ED80-FCD100 Air-Spaced Triplet Refractor Telescope with iEXOS-100-2 PMC-Eight Equatorial Tracker System and Field Flattener

An ideal choice for astrophotography, this bundle includes Explore Scientific's time-tested FCD100  Series 80 mm Air-Spaced Triplet Refractor, the iEXOS-100 GoTo mount powered by the revolutionary PMC-Eight tracker system, a field flattener and 2 extra counterweights. The 80 mm aperture allows more light to collect onto your camera sensor than telescopes with smaller apertures. For example, it gathers 1.3 times more light than a 70 mm telescope, 1.8 times more than a 60 mm telescope and 2.6 times more than a 50 mm telescope. This means you can capture fainter AND farther deep sky objects. And if you want to dive deep into astrophotography, the FCD100 glass offers better transmission of red light (where many of the great nebulae shine) and better contrast. That means your photographs are going to pop.

FCD100 Series ED80 Air-Spaced Triplet Refractor

Reveal celestial wonders like the desolate beauty of the lunar terrain, the serene structure of Saturn’s rings or the brightest deep sky treasures of the Messier catalog with Explore Scientific’s 80mm FCD100 Apochromatic Refractor.

This is essentially the same scope as the ES-ED0806-02 but offering greater quality optics. We use Hoya FCD100 optics which is very similar in characteristics as Ohara FPL-53. Relying on technological innovation, we have successfully launched the mass production of high-performance optical glass at the apex of the FCD family. Combining it with optical glass of high refractive index allows us to achieve unprecedented advanced chromatic aberration correction. Hoya FCD100 is considered the best glass ever produced by Hoya.

Having a true diffraction-limited optical design and sized to encourage spontaneous stargazing sessions, this high-quality telescope is a perfect grab-and-go instrument for exploring the skies.

Featuring an air-spaced triplet optical design that virtually eliminates chromatic aberrations, this telescope generates brilliant high-contrast images by combining genuine HOYA FCD100 extra-low dispersion (ED) glass and proprietary EMD enhanced multi-layer coatings on all optical surfaces.

In addition, this amazing little scope also includes a 2.5" Hexagonal focuser with very rigid design and strong support. Up to 10 lbs of gear can be loaded onto this focuser.

Although it is a standout telescope on its own, the 80mm also is compact enough to mount on a larger telescope, which can add versatility to your astrophotography experience by separating the guiding and imaging duties. 

iEXOS-100-2 PMC-Eight Equatorial Tracker System with WiFi and Bluetooth®

The iEXOS-100 PMC-Eight™ Equatorial Tracker System is a complete astronomical computerized Wifi or Wired GOTO Equatorial Tracker with integrated PMC-Eight™ electronics suitable for attaching Small Telescopes or DSLR Cameras attached to the Explore Scientific DSLR Camera Dovetail Assembly.

Use with the free ExploreStars App for Tablets (Windows, Android, Amazon and Apple), or with the free ASCOM Standards Compliant PMC-Eight™ ASCOM driver and the ASCOM POTH Client from Explore Scientific (either wired or wireless) to work with virtually any sky software that supports ASCOM. Tablet or computer must be purchased separately.

The iEXOS-100 utilizes a proven German equatorial mount design and Explore Scientific’s revolutionary PMC-Eight™ Precision Motion Control system to flawlessly navigate the night sky and track objects as they journey across it. This combination provides superior observing and imaging performance without a prohibitive price tag.

GOTO systems play an important role in the world of amateur astronomy because they ensure users spend less time searching for particular objects and more time observing and imaging. The PMC-Eight™ with its versatile connections supported with free to download apps for Windows computers or Android and iOS tablets only (tablets must have a screen of at least 7 inches), or through the free to download ASCOM PMC-Eight™ driver and POTH Client to connect to your favorite ASCOM Compliant Astronomical Software, can allow you to control the telescope from a few feet away or by communicating computer-to-computer with an Internet connection from virtually anywhere in the world. 

One of the standout features of the iEXOS-100 system is its German equatorial design. When it comes to tracking the stars with a telescope, there is nothing that compares to a German Equatorial Mount (GEM) because it will precisely follow objects as they rise in the east and set in the west. For observers, a GEM makes it easy to keep your celestial target in your eyepiece. For imagers, it helps you avoid common astrophotography pitfalls like field rotation.

Before you can track an object, you need to find it, and that objective can be daunting when you’re faced with a vast expanse of inky black sky or a bright city sky. The iEXOS-100 puts a powerful GOTO system in your arsenal of astronomical tools that takes the frustration out of navigating the night sky. This integrated version of Explore Scientific’s PMC-Eight™ system transcends the industry standard single processor by utilizing an 8-core microcontroller with eight CPUs that operate independently of one another to focus on defined functions. This delegation of tasks among the processors results in a system that offers superior responsiveness, efficiency, reliability and astoundingly fast timing intervals for smooth image acquisition and accurate tracking.

Although it is internally complex, the GOTO system can be easily operated from your own Apple, Android or Windows tablet using the ExploreStars app, which has an intuitive nature that makes it simple and quick to align your telescope, navigate the stars and learn specifics about tens of thousands of celestial objects. This dynamic app is fueled by a database that is routinely updated to ensure it remains a relevant resource.

Our commitment to creating a streamlined GOTO mount is obvious in other design choices. The iEXOS-100 has smooth locking clutches that will let you quickly reposition your telescope from one side to the other and an altitude knob for smooth height adjustments. The mount base includes a small polar alignment tunnel that allows users to roughly align their observing setup with Polaris. It also has a simple bubble level that comes in handy when stabilizing your tripod. Other features include a bracket for holding the battery pack, which powers the PMC-Eight™ system through 8 C batteries (not included); two 1 kg counterweights for balancing (telescopes and accessories that weigh more than 6 lbs required additional counterweights); and glow-in-the-dark markers on certain points of the mount and tripod so you can stay oriented with your setup at night. The mount is designed to hold up to 19 lbs (scope, accessories, and counterweights added together).

The mount weighs 9.45 pounds (4.29 kg), while the lightweight Travel Tripod and accessory tray weighs 5.5 pounds (2.5 kg). The Travel Tripod, when collapsed is 27.25 inches (69.21 cm) tall.

Explore Scientific Field Flattener f/5 to f/7

When doing astrophotography with refractor-type telescopes, the faster the focal ratio the more field curvature becomes a problem. Field curvature will appear in the corners of astrophotographs, making the stars smear perpendicular to the axis of the image. This is called coma -- coma is Latin for comet, because the stars look like comets. The more the curvature, the closer to the center the coma appears. The larger the sensor, the worse the coma.

Astrophotographers can easily correct the coma by using a field flattener – an optical device that goes between the telescope and the camera. Field fatteners are not interchangeable, because these devices are designed to work with a small range of focal ratios.

The Explore Scientific field flattener is designed to work with telescopes with focal ratios between f/5 and f/7. Our device requires 55 mm (+/-2 mm) of spacing between the back of the device and the camera sensor.

NOTE: This device is for photographic use only. It is NOT intended for visual use.