58 ASTRONOMY • DECEMBER 2021
Stellarvue’s
SVX 102T
T
he 4-inch refractor has been
a favorite of astronomy
enthusiasts for countless
years, thanks to the com-
bination of portability and
resolving power. While these scopes are
not the largest light buckets around,
they lend themselves well to wide-field
observing.
Recently, I revisited this classic for-
mat. After acquiring a new full-frame
camera (the QHY 128C Pro), I needed
to find a wide-field telescope to go with
it. Careful research led to my selection:
Stellarvue’s SVX 102T refractor.The nitty gritty
The SVX 102T has a length of
23.5 inches (59.7 centimeters) with thefocuser attached, and the dew shield
adds an additional 5.5 inches (14 cm).
It weighs 9.8 pounds (4.4 kilograms)
with both the 2-inch and 1¼-inch ring
adapters. The refractor comes with the
rings and a Losmandy-style base plate
as well as a heavy-duty, reinforced nylon
refractor case.Since its founding in 1998, Stellarvue
has refined its telescopes into some of
the best instruments available today.
Stellarvue’s opticians quickly gained a
reputation in the business as dedicated
craftspeople, and the SVX 102T bears all
the marks of their work, boasting an
air-spaced triplet objective with high-
quality glass and broadband coatings.
Stellarvue claims it constructs each lens
to a standard of 0.99 Strehl or higher,
meaning 99 percent of incoming light is
directed exactly where it’s supposed to
go. (A theoretical measurement of 1.00
is considered perfect.)
They even manufacture their own
field f latteners, which reduce distortions
and curvatures, ensuring pointlike stars
throughout the entire field of view. EachCapture the sky with
This scope is perfect for
astrophotographers and
visual observers alike.
BY TONY HALLAS
TONYH
ALLAS