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Orion Premium Linear
BinoViewer for Telescopes
Binoviewers are popular add-ons for visual observers
who prefer a more relaxed two-eyed look at objects. But
not all telescopes, especially Newtonians, have enough
focuser range to accommodate the long path that light must
follow inside a binoviewer. That usually requires adding a Barlow or
compensator lens into the system. While those work, they also increase magnification
by up to a factor of four. Orion addresses this issue with its Linear BinoViewer, whose
optical design requires no additional back-focus distance. Any telescope-eyepiece
combination that focuses correctly on its own will also focus correctly with the viewer
in place without any increase in magnification.
$499.99 • http://www.telescope.com
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Pentax XW20
Eyepiece
Pentax’s XW pre-
mium eyepieces
come in focal
lengths from
3.5mm to 20mm.
Like the rest, the
XW20 has a 70°
apparent field of
view, 20 mm ofeye relief, and fits into a 1¼" focuser.
The proprietary optical design uses
extra-low-dispersion lanthanum
glass elements that are treated with
multilayer coatings to create images
that are crisp right to the edge.
Considered moderately priced among
high-end eyepieces, the Pentax XW 20
outperforms some others costing
twice as much.
$299
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PixInsightvideo series
Veteran astroimagers will immedi-
ately recognize the name PixInsight
as a premier image-processing plat-
form. And as with any advanced
software, there is a steep learning
curve to maximize results from all it
has to offer. After honing his craft for years, astroimager extraordinaire Adam Block now
offers two series of instructional videos designed to f latten that curve. The Fundamentals
collection gets you going with a core set of skills needed to unlock PixInsight’s many fea-
tures. The second series, Horizons, shows how to creatively use the skills and the tools dem-
onstrated in Fundamentals.$180 (Fundamentals); $250 (Horizons) • http://www.adamblockstudios.com
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Orion15mm Ultra Flat Field
Eyepiece, 1.25"
Looking for a high-performance mid-
range eyepiece that won’t break the
bank? Orion’s 15mm Ultra Flat Field is
a great choice. Its eight fully multi-
coated lens elements with blackened
edges come together to produce high-
contrast, tack-sharp star images all
the way to the edge of the 65° apparent
field of view. The barrel fits all 1¼"
focusers and is threaded to accept
standard filters. The UFF lineup
includes 10mm and 24mm focal
lengths, the latter with a 2" barrel.$129.99 • http://www.telescope.com
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Orion StarShootG10 Deep Space Color
Imaging Camera
Orion Telescopes’ line of StarShoot imagers
has been around for years, but this latest
addition is especially noteworthy. The G10
uses Sony’s IMX294CJK Type 4/3 14-bit
CMOS chip for one-shot color imaging,
while a USB 3.0 interface promises fast frame
rates and downloads. A two-stage regulated
thermoelectric cooler with a fan keeps things
cool. The G10 comes with control and
image-acquisition software compatible with
Windows 7, 8, and 10. It is also ASCOM
compatible, so it will also work with most
third-party astroimaging software.$1,099.99 • http://www.telescope.com