Used Askar FMA180 Pro 40mm f/4.5 Sextuplet APO Astrograph w/ASI120MM, ZWO EAF, Askar FMA 180 Pro autofocus kit and EAF bracket, and SvBony SV165 30mm guidescope

This is a nice complete astrophotography rig that's all set up for you to do your widefield AP.  This is the Askar FMA180 Pro.  It includes a SvBony SV165 30mm guidescope (a $69 value), the ASI120MM guide camera (a $199 value), the ZWO EAF (a $199 value), with Askar autofocus kit for FMA180 Pro, including the bracket to hold the EAF on the rig (a $92 value).  Everything is in excellent condition, with clean optics/sensors, and bodies.  Just attach your own camera (at the time of listing, the used ASI585MC Pro that came with this rig is being sold separately), and you're in business.  

Comes in its original soft-sided foam-lined case. This includes the original boxes and additional mounting accessories/parts for the FMA180, the ZWO EAF, and the ASI120MM. 

This is over $1000 worth of gear for just $675! Get it while it lasts!  

A palm-sized astrograph for huge fields of sky

The Askar FMA180 Pro is a 40mm f/4.5 apochromatic astrograph with a 180mm focal length. Its sextuplet objective (three elements in front, three in the rear, including two ED elements) has the field correction built in, and an M48 thread with a built-in 2" filter thread sets the camera at the standard 55mm back focus. Compared with the original FMA180, the Pro adds an internal focuser, a 360° rotator and a finder base on top. With an APS-C camera it frames about 7.5° × 5°, wide enough for the whole Orion complex or the North America and Pelican Nebulae with room around them.

Key specs: 40mm aperture · 180mm focal length, f/4.5 · air-spaced sextuplet APO with two ED elements · 44mm (full-frame) image circle · 55mm back focus, M48 × 0.75 with built-in 2" filter thread · internal focuser · 360° rotator · finder base · 0.8kg (1.8lb) with 150mm Vixen dovetail base

What you can image

• Whole nebula complexes: the Orion Nebula with the Horsehead and Flame Nebulae, the Heart and Soul Nebulae together, the North America and Pelican Nebulae, the California Nebula and the Cygnus Milky Way around Sadr.
• Faint, sprawling targets: the Spaghetti Nebula, Barnard's Loop and the region around IC 443 and M35, targets that show up in Askar's own FMA180 Pro sample images.
• Big galaxies and clusters: the Andromeda Galaxy with plenty of sky around it, the Pleiades and the Double Cluster.
• Comets and Milky Way fields: the wide field leaves room for long comet tails and dense star clouds.

With a 26MP APS-C camera such as the ZWO ASI2600MC Air the FMA180 Pro works at 4.3 arcseconds per pixel, so small tracking errors don't show. That makes it a forgiving first astrograph.

How it works

Optics: the rear three elements act as a built-in field corrector, so there's nothing to add between the telescope and the camera except the right spacing. Thread your camera onto the M48 × 0.75 thread and set the sensor 55mm behind it, which most astronomy cameras do with their included spacers.

Focusing: the internal focuser moves the optics inside the tube, with a scale ring so you can return to the same focus point. The Askar FMA180 Pro AF kit connects an electronic focuser for autofocus, and includes a timing belt and pulley that suit the ZWO EAF Pro.

Framing and filters: the 360° rotator turns the camera to frame a target, and a 2" filter threads into the rear of the telescope.

Mounting: the base has a 150mm Vixen-style dovetail. Remove the dovetail and the base fits onto another telescope's finder base, so it can ride piggyback on a larger telescope as a guide scope, and the finder base on top takes a small guide scope or red-dot finder.

What to add for the best results

• A mount (required): the Sky-Watcher Star Adventurer GTi finds targets for you and carries it easily. The iOptron SkyGuider Pro tracker also works, with a sturdy tripod such as the iOptron 1.25" tripod.
• A camera: the ZWO ASI2600MC Air (7.5° × 5.0°) has a guide sensor and ASIAIR built in, so it needs no separate guide scope or controller. The ASI2600MC Pro or ASI533MC Pro (3.6° × 3.6°) work well too, and a DSLR or mirrorless camera connects with an M48 T-ring.
• Control: with a camera other than the Air, the ZWO ASIAIR Plus runs capture, guiding and focus from your phone.
• Autofocus: the FMA180 Pro AF kit with a ZWO EAF Pro focuser.
• Filters: a 2" ZWO Duo-Band or Optolong L-eXtreme for emission nebulae from light-polluted skies.
• Field power: a Celestron PowerTank Lithium Pro for a cooled camera away from an outlet.

FMA180 Pro vs. other small Askar astrographs

See all Askar telescopes.

What's in the box

• Askar FMA180 Pro optical tube with Vixen dovetail base
• Instruction manual

The mount, camera, filters, AF kit and focuser motor are sold separately.

Askar FMA180 Pro FAQ

Is the FMA180 Pro good for beginners?

Yes. At 180mm it's very forgiving of tracking and polar alignment errors, it needs no flattener, and it's light enough for a star tracker. It's one of the easiest ways to move from a camera lens to a real astrograph.

Which camera works best?

An APS-C camera such as the ASI2600MC Air or ASI2600MC Pro makes the most of the wide field. The 44mm image circle also covers full-frame sensors.

Can I use it as a guide scope?

Yes. Remove the Vixen dovetail and the base fits onto the finder base of a larger telescope, giving you a 180mm guide scope for a guide camera.

FMA180 Pro or 50P?

Both frame about 7° × 5° with APS-C. The 50P has more aperture and a faster f/3.8, so it gathers light quicker, but it's designed for APS-C and smaller sensors. The FMA180 Pro is lighter, covers full frame and doubles as a guide scope.

Can I use it for visual observing?

Askar optimized it for astrophotography and supplies no eyepiece adapter, so we recommend it for cameras. For viewing as well as imaging, the Askar 60F comes with visual adapters.

What mount do I need?

With a camera it weighs about 1.5kg (3.3lb), well within the capacity of a star tracker such as the SkyGuider Pro or a small GoTo mount like the Star Adventurer GTi.

Specifications