Name: Sky-Watcher StarTravel 120mm f/5 Refractor Telescope with Manual Alt-Az Mount (AZ3)
Brand: Sky-Watcher
SKU: SKWS10105
Price: 550.00 USD
Availability: Discontinued
Rating: 4.75 (4 reviews)

Sky-Watcher StarTravel 120mm f/5 Refractor Telescope with Manual Alt-Az Mount (AZ3)

Sky-Watcher StarTravel

Sky-Watcher

Sky-Watcher StarTravel 120mm f/5 Refractor Telescope with Manual Alt-Az Mount

Adorama

Optics & Binoculars

Telescopes & Astronomy

Telescopes

Sky-Watcher Telescopes

Sky-Watcher StarTravel 

Top Rated Gear: Sky-Watcher StarTravel 120mm f/5 Refractor Telescope with Manual Alt-Az Mount (AZ3) Aperture: 4.7" (120mm), Eyepiece Diameter: 2", Type: Refracting

Are you ready to embark on an astronomical adventure? The Sky-Watcher StarTravel 120mm f/5 Refractor Telescope is a premium choice for both novice and seasoned stargazers. This high-quality, two-element, air-spaced refractor boasts a fully multi-coated objective lens, designed to deliver rich-field views that will leave you in awe. With its large 4.7-inch (120mm) aperture, this telescope captures ample light, ensuring bright, clear images of the cosmos, from the intricate craters of the Moon to the swirling arms of distant galaxies.Constructed with durability in mind, the StarTravel 120mm is a versatile instrument that excels in both astronomical and terrestrial viewing. Its easy-to-use manual alt-azimuth mount (AZ3) facilitates smooth tracking of celestial objects, enhancing your stargazing experience without the complexity of more advanced mounts. The telescope's portability is unmatched, with a lightweight optical tube assembly weighing just 6.5 pounds (3kg) and a compact length of 21.7 inches (50cm), making it the perfect travel companion for your explorations of the night sky.The telescope's generous aperture pairs with the same focal ratio to accommodate 2-inch diagonals, offering expansive wide-field views with minimal chromatic aberration and weight. The refractor design means setup is quick and maintenance is low, with factory-collimated optics ready for immediate use. The included tube mounting rings feature a hinged design for effortless optical tube installation, and they allow for easy tube rotation and balancing during observation.For astrophotography enthusiasts, the StarTravel 120mm doubles as a fixed aperture, 510mm lens, capturing stunning images of lunar and solar eclipses, as well as terrestrial subjects. Its "fast" f/5 focal ratio is ideal for high-speed films and digital imaging. The telescope is equipped with a T-mount thread on the eyepiece holder, enabling direct attachment of a T2-adapter, and an optional extension tube for closer focusing capabilities.Whether you're gazing up at the stars or capturing them through a lens, the Sky-Watcher StarTravel 120mm f/5 Refractor Telescope with Manual Alt-Az Mount (AZ3) is engineered to elevate your viewing experience with crisp, detailed images at an exceptional value. Discover the universe's wonders with this easy-to-use, high-performance telescope that promises to be a steadfast companion on your celestial journeys.

Well packaged, arrived in excellent condition. Performs as advertised as a "grab and go" scope that is light weight. AZ3 mount not as smooth as one might like out of the box and adjusting the bolt tension will help with that issue. Nice balance of first telescope with dual use as terrestrial scope so it won't collect dust in the closet if astronomy turns out not to be your thing and you stick with daytime birding. Achromatic refractor telescope with f/4.9 best for deep sky observing but for serious astrophotography you will probably upgrade later to better optics in a refractor or reflector scope. The photo shows it just fits in a Monoprice Weatherproof Hard Case - 22 x 14 x 8 Inches. I added a 90º star diagonal for sky observing in addition to the 45º prism diagonal that came with the kit. Also added a 8-24mm zoom lens that avoids lens changing while looking at wildlife that tends to move out of the frame quickly.

SkyWatcher Startraveler 102mm telecope review

So happy with this purchase

Bought this to replace a 8" Celestron that was more than this 83 old could handle any more.  Initial observations indicate a much better all around scope in terms of performance, weight, and grab n go.

SkyWatcher 120mm Refractor.

This is everything it is said to be. Although the pic is a little deceptive, the finder is a red-dot device, not a small scope. The tripod is very sturdy, but operating instructions a bit vague. I was suprised to find the tube rings bolt directly to a bracket of the tripod, rather than to a vixen-style bracket. That arrangement would make putting up and taking down the scope assembly noticably simpler, especially in the dark! I guess Sky Watcher expects users to leave the whole rig assembled. Not a real practical idea in today's light polluted world. I was also a bit disappointed that the packaging was not really useful for storing or transporting the scope. Also, the front cap doesn't fit all that well. I is a pretty loose fit to the inside of the fixed dew shield. Optically, scope very nice, rugged, and sturdily made. Tripod, as noted, also very solid, works smoothly, very little jitter. All in all, a great scope, especially at the price. The supplied eyepieces were pretty generic looking, and probably not very state of the art. Fortunately, I had a good selection of modern Plossls, as well as other accessories. The scope comes with an erecting prism. No idea how much light lost to it.

Sky-Watcher StarTravel 120mm f/5 Refractor Telescope with Manual Alt-Az Mount (AZ3)

Recommended Alternatives

Sky-Watcher Quattro 250P Imaging Newtonian 10" (254 mm) Telescope

Sky-Watcher Quattro 300P Imaging Newtonian 12" (305 mm) Telescope

Sky-Watcher Starlux 190MN Maksutov-Newtonian 190mm Telescope

Sky-Watcher SkyMax 127 Virtuoso GTi 25th Anniversary 127mm f/11.8 Telescope