Askar SQA55 Quintuplet Refractor

Bringing you an innovative, feature-packed, high quality refractor, Askar introduces their SQA55! This impressive f/4.8, 256 mm focal length telescope is fitted with five internal lens elements for super fine detail within your images. Not only this, but the SQA55 comes loaded with qualities such as an interchangeable lens/scope design, a dual-speed helical focuser, an aperture adjustment wheel, and plenty more, all within a 1.8kg compact body. Whether you’re just getting started in astrophotography excited to get your hands on your first telescope, or an esteemed astroimager wanting a premium, easy-to-use refractor, this Askar SQA55 is the perfect answer.

Furnished with a Petzval lens design, there is no need to fumble with backspacing calculations, nor do you have to purchase an external field flattener for sharp stars from corner to corner. This makes setup incredibly easy-simply attach your camera, and you’re ready to image! With the interchangeable lens/scope design, this SQA55 houses the familiar aspects of a lens, though provides the high performance light gathering power of a telescope. Utilize the premier optics for terrestrial photography during the day, then capture the cosmos as soon as the stars emerge. Askar understands the importance of user-experience, and has furnished this telescope with ergonomics such as focus locking knobs for both the coarse and fine adjustment wheels, quick-release hardware, and multiple filter threads for daytime and astrophotography use. This little refractor can also easily be packed up for photography trips thanks to its compact frame and included carrying case. With qualities like these, this SQA55 takes the term “user-friendly” to a whole new level!

Interchangeable Lens/Telescope Architecture
Struggling to make a decision between purchasing a camera lens or a telescope? No need to fret, this Askar SQA55 provides the best of both worlds! The unique cross-functional lens/telescope design is perfect for those familiar with camera lenses who are ready to make the transition into the world of telescopes. Just like a lens, you have the ability to adjust the aperture, with a range of f/4.8 to f/22. The included helical focuser also resembles that of a lens, though Askar takes it up a notch-including two independent coarse and fine adjustment speeds. This dual-focuser is perfect for achieving sharp focus on terrestrial scenes while simultaneously making it easy to achieve pinpoint stars. Not only is the focuser dual speed, but this Askar telescope also features a dual-rotator design as well. For daytime shooting, the entire OTA body can be rotated, while the high-precision rotator can be utilized for astrophotography applications. Both rotators include their own locking knobs to keep your framing locked down. The use of filters is something that adds another layer of creativity when imaging. This is why Askar not only included 2″ filter threads to the rear of this telescope, but also M67 filter threads to the front of the objective! When it comes to mounting this Askar SQA55, easily attach it to a tripod with the 1/4″ and 3/8″ screw holes found at the bottom of the mounting shoe, or affix it to your equatorial mount with the included 200 mm Vixen-style dovetail plate. If you wish to image hand-held, effortlessly remove this SQA55 from the tripod or mount with the quick-release knob found on the mounting shoe. The handle itself also features a quick-release function for easy removal. Whether you plan to utilize this Askar SQA55 for daytime terrestrial use or for capturing your favorite celestial objects, your images are sure to impress!

With This SQA55, You’re Set Up for Success!

This Askar SQA55 is a small, yet mighty refractor jam packed with features. With its outstanding optics, ease of use, and thoughtful inclusions, this astrograph is an astrophotographer’s dream! Read more about this SQA55 telescope below.

Quintuplet Petzval Lens Structure

Equipped with an outstanding 5 air-spaced optical elements, including one SD glass piece and one ED glass piece, this Askar SQA55 delivers pristine images with exceptional star quality. As seen in the spot diagram, a graphical representation of how well a telescope performs at bringing rays of light into focus, the central star point has a RMS radius of less than 2.5 um, with the corner stars rated less than 4 um. The result is super-fine, well resolved stars within your captured photos. Not only will your images be brimming with clarity, but the Petzval design provides a flat field right out of the box! Enjoy sharp stars from corner to corner without the need of an additional field flattener. Also, to save you time and frustration, this no fuss telescope omits the need to calculate backspacing. So long as you reach focus, the entirety of your image will be in focus as well. The 264 mm focal length is ideal for capturing a wide range of images, such as the Andromeda Galaxy, the Orion Nebula, and plenty more. As stated above, this telescope houses an aperture adjustment wheel. When wide open, this telescope features 55 mm of aperture and a focal ratio of f/4.8, though can be stopped down to f/22 for daytime, terrestrial use.

Let’s Dig into the Data!

To display the quality of this Askar SQA55 in graphical form, these charts to the left give insight into the overall clarity and illumination produced by this telescope. The modulation transfer function (MTF) graph provides a quantitative description of the percentage of light passed through the lens, with the vertical axis representing the MTF light transmission value (a maximum value of 1.0 indicates perfect light transmission). The horizontal axis denotes the distance from the center of the frame to the edge. When tested with low frequencies (blue lines), the MTF value is an incredible >0.9, showing the high resolution and impressive contrast provided by the SQA55. The Relative Illumination (RI) graph displays the illumination differences from the center of the frame to the edges. Thanks to the exceptional build quality from Askar, this SQA55 guarantees an illumination of ~90%, even near the corners of the image! This means vignetting is well in-check, even when used with full frame cameras

.Dual-Speed Helical Focuser

Allowing you to find precise focus is the dual-speed helical focuser found on this SQA55. The course and fine adjustments rotate independently of one another, making it easy to first find rough focus then to hone-in on the details. To make finding focus again a breeze, the coarse adjustment features a reference scale with both imperial and metric marking. Quickly return to your previous point of focus, then make small adjustments accordingly for sharp images. Also, this coarse adjustment hand wheel is assembled with MXL-type teeth which allows the adaptation of an electronic focuser with the use of the Askar AF Kit (not included). Utilize the ZWO EAF, and more! The fine adjustment wheel ensures your stars will be as sharp as possible, with the focusing travel of 1 mm. Both focus adjustments feature their own locking knobs to hold your focus in place

Ergonomics Galore!
To upgrade your imaging experience, Askar has fitted this SQA55 with numerous useful additions. The included dovetail plate is a Vixen-style plate that’s 200 mm in length. This dovetail easily mounts to the telescope’s mounting shoe via easy-to-use hand screws, making assembly/disassembly a breeze. Also, this mounting shoe is furnished with a quick-release knob to effortlessly remove the entire telescope body from the dovetail or tripod-without the need for tools! On top of this Askar SQA55, the carrying handle comes equipped with a finder base slot for the addition of accessories, such as a guidescope. This handle also features a quick release knob for removal if desired. To enhance the already compact nature of this telescope, Askar has designed the lens hood to be reversible. Simply unscrew the lens hood, flip it around, and screw it back in to make for a low-volume portable system.

This SQA55 also comes furnished with a waterproof carrying case.

What’s in the box
1xSQA55 OTA with Attached Dovetail and Handle
1xMilitary-Grade Waterproof Carry Case
1xInspection List
1xManual