Meade 80mm ED APO Triplet f/6 Optical Tube Assembly with 2 Inch Enhanced Diagonal

For crisp wide field observing and imaging, nothing beats a true triple-element apochromatic refractor (APO).  This is especially true in astrophotography, where APO's have produced some of the most beautiful images of the heavens ever taken from earth.  But not all APO's are created equal.  Today's market is filled with semi-APOs (with two lenses instead of three) that don't bring all colors to focus.  Thanks to a two-year design process and a triple objective lens made from the highest ED (extra-low dispersion) glass, Meade Series 5000 ED APO Triplets are virtually free of chromatic aberration (color fringing).  This means they outperform the most expensive semi-APOs at a fraction of the cost.  Expert observers will be delighted by the total absence of color fringing and the scope's textbook-perfect pinpoint star images.  Even beginners will notice the breathtaking high contrast and resolution of a Meade Series 5000 APO.  The scope is available as a stand-alone OTA, or as a package with a Series 5000 2" enhanced diagonal and an aluminum carrying case.

• Fast Focal Ratio:  At f/6 the focal ratio of these scopes is ideal for fast wide field astrophotography
• Premium ED Glass:  Meade uses the finest Japanese FCD1 ED (Extremely Low Dispersion) glass.  This glass is created to achieve a very small change in refractive index with different wavelenghts of light.  This makes it the perfect choice for a fast, high performance optial design like the Series 5000 APOs.
• Fully Multicoated Lenses:  Meade broadband multicoated lenses ensure maximum light transmission.
• True ED Apochromatic Triplet:  A true triplet optical design guarantees the textbook color correction you expect from a premium APO
• Fully Extendable Dew Shield/Sun Shade:  An essential accessory built-in to the design for your convenience.