Orion CT80 Compact Refractor: The Achilles’ heel of rich-field achromatic refractors is chromatic aberration, but when you goal is scooping up ultra-wide, low-magnification views of the Milky Way, who cares about chroma. Witness Orion’s versatile new f/5 CT80 80-mm Compact Refractor ($109.00US) which is designed to excel at wide-field observations – day or night – and to also be used as a precise guide scope for advanced astrophotography pursuits.
When attached to a tripod or equatorial mount and equipped with an optional mirror diagonal and eyepiece, the Orion CT80 Compact Refractor becomes a pleasantly-portable rich-field star probe that delivers bright, wide-field views. The CT80 telescope’s fully coated 80-mm objective lens and 400-mm focal length makes it a perfect telescope for scanning vast expanses of the night sky.
Internal baffles help eliminate off-axis reflections and optimize contrast. The Orion CT80 Refractor reels in brighter deep-sky objects for you to explore and also provides great views of solar system targets like Saturn, Jupiter, and the Moon.
For observing terrestrial targets, just add a correct-image diagonal, your favorite telescope eyepieces and a finder scope or reflex sight and you’re ready for daytime visual adventures. Thanks to its compact design, the CT80 Refractor is easy to bring along on road trips, family campouts, and wherever travels take you.
The Orion CT80 Compact Refractor is a great telescope to use as a dedicated guide scope for guided astrophotography pursuits. The fast f/5.0 optical tube provides a very wide field-of-view, which makes guide star acquisition a breeze, even under light-polluted skies. A featherweight contender weighing in at a mere 2.25 pounds (1.0 kilogram), the CT80 can be added to virtually any astrophotography set-up without exceeding your imaging-capable mount’s payload capacity.
A narrow Vixen-style dovetail mounting bar along the bottom of the CT80 optical tube includes threaded ¼-20 female threads for secure attachment of the telescope to a wide variety of mounts and tripods. The metal 1.25-inch focuser of the CT80 Refractor features a handy focus lock knob and is compatible with any 1.25-inch mirror or prism diagonal. You can add an optional finder scope or reflex sight to the CT80 easily thanks to a built-in dovetail finder scope base that’s compatible with any Orion aiming device.
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