GoTo refractor telescopes
Do you want to enjoy the superior, sharp contrast of a lens viewer, but don't feel like spending hours manually searching for faint objects? GoTo refractor telescopes offer the ultimate combination of optics and ease of use. Thanks to the built-in computer engines, the telescope aligns itself and steers directly to thousands of stars, planets, and nebulae with the push of a button (or via your smartphone). The system then also keeps the object perfectly centered in your eyepiece. Whether you choose the popular, compact Celestron NexStar SLT series or an advanced Sky-Watcher telescope, with a GoTo refractor you get a fully automatic guide through the universe.
Showing 21–21 of 21 resultsSorted by popularity
Showing 21–21 of 21 resultsSorted by popularity
GoTo refractor: lens, mount, and computer in one set
A GoTo refractor is a complete set: a lens telescope on an equatorial mount with motors and a SynScan computer. You align on two stars and then the set searches for and tracks every object from the database. Because a refractor does not require collimation, this is the most maintenance-free route to automated observation and astrophotography with your own camera.
Two types of sets
- Visuals and planets. A 120- or 150-mm achromatic lens with a long focal length on an EQ3 Pro or EQ5 Pro. Sharp images of the Moon and planets, with automatic tracking at high magnification. Sky-Watcher Evostar-120 EQ3 Pro and Evostar-120 EQ5 Pro.
- Deep-sky astrophotography. A 62 to 80 mm ED or APO refractor on a Star Adventurer GTi, EQ5 Pro, or HEQ5 Pro. Lightweight, quick to set up, and ready for a mirrorless camera with a flattener. Sky-Watcher Evolux-62ED GoTo Set on the Star Adventurer GTi.
Our recommendations
- Sky-Watcher Evolux-62ED on Star Adventurer GTithe complete photo set that fits in a backpack. WiFi control via the SynScan app.
- Sky-Watcher Evostar-120 EQ5 Pro120 mm achromat on an EQ5 Pro. Visually strong, and suitable for lunar and planetary photography with a planetary camera.
- Sky-Watcher Evostar-120 HEQ5 Pro: the same tube on the heavier HEQ5 Pro, for those who want a larger tube later.
- Sky-Watcher Startravel-150 HEQ5 Pro: 150 mm f/5 wide field for visual deep-sky and star clusters.
What you need to know
Every equatorial GoTo mount needs 12 volts and a polar alignment: you point the axis at the North Star using the included polar scope. The first time that takes half an hour, after that five minutes. For deep-sky photography with a mirrorless camera, a flattener is almost always necessary; the right one is on the product page of every ED OTA.
If you'd rather not have an equatorial mount, take a look at a smart telescope for photography or to the WiFi AZ sets nearby GoTo reflectors. Loose ED and APO tubes for your existing mount are listed at Refractor OTA. Brand page: Sky-Watcher.