Celestron 52268 C90 Mak Spotting scope (Black)

Product Description

The Maksutov optical design is recognized for being a portable design that is easy to use and has a variety of applications, making it an excellent choice for both terrestrial and astronomical usage. This C90 Mak has excellent optics with razor sharp images over a wide field.

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Celestron’s 52268 90mm Maksutov Spotting Scope delivers excellent high power optics in a compact, affordable package. The 52268 package includes a backpack style soft carrying case, an 8×21 erect image finder scope, a 1.25 inch size correct image 45* prism diagonal, and a fully coated 32mm plossl eyepiece for a magnification of 39X.

The Maksutov-Cassegrain design of the C90 uses a combination of mirrors and lenses; this “folded” optical system has a focal length of 1250mm in a body only twelve inches long. The Maksutov design delivers high power views without a trace of the chromatic aberration, also called blue fringing, that can distort high power views in competing refractor style spotting scopes. At 40X magnification where some low cost spotting scopes start to seem fuzzy, the C90 is just getting started. The C90 uses the same 1.25 inch eyepieces used in astronomical telescopes. The standard equipment 32mm plossl eyepiece yields a magnification of 39X, but many other eyepieces can be used to vary the magnification.

The Celestron model 52268 seems very well built, with excellent multi-coatings visible on the front lens. The real beauty of this 90mm Maksutov spotting scope, however, is in the view it offers. When I use an optional 12.5mm eyepiece to look at Jupiter at 100X I can clearly see Jupiter’s major cloud bands as well as its four moons. When I look at the Moon and stars I can easily push the magnification to 200X with an optional 6mm eyepiece. When I look at birds in the backyard, I’m treated to delightful views full of vibrant color and crisp detail. With a close focus distance of only 15 feet, the detail and texture I see is simply amazing.

High magnification viewing requires a solid tripod, of course. Celestron’s Heavy Duty Altazimuth Tripod comes with slow motion controls to allow the scope to be pointed precisely, and I can clamp the dovetail base on my CG5 mount for astronomical use. The other drawback to high magnification viewing is a narrow field of view; high magnification makes it hard to follow moving targets like birds in flight. Overall the Celestron C90 Maksutov Spotting Scope does a fine job as a companion to good pair of binoculars. The C90 also doubles as a portable astronomy scope; it won’t show the flag on the Moon but it will show thousands of craters on the Moon as well as showing the moons of Jupiter and the rings of Saturn. —Jeff Phillips

Pros:

• Compact and portable
• Excellent high power optics
• Upgradeable with 1.25” eyepieces
• Adaptable for astronomy and photography

Cons:

• Not waterproof

Multi Coated Optics
Maksutov-Cassegrain Optical Design
Compact and Portable Design
Erect Image System for Terrestrial and Astronomical Use
Built-in T-Adapter threads for Ease of Adapting SLR Cameras
Comes with 32 mm Eyepiece, 45° Erect Image Diagonal and 8×21 Erect Image Finderscope
Backpack Made of Nylon