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It's back! The Orion ShortTube 80-A achromatic refractor telescope is back in our lineup, by popular demand. It's the version of our ShortTube 80 achromatic refractor that's outfitted for astronomical observation (the "A" is for Astronomy).
The ShortTube 80-A is a compact, wide-field, take-anywhere astro telescope. You'll love the bright, expansive views it delivers. The telescope's 80mm objective lens and short 400mm (f/5) focal length are ideal for scanning the heavens. Its wide field of view makes it a great choice for viewing big deep sky targets, and its portable size makes it easy to bring along on trips to dark skies. You'll see fascinating star clusters, wispy nebulas, and even galaxies, but this compact refractor also serves up detailed images of the Moon's cratered surface, Saturn's rings, and other solar system targets.
The ShortTube 80-A's doublet objective lens is multi-coated for excellent light transmission. It is housed in an all-aluminum tube that's just 15" long, with a 1.25" rack-and-pinion focuser on one end and an aluminum dew shield on the other that extends more than 3" out from the lens to prevent dew formation and block off-axis glare. The telescope comes with two quality 1.25" Sirius Plossl eyepieces - 25mm and 10mm - which produce 16x and 40x power, respectively, as well as a 90° mirror diagonal (1.25"). The eyepiece and diagonal barrels are threaded for optional Orion eyepiece filters. And the big 8x40 finder scope will ensure you can locate and center your target with ease.
Lastly, the ShortTube 80-A includes two felt-lined, hinged tube rings and a Vixen-type dovetail mounting plate for attachment of the telescope to the compatible mount of your choice.
Let the Orion ShortTube 80-A 80mm Refractor Telescope introduce your whole family to the wonders of the night sky! And for the astro hobbyist who already owns a bigger telescope, the ST80-A makes a wonderful grab-and-go second telescope to have on hand! Assembled weight, 4 lbs. 10.6 oz.
Limited Warranty against defects in materials or workmanship for one year from date of purchase. This warranty is for the benefit of the original retail purchaser only. For complete warranty details contact us at 800-447-1001.
Please note this product was not designed or intended by the manufacturer for use by a child 12 years of age or younger.
Beginner Level - Suited for a wide range of uses, these products are simple to operate and set up. Some initial assembly may be required depending on the type of product. Optical instruments with this rating will have very good optical and mechanical quality. Great for families, young people, and folks who don't want to mess with equipment and complexity. Beginning level telescopes will show you countless lunar craters, Saturn's rings and a myriad of star clusters and nebulae! Referring to the manual is recommended.
Intermediate Level - These products offer higher performance and more advanced features than Level 1: Beginner models. They typically take a bit longer to learn and need some set-up or adjustments. But anyone with the slightest technical bent will have no problem getting familiar with these models. Referring to the manual is recommended.
Advanced Level - These products provide the best performance but may require more skill to master and appreciate. Optical instruments with this rating have exceptionally fine optics and mechanics. Some are easy to use but might be on the large or heavy side. Some are intended for specialized uses. These products will appeal to the more technically inclined. Referring to the manual is highly recommended.
For telescopes, the optical diameter (also known as aperture) is the size of a telescope's main light-collecting lens or primary mirror, measured in millimeters or inches. Telescopes with larger optical diameters collect more light, which leads to an increase in brightness and image resolution compared to smaller instruments.
For binoculars, the optical diameter (also known as objective lens diameter) is the size of each of the front-facing objective lenses of a binocular measured in millimeters. Binoculars with larger objective lenses collect more light, which increases image resolution and brightness. Binoculars with larger objective lenses are recommended for low light situations, and binoculars with at least 50mm or larger objective lenses are recommended for pleasing astronomical observations at night.
Binocular lenses and prisms are often coated with anti-reflective material to minimize light loss as light travels through the multiple optical surfaces of a typical binocular. Coatings help maximize the amount of light transmitted through each glass surface of a binocular, so as much light as possible reaches the observer's eyes to provide a bright and sharp image.
Good lenses are at least "fully coated," with a single layer of magnesium fluoride coating applied to each air-to-glass lens surface. Multiple layers of coatings are even more effective; the term "multi-coated" means one or more air-to-glass lens surface has multiple coatings. "Fully multi-coated" optics are even better, meaning all lens surfaces have multiple layers of anti-reflective coatings applied for maximum light transmission and optimal image quality.
Orders received by 1pm Eastern Standard Time for in-stock items ship the same business day. Order received after noon will ship the next business day. When an item is not in-stock we will ship it as soon as it becomes available. Typically in-stock items will ship first and backordered items will follow as soon as they are available. You have the option in check out to request that your order ship complete, if you'd prefer.
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