The 140mm aperture gives this telescope an inherent advantage in light gathering power, resolution, brightness and contrast, allowing the photographer to capture more light and present more detail and brighter objects in the image. With more light entering the astrograph, the limiting magnitude can reach 12.5.

The Askar 140APO adopts an air-spaced triplet APO lens design, which includes an ED glass element. The Askar APO series makes use of special optical designs and multiple lens elements to correct chromatic aberration, naturally ensuring superior object detail and color accuracy.

In the refractor element structure, increasing the number of lens elements and designing lens combinations can effectively improve the correction of chromatic aberration. However, this also leads to increased manufacturing costs and design complexity.

ED glass, also known as low dispersion glass, is a type of optical glass specially designed to reduce chromatic aberration.

As a large aperture, long focal ratio telescope, the Askar 140APO was designed with the goal of being portable. Its minimum overall length is just 735mm, net weight is 9.2kg and gross weight is 10.9kg (including handle, tube rings and dovetail plate).

Each example of the Askar 140APO comes with a unique name ring for identification.

The retractable design of the sunshade, together with the enlarged locking screws, offers convenient use. The sunshade is intended to protect the lens from the impact of external and internal light.

The Askar 140APO features an overall lightweight design for the tube rings, with an overall weight of 1.7kg. Thumb screws allow for easy opening and closing of tube rings. Meanwhile, the base of the tube rings is raised, providing more space.

The handle of the Askar 140APO has a special slotted design, making it also a base for installing a finder scope. The handle itself is 220mm long.

The dovetail plate of the Askar 140APO is the Losmandy standard, compatible with most equatorial mounts and bases available on the market. We've extended the length and added screw holes, making the length 300mm, which makes it easier to balance on mounts. With the slot on the handle, the spacing between the tube rings can be adjusted as desired.

It is noteworthy that the Askar 140APO's rear lens tube has an integrated retractable design. We strengthen the overall stability and ensure that the optical axis is not affected when the lens tube is extended, thus ensuring image quality. The retractable part also features a rudder-type locking ring that makes tightening or releasing easier.

When the lens tube is contracted, the Askar 140APO can be used with a binoviewer for visual observation. When the lens tube is extended, the 140APO can be equipped with a specific reducer or flattener for imaging or with a diagonal and eyepieces for observation.

As for the focuser, the Askar 140APO features a sizable dual-speed rack-and-pinion focuser with a diameter of 3.5 inches, which can be compatible with most motorized focusers available on the market. Along the 10 cm of focus range, there is a high precision scale. The entire focuser barrel is made by CNC machines, with an internal anti-glare design and matte paint, providing additional measures to eliminate stray light.

There are two finder bases on both sides of the focuser, which not only eliminate the need for disassembly when changing the position of the finderscope, but also provide additional mounting locations for other astronomical accessories.

The back of the focuser features a large, high-precision 360° rotator, along with precise scales for convenient adjustment and saving of rotation angles, enabling precise rotation. It is also equipped with an enlarged rotator locking screw that can be easily fixed even under high loads.

The telescope interface on the back is equipped with a 1.25" to 2" adapter.

The entire tube of the Askar 140APO is made of high-quality CNC machining, with anodized treatment and surface painting. The orange accents on the ivory white tube add a bright and eye-catching touch, presenting an overall elegant and trendy look.

The Askar 140APO has two optional accessories: a 1x flattener and a 0.8x reducer. Both accessories feature built-in 2" filter threads for direct mounting of filters. The 0.8x reducer comes with M54/M48 adapters, while the 1x flattener comes with M68/M54/M48 adapters for easy connection.

The 1x flattener does not change the focal ratio of the telescope itself. After connecting with the Askar 140APO, it still maintains a focal ratio of f/7. The flattener corrects field curvature and coma, resulting in flatter field edges and finer star points.

The 0.8x reducer can bring the focal ratio of the Askar 140APO to f/5.6. This is a standard gearbox with field flattening capability. A shorter focal ratio allows the OTA to have a wider field of view and faster exposure times, making it suitable for capturing large areas of nebulae, star clusters and faint, fast-moving celestial objects.

Whether you're an astronomy enthusiast, a professional astrophotographer, or just someone curious about the universe, the 140APO will meet your needs. You no longer have to sacrifice quality to stay within budget; start your journey to the stars with the Askar 140APO!

Specifications

• Opening size: 140mm
• Focal length: 980mm
• Focal ratio: f/7
• Objective lens: Air-spaced APO triplet (with an ED glass)
• Total length: 735 mm (with contracted sun visor), 870 mm (with extended sun visor)
• Retractable rear lens tube length: 125mm
• OTA weight: 9.2 kg
• Gross weight (including tube rings and dovetail plate): 10.9 kg
• Rear Thread Type: 2"/1.25" Visual Adapters
• Items included in the standard package: One OTA 140APO, one pair of tube rings, one handle, one Losmandy Askar 300mm dovetail plate, one Oxford cloth case, one manual