Sky and Telescope awarded this tiny titan Hot Product for 2018. Over the years we have improved the instrument to make it an even better value and one that is the standard bearer for smaller instruments.
The AT60ED has a high quality FPL-53 with a Lathanum mating element at its heart. Pair that with the 2" Rack and Pinion focuser with 10:1 fine focus knob and you are onto something very special. The focuser uses the same mechanism as our EDT line and is buttery smooth. The focuser also comes with a built in Camera Angle Adjuster to help you get just the right position for your camera or diagonal.
This little gem has the right balance of aperture and focal length for potentially the best travel scope you can find. In addition, optional camera adapters turn the AT60ED into a superb nighttime wide-field astrograph.
Features of this Telescope . . .
AT60ED doublet refractor optics: 60mm (2.36”) aperture, 360mm focal length, f/6 focal ratio air-spaced doublet lens using premium ED glass, including an FPL-53 ED (Extra-low Dispersion glass) with a Lanthanum mating element to reduce spurious color halos and fringing to vanishingly low levels. While we do not claim fully apochromatic performance in the class of a multiple thousand dollar Takahashi, Astro-Physics, or TMB refractor, the AT60ED is so free from spurious color as to be virtually indistinguishable from an apochromatic system. And, as Mr. Spock probably said in one episode of Star Trek or another, “Any difference that makes no difference, is no difference.”
Multicoated optics: The objective lens has the latest state-of-the-art broadband antireflection multicoatings on all four air-to-glass surfaces for high light transmission and excellent contrast. This can easily be seen by looking into the objective lens of the scope. Virtually no reflection of your face will be seen. It’s a sure sign that the high transmission coatings are doing their job, by letting virtually all the light enter the scope, rather than reflecting some light back to your eye.
Internal light baffles: There are two contrast-enhancing knife edge baffles inside the optical tube, and 15 Micro Baffles running the full length of the focuser drawtube, for truly dark sky backgrounds and high terrestrial contrast. In addition, the edges of the objective lens are blackened to eliminate contrast-reducing stray internal reflections.
Dew shield: A self-storing retractable dew shield slows the formation of dew on the lens in cold weather to extend your undisturbed observing time. It also improves the contrast, similar to the effect of the lens shade on a camera lens, when observing during the day or when there is excessive ambient light at night, such as a neighbor’s backyard security light.
Dual speed microfine 2” Rack and Pinion focuser with 1.25” adapter and a built in Camera Angle Adjuster: The precision-made 2” focuser has dual-speed focusing. There are two coarse focusing knobs. The right knob also has a smaller concentric knob with 10:1 ratio reduction gear microfine focusing. This provides exceptionally precise image control during high power visual observing or critical imaging. The focus knobs have knurled gripping surfaces so they are easy to operate, even while wearing gloves or mittens in cold weather. The 76mm (2.99”) travel focuser drawtube has a scale marked in 1mm increments so you can note individual focuser positions for easy return to the correct focus when switching between visual use and photography. A lock knob under the focuser lets you lock in your photographic focus.
The focuser drawtube terminates in a 2” compression ring accessory holder to accept a 2” star diagonal and 2” photo accessories.
The AT60ED includes a nylon soft carry bag to help protect your scope on its travels to and from your observing field.
The supplied 1.25” accessory adapter slips onto the 2” accessory holder and uses a soft brass compression ring to hold 1.25” star diagonals and photo/visual accessories in place. The 1.25” and 2” compression rings won’t scratch the barrels of your star diagonal or accessories as an ordinary thumbscrew can.
Tube finish: The optical tube is finished in a white powder coat with red trim and a black powder-coated focuser.
Other supplied accessories: A slip-on metal dust cap is standard. Two threaded holes for installing a finderscope mounting bracket are located on the upper left and upper right side of the scope body.
With the optional field flattener, the AT60ED has a 41mm image circle. This will provide great images with your full frame DSLR and CCD cameras.
