced optics. To attain this level of optical accuracy we must go beyond machine polishing. Our experienced opticians use specially made tools to hand-figure objectives here in our optical shop in Auburn, CA. Stellarvue Premier (SVX) Series refractors are for the astronomer who recognizes the best when they see it. Each 102 refractor comes with a Zygo interferometric test report taken in our shop, documenting the accuracy of your individual objective.
Each lens focuses light precisely, and the extreme broadband coatings on each surface enhance it even further. The stars appear vivid and the background, velvet black. Since these coatings transmit more than 99% in the visual spectrum and far above and below it, reflections seen on CCD images are eliminated.
Fully Multi-Coated Apochromatic Triplet Objective:
Using a 101.5 mm f-7 apochromatic triplet objective with an Ohara FPL-53 center element, this telescope provides extremely high-contrast and reflector-like color correction. This triple tested lens comes with an interferometric report. To further enhance this high level of contrast, extreme broadband multi-coatings are used on all six air-to-glass surfaces. This boosts contrast, making the stars appear vivid and the background velvet black. These coatings transmit light above and below the visual spectrum, which minimizes reflections seen on CCD/CMOS images.
Tube and Dew Shield
The white aluminum tube and dew shield is painted in a textured instrument white finish. To compare the differences between an aluminum tube and carbon fiber tube, visit our Aluminum vs. Carbon Fiber comparison page. The main tube interior is painted ultra flat black inside and is properly baffled to eliminate any tube wall reflections. Reflections in the optical path are further reduced using edge-blackened objective elements. All of these methods are used to preserve the outstanding contrast of this exceptional apochromatic lens.The total weight of the OTA with 3” focuser and rings is 11.2 pounds. The dew shield retracts, reducing the length of the telescope for storage. When the telescope is in use, this dew shield may be extended to minimize dewing of the objective at night and to serve as a glare shade during the daytime. Since the focuser can be easily unthreaded, the telescope length can be reduced to airline carry-on size.
3" Stellarvue Visual/Photographic Focuser
This focuser is perfect for visual use as well as imaging. The two inch adapter can be unthreaded by hand. In its place the optional SFFX-1 photograph field flattener may be installed converting the telescope to a 714 mm focal length astro-graph. The Stellarvue focuser is a heavy-duty rack and pinion unit designed to carry a higher capacity. It has an ultra-smooth (8.5:1 ratio) fine focus control to attain perfect focus every time. An internal brake system and separate tensioner allow the user to adjust capacity. The focuser is fully rotating with a wide groove for smooth and precise rotation. All of the features add up to one of the finest dual-speed focusers on the market today.
Motorized Focuser Option
Aluminum hinged rings
The SVX102T comes with our American-made CNC aluminum mounting rings. Each ring has five screws, top and bottom. Threaded holes are 1/4-20. There is one center hole, two holes spaced 1.5" apart, and two holes spaced 60 mm apart. Use the optional TP010 rail for telescope mounts using the Vixen style rail, or the optional TP009 for mounts that use the larger Losmandy style rail.
C009S Heavy Duty Case
This is our heavy duty, thickly-padded Nylon hard case with heavy duty zippers. These cases are substantially more durable than the thin-walled Chinese hard cases.
Additional Accessories
In addition to the supplied accessories, you will need the following:
1. For visual use you will need a star diagonal, eyepiece(s), and a mount with tripod and mounting plate. Our finest visual accessories may be purchased with the telescope at a discount by selecting the options above. Select our best star diagonal, our Optimus complete eyepiece set or both.
2. To image with this telescope you will need either a photographic field flattener or a photographic flattener/reducer and your camera. Imaging the night sky will also require an accurately guiding mount, off axis guider or a guide scope with a guiding camera. A matched photographic field flattener and/or photographic reducer and field flattener may be purchased with the telescope at a discount by selecting the options above.
SPECIFICATIONS
FOCUSER:
3” Stellarvue rack and pinion focuser. This focuser comes with 2” and 1.25” compression ring adapters for visual use. The focuser drawtube adapter is threaded for the 2" adapter. Unthread the 2" adapter from the knurled part at the end of the focuser and thread the field flattener or reducer flattener in its place when converting from visual use to imaging.
OBJECTIVE LENS:
101.5 mm clear aperture, 714 mm focal length (f-7), air spaced apochromatic triplet using an Ohara FPL53 center element. SVX .98 Strehl or higher. Test report included.
TUBE ASSEMBLY:
Lightweight, fully baffled, aluminum tube and dew shield. Painted ultra flat black inside. 105 mm diameter main tube.
DEW SHIELD:
4-3/4” diameter, 8-5/16” long retracting aluminum dew shield with cap.
DIMENSIONS:
OTA: 19.25” long in travel mode (focuser unthreaded), 23.5” long with focuser in place and dew shield retracted; 29” with dew shield extended.
WEIGHT:
9.8 lbs with 2” adapter and 1 1/4" adapter. Rings weigh .8 pounds each.
FINDER:
Optional. We carry various finder scopes to help locate objects more easily. We highly recommend our 50 mm correct image optical finder.
RINGS:
American made R105 set with five 1/4-20 threaded holes top and bottom. Holes are spaced 1.5” and 60 mm apart respectively, with one in the center. Made on Haas cnc machines.
PLATE/RAIL:
Optional. We recommend the TP-10 rail for telescope mounts using the Vixen style rail or use the optional TP6 for mounts that use the larger Losmandy style rail.
CASE:
C009S Heavy Duty Travel Case
DIAGONAL:
Optional. Please note, you can purchase our 2" quartz dielectric diagonal upgrade for only $199 below. The upgrade diagonal is the same as the D1040Q deluxe dielectric diagonal but it does not come with a 1.25" adapter since the telescope already has one.
PHOTOGRAPHIC FIELD FLATTENER:
Optional. We recommend the SFFX-1. Converts your telescope into a 714 mm f-7 astrograph/telephoto.
PHOTOGRAPHIC REDUCER/FIELD FLATTENER:
Optional. We recommend the SFFR.74-102T. Converts your
LIGHT GAIN:
213X (human eye = 1)
Image Circle with 3" Focuser and SFFX-1: 43mm
Image Circle with 3" Focuser and .74X Reducer/Flattener: 40mm
Additional Information
Many experts have pointed out that the Stellarvue SVX102T has exceptional optics. Read Dennis DiCicco's review of the SVR102T as it appeared in Sky & Telescope magazine. While this review covers the carbon fiber version of this telescope, they are virtually identical telescopes with the same lens, rings, and focuser. The only difference is the material of the tube and dew shield.
Light gathering and magnification power: The purpose of a telescope is to gather light and magnify the apparent size of the object being viewed. A 4” refractor gathers 213 times the amount of light of the naked eye. This will reveal faint objects in space. Magnification power (the increase in relative size of the object being viewed) is dependent upon the eyepiece being used. Different eyepieces provide different magnification powers. Since this telescope uses a highly accurate hand-figured objective lens and is triple tested in the USA, these telescopes are free of coma and astigmatism seen in many import telescopes. This provides sharper details when viewing at higher powers. Dawes limit, which is the stated maximum power for telescopes under good conditions, is about 250 power for a 4” telescope. But don't be surprised when you exceed this power on a steady night! This is a true apo triplet capable of very high power when conditions permit.
Two-year warranty and Stellarvue service: We are with you for life. Stellarvue telescopes and accessories are covered by a two-year warranty, but our service does not stop there. Since we are a telescope maker, we can repair your telescope for a nominal fee even years after the warranty expires, should you accidentally drop or otherwise damage it. Buy a Stellarvue telescope with confidence - our customer care is legendary!
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Other Details
STELLARVUE LIMITED WARRANTY FOR U.S.A. AND CANADA END PURCHASERS ONLY Stellarvue (SV) warrants that each SV brand telescope and accessory shall be free from defects in materials and workmanship for two years from the date of purchase. SV will repair or replace such product or part thereof, which upon inspection by SV is found defective in materials or workmanship. As a condition to the obligation of SV to repair or replace such product, the product must be returned to SV as specified in this warranty. THIS LIMITED WARRANTY, AND ANY IMPLIED WARRANTIES THAT MAY EXIST UNDER STATE LAW APPLY ONLY TO THE ORIGINAL PURCHASER AND LASTS ONLY AS LONG AS THE PURCHASER OWNS THE PRODUCT. Warranty and repair return requirements: • Proof of purchase acceptable to SV must accompany any return for warranty work. • A return Authorization must be obtained from SV in advance of return. E-mail Stellarvue at mail@stellarvue.com or call (530) 823-7796 to receive the authorization & packing instructions. • The authorization code must be written on the outside of the container. • All returns must be accompanied by a written note stating the model number of the product, authorization code, name, address, e-mail address and daytime telephone number of the owner, and an explanation of the problem. Replaced parts shall become the property of SV. • The customer shall be responsible for all costs of transportation and insurance, both to and from SV. SV Requirements • SV shall use reasonable efforts to repair or replace any product covered by this limited warranty within thirty days of acceptance. If repair will take longer, SV shall notify the customer. • SV may replace any product that has been discontinued with a new product of comparable value and function. Products that have been damaged, dropped, disassembled, abused, misused, mishandled, subjected to temperature or weather extremes, subjected to unusual wear or modified in any way will not be covered by this warranty. In these instances, this warranty shall be null and void. THESE WARRANTIES REPLACE ALL OTHER WARRANTIES EXPRESSED OR IMPLIED INCLUDING, BUT NOT LIMITED TO THE IMPLIED WARRANTIES OF MERCHANTABILITY AND FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE. SV MAKES NO EXPRESS WARRANTIES BEYOND THOSE STATED HERE AND DISCLAIMS ALL OTHER WARRANTIES, EXPRESSED OR IMPLIED, INCLUDING, WITHOUT LIMITATION, IMPLIED WARRANTIES OF MERCHANTABILITY, AND FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE. THE SOLE OBLIGATION OF SV UNDER THIS LIMITED WARRANTY SHALL BE TO REPAIR OR REPLACE THE COVERED PRODUCT, IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE TERMS SET FORTH HEREIN. SV DISCLAIMS ANY LOST PROFITS, GENERAL, SPECIAL, INDIRECT OR CONSEQUENTIAL DAMAGES WHICH MAY RESULT FROM BREACH OF ANY WARRANTY, OR ARISING OUT OF THE USE OR INABILITY TO USE ANY SV PRODUCT FOR ANY PARTICULAR PURPOSE. THIS WARRANTY GIVES YOU SPECIFIC LEGAL RIGHTS AND YOU MAY ALSO HAVE OTHER RIGHTS THAT VARY FROM JURISDICTION TO JURISDICTION. WARNING: LOOKING AT THE SUN CAN CAUSE SERIOUS EYE INJURY AND BLINDNESS. NEVER POINT A TELESCOPE AT OR NEAR THE SUN. VIEWING THE SUN WITHOUT A PROPER SOLAR FILTER MAY RESULT IN BLINDNESS, AS WELL AS DAMAGE TO THE INSTRUMENT. NEVER ALLOW CHILDREN TO USE BINOCULARS OR TELESCOPES DURING THE DAYLIGHT HOURS, UNLESS THEY ARE SUPERVISED BY AN ADULT WHO UNDERSTANDS THE DANGER OF POINTING ANY OPTICAL INSTRUMENT IN THE GENERAL DIRECTION OF THE SUN.Product Videos
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Product Reviews
3 Reviews Hide Reviews Show Reviews
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Highly Recommend
I am very happy with my purchase of this telescope. I have owned multiple telescopes over the years, SCT, Newtonians, and Refractors, but this one is truly special. While I primarily use it for imaging, its visual views were surprising. There was no color fringing, and when focus was reached stars were pin points. M13 looked like a round box of the smallest diamond chips you can imagine. The build quality of this scope is markedly better than all others I have seen, and most do a good job, but this one is better. Everything fits together superbly, and anything designed to move is buttery smooth. The mounting rings are high quality and well designed for holding the scope with good separation and for adding stuff to the top. Vic and his team were great to work with. Vic helped me pick various options for the scope itself, including accessories, and in some cases talked me out of spending additional money when it did not make sense. I highly suggest buying both the flattener and reducer at the same time, as they will build them to match your scope optically. You can’t beat that. While 4 inches is not a light bucket, it is a great size and focal length to do the imaging I want to do, since it will still do pretty wide fields for most objects. That said, this size scope will still do justice to many galaxies. Super high quality, built in the USA, and great customer service. You can’t go wrong with this one.
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Stellar Views!
My first views thru the SV102 were simply breathtaking! My view of the Orion Nebula never looked better. Sharp, images with great contrast. This telescope is solidly built. I can’t think of a single thing they could improve upon! This is my first Stellarvue scope, and it won’t be my last!
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Value Plus
Rock solid. When you put your hands on this scope you know it was built to last and outperform all the other scopes on the market. Very helpful staff.
