Sky-Watcher Skymax-102 EQ2 - 102mm f/12.7 Maksutov

Sky-Watcher SkyMax-102 EQ2: planeetspecialist met volgcomfort

De Sky-Watcher SkyMax-102 EQ2 zet de 102/1300 mm Maksutov-Cassegrain (f/12,7) op een equatoriale EQ2-montering met fijninstelling. Eenmaal grof op de Poolster gericht volg je elk object met één knop, precies wat je wilt bij de hoge vergrotingen waar deze optiek voor gemaakt is. Optioneel uit te breiden met een volgmotor.

What do you see through the SkyMax-102?

The Moon is a landscape at this focal length: craters, rilles, and mountain ranges along the terminator. Jupiter shows cloud bands, Saturn its rings with the Cassini Division under good seeing, Mars its polar caps. Double stars and bright star clusters complete the program. This type of telescope is not designed for wide nebulae.

EQ2: rustig volgen op hoge vergroting

De equatoriale montering draait om één as mee met de hemel. Dat voelt de eerste avond onwennig, maar daarna wil je niet meer terug: op 130x blijft een planeet minutenlang in beeld met minimale correcties. De stalen statiefpoten en de accessoiretray houden het geheel stabiel en georganiseerd.

This is how to get the most out of this telescope

• Roughly align the mount to Polaris: voor visueel gebruik is grofweg noorden en de juiste poolhoogte genoeg.
• Give the thick correction lens cooling time: 30 to 45 minutes outside before looking at high magnification. A Maksutov rewards patience with a rock-steady image.
• Protect against dew The front-mounted meniscus lens fogs up faster than a mirror. A dew shield is the most useful first upgrade for this type of telescope.
• Virtually maintenance-free The closed tube keeps dust out and collimation is rarely an issue. Set it down and look.
• Magnification: the 10mm eyepiece already gives 130x; exactly what this optics are made for. Adding more magnification rarely makes sense in the Dutch climate.
• Plan with the moon: Around the first quarter you see the most detail along the terminator. Our lunar calendar have the best nights in a row.

For whom yes and for whom no

Hello moon and planet watchers, city and balcony observers (bright targets are less affected by light pollution), and travelers who want a short, maintenance-free tube. Still unsure about the type? Our Telescope Buying Guide for Beginners List the considerations.

Not voor brede deep-sky-velden is het beeldveld van deze lange brandpuntsafstand te smal; een korte Newton past daar beter bij. Liever bediening via een app, dan is de 102 AZ-GTi WiFi-uitvoering de moderne route. Astrofotografie met lange belichtingen hoort bij de smart telescopes; moon photos with a smartphone adapter are actually a strong point on a Maksutov.

Featured accessories

These accessories add the most after purchase:

• Moon Filter 25%: at this long focal length, the moon is the main course, and bright. The Omegon Moon Filter 25% (1.25 inches) dims the light and increases the contrast. More explanation in our Moon filter guide.
• Smartphone adapter: It’s precisely with a Maksutov, with its long brand focal length, that moon photos taken with a phone are impressive. The Sky-Watcher SmartPhoto+ adapter comes with a special 20 mm photo eyepiece.
• Carrier bag The short tube calls for a compact bag. Check out the carrier bags and choose the size that fits.

Technical specifications

Included in the box

• Sky-Watcher SkyMax-102 optische buis met EQ2-montering en statief
• Eyepieces: 25 mm, 10 mm
• Viewfinder: red dot finder

Honest advice from observers

We sell and use the Sky-Watcher line ourselves. In our Sky-Watcher merk Guide We'll explain which series are strong and which you'd rather skip. View the full range on our Sky-Watcher merk Page. Order before 11:59 PM for fast delivery, in the Netherlands and Belgium.