Skymax 102

So far so good. The one I bought was sold as "used- very good" and was heavily discounted. The version I received, to my relief, had the collimation screws as advertised on Amazon for the new model. A speck of debris inside the tube immediately caught my eye. Shining a light into the tube (never do that to yourself) revealed a miniscule amount of debris and a slight smudge on the corrector plate; nothing I was concerned would significantly affect performance. This is a nice looking scope. I like the finish. This scope is light but feels substantial for its size. The caution with this scope is that, despite its compact size, it is easy to under mount due to its long focal length. It is designed to be used at medium to high powers and so will amplify any shakiness to the point of nuisance. Desiring this scope to function as a grab-and-go instrument, I was concerned when my lighter eq mount couldn't keep this scope steady when being brought to focus or repositioned with slow motion controls, taking several seconds to stop wobbling. Despite recommendations against doing so, I mounted this on my fluid panhead photo tripod and to my surprise this worked very well. I now experience no wobble at the eyepiece while focusing or viewing. This pairing was my original hope as this setup is extremely portable and versatile, allowing for simple height adjustments, standing or seated. Of course it will be rainy and cloudy for days on end because I have a new scope. However, I have had a couple of less than ideal moments that nevertheless allowed some testing of the optics. A mak cass is said to specialize at sharp, contrasty lunar and planetary observing as well as double star splitting. It gave up an effortlessly sharp saturn in the early a.m. Just tonight I observed the moon. At 140-160x the view was razor sharp and contrasty. I noticed a couple of rimae inside a crater that I now wish I had taken the time to find on a lunar map. I took the power to 195x using a 20mm redline with a celestron 3x barlow. Still effortlessly sharp. After that, I split the double-double in Lyra. No problem. This thing does what it is meant to, beautifully. So, 5 stars. Under better seeing conditions I'm looking forward to seeing what else it can do. I was able to nab the ring nebula no problem before haze and clouds drifted in. I did swap the diagonal out for a William Optics dialectric I already owned. Svbony sells a nice, affordable dialectric. The included diagonal might be fine. The included red dot finder works great. I will probably go back and forth between the red dot and an Orion 9x50 finderscope that I'm happy to be able to use with this scope. The only issue I see limiting this scope's grab-and-go potential is its cooldown time, reportedly 30 minutes or more. Keeping that in mind and planning accordingly sort of flies in the face of the concept of grab-and-go, but it is what it is. Otherwise, it can still be used at lower powers til the unit reaches ambient temperature. Um, I made a temporary dew shield with construction paper. I like the soft carrying case that came with the scope. I guess that's about all I can say for now. Easy 5 stars for performance vs price. Hmm...I just realized this thing can easily handle my binoviewers, which makes this my only small scope that can. It's also my only scope that doesn't require a barlow to bring my binos to focus. Can I give this scope 6 stars?

I love this optical tube. I live in the suburbs of Orlando FL, so the light pollution isn't gonna let me see alot of deep sky objects. So a mak seemed like a logical choice for lunar and planetary astronomy. I did see the Orion nebula and the image was sharp. Planets and the moon are amazing and ideal for observing thru this scope. Stock 2in 28mm eyepeice is awesome. It has comfortable eye relief, I'm guessing around 20mm, and the feild of view is (chef's kiss). No need for replacement like with other scopes, not right away anyway. The diagonal is good too, using a mirror rather than a prism, that are usually no good. I still got an upgrade but I didnt feel the need to replace it right away like other cheaper scopes. The only complaint I have is the finder scope. I'm just not a fan of them, it was sturdy and I can't thing of any problems with operating it. I will have this scope for the rest of my life. I can't wait to share my love of astronomy with my children. I loved Meade as a kid, but since meades are now harder to find, Sky watcher will now be my go to brand.

Upgrading to the Sky-Watcher Skymax 102mm Maksutov-Cassegrain from a beginner's telescope has been an astronomical leap in my stargazing journey. Here's why this telescope is a star performer in its category.Pros:Powerful Magnification: The leap in detail is breathtaking. Viewing Jupiter felt like bringing the giant planet right into my backyard. The clarity and closeness with which I could observe its bands and moons were a game-changer.Compact and Portable: Despite its large aperture, this compound-style reflector telescope is surprisingly portable. Its design is perfect for those who have limited space but don't want to compromise on quality.Ease of Use: Transitioning from a beginner's scope, I found the Skymax 102mm to be user-friendly. It strikes a nice balance between advanced features and simplicity, making it accessible for amateurs looking to step up their game.Cons:Learning Curve: While it's relatively easy to use, getting the most out of its advanced features does require a wee bit of a learning curve. However, this is to be expected with any step-up in equipment. I do suggest getting a laser culminator to align the mirrors as needed, but they are fairly inexpensive (~$25 SVBony) and YouTube does have videos on the process.Conclusion: The Sky-Watcher Skymax 102mm Maksutov-Cassegrain is an excellent choice for anyone looking to upgrade from a beginner telescope. Its ability to bring distant celestial bodies like Jupiter "close" and in stunning detail is impressive. It combines power, portability, and ease of use in a way that's hard to beat. Whether you're an amateur astronomer passionate about planetary observation or deep-sky viewing, this telescope will not disappoint. It's an investment that opens up a whole new universe to explore. Wish I started off with this one, but at least now I appreciate it more having stepped up to it.