Vixen VMC200L Maksutov-Cassegrain mirror telescope - optical tube

Featuring an improved design and optical properties, this compact field corrected Maksutov-Cassegrain system is Vixen's answer to Schmidt Cassegrain and more conventional Maksutov Telescopes. Instead of a heavy corrector plate, the Meniscus corrector is located directly in front of the secondary mirror. As a result, the Field-Maksutov does not dew up easily, as most conventional SCT s and Maksutovs do, when exposed to humid air.  Thanks to the VMC's open tube system, the optics cool down quickly, ensuring that the telescope is ready for use in no time - again offering advantages over traditional Schmidts and Maksutovs, which can take a long time to acclimatise and reach thermal equilibrium. 

The long focal length of the VMC allows you to make detailed observations of planets, distant galaxies, individual lunar craters and mountains and many other celestial objects.  The mirror is manufactured using an advanced coating deposition technique, normally reserved for research-grade instruments - ensuring an extremely smooth and precisely-finished optical surface.  This, combined with the secondary corrector delivers extremely pleasing visual and photographic performance, with a very flat field.  Unlike the primary mirrors in many rival SCTs and Maksutovs, the VMC200L's primary is fixed and doesn't travel on a focuser baffle, adding to stability and as a result this telescope does not suffer from "mirror flop" or focus shift.

The focuser is a conventional, smooth-running single speed rack and pinion design, which ensures stability, even at high loading.  It can be simply upgraded to dual speed use for finer focus control with the X000143 Vixen Dual-Speed-Focuser, if required.

The telescope is supplied with a standard Vixen profile mounting dovetail bar and is also supplied with a carry handle, which makes transport and mounting much easier.  The carry handle can also double up as a mounting platform for other accessories, if required.

The VMC200L is also supplied with Vixen's superb 7x50mm illuminated finderscope, with variable brightness control, to help you guide the telescope accurately to targets.

Last, but not least, is the inclusion of Vixen's extremely useful flip mirror system, which allows for mutual mounting of 1.25" eyepieces or accessories.  Both eyepiece holders can be unscrewed, revealing a standard T2 mounting thread, which allows easy mounting of many cameras or other photographic accessories to either port.  The ability to be able to flip simply between visual use and a camera is of great help when trying to centre and image compact targets - speeding up acquisition of targets and making better use of your time under the night sky.

FEATURES

• 200 mm mirror
• Focal length: 1950 mm (f9.75)
• Resolution and limiting magnitude: 0.45 arc seconds; 13.3
• Light-gathering power: 816x
• Backfocus without Reducer: 144.9 mm
• Backfocus with Reducer: 63.5 mm
• Dimensions and weight: 232 x 510, 6.8 kg
• Adapter and connections: 60 mm thread

WHAT’S INCLUDED

• Dovetail bar
• Flip mirror
• Carry handle
• 7x50 viewfinder, illuminated