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

Sky-Watcher SkyMax-102 EQ2: planetary specialist with tracking comfort

The Sky-Watcher SkyMax-102 EQ2 mounts the 102/1300 mm Maksutov-Cassegrain (f/12.7) on an equatorial EQ2 mount with fine adjustment. Once finely adjusted to the Pole Star, you can follow any object with just one button, exactly what you want with the high magnifications for which this telescope is designed. Optionally extendable with a tracking motor.

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: follow calmly at high magnification

The equatorial mount rotates around a single axis with the sky. On the first evening it feels unstable, but after that you don’t want to take it off again: at 130x a planet remains in view for minutes with minimal corrections. The steel tripod legs and the accessory tray keep the whole thing stable and organized.

This is how to get the most out of this telescope

• Roughly align the mount to Polaris: For visual use, roughly north and the correct polar altitude are sufficient.
• 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 For wide deep-sky fields, the field of view of this long focal length is too narrow; a short Newton fits better into that. If you prefer to operate via an app, the 102 AZ-GTi WiFi version is the modern route. Astrophotography with long exposures is part of the 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 optical tube with EQ2 mounting and tripod
• Eyepieces: 25 mm, 10 mm
• Viewfinder: red dot finder
• Free: Stargazer's Handbook by Telescoop.nl (16 pages, Dutch language)

Free Stargazers' Handbook

Every Sky-Watcher telescope from Telescoop.nl comes with our own Stargazer’s Handbook in the box. It’s a 16-page booklet that helps you get started on your first few nights: how to align the finder scope, what magnification to start with, why the image sometimes wobbles, and when a telescope does or doesn’t need to be collimated. It’s not a thick book—just the essentials you really need when you’re starting out.

Honest advice from observers

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