Stellarvue AT1010 (OTA)


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Brand and Model:Stellarvue AT1010 (OTA)
Price ($USD):$349.95
Type:Achromatic Refractor
Attributes: un-checked Go-To un-checked PEC
Aperture:80mm (3.1")
f Ratio:f/6
Focal Length:480mm
Finder:6*30
Electric Power:
Mount:OTA ONLY
Tripod:
Weight (lbs):lbs.
Dimensions (w/h/d):
Description:

Vote Highlights Vote
Stellarvue AT1010 (OTA)
This is scope # 5 for me, and I am pretty impressed. It does what I bought it for. That is, it serves as a grab and go alternative for my 14" dob. It arrived within a few days of my order. I am still getting used to it. So far nothing has challenged the optics, but I honestly have not cranked up the magnification that far. The weather has been rotten. The Seibert 34mm is a great match for it. I have never had a reason to use the red dot finder than came with it.

My polaris mount is too much for it...in that it defeats the reason why I bought it. I have been using it on a heavy duty camera tripod. I am on the road 30 nights a year, and I keep the tripod and scope in my trunk at all times. In two minutes I can have it put together and ready for use.

It also works great along side the 14" dob. I sweep the area in the Nighhawk to find the object and establish markers and then zero in with with dob much easier than I other wise would have been able to.

Like just about everyone else, I am impressed with the quality. The 2 speed focuser is extremely smooth. I bought mine as a "second" on clearence, and I still can't figure out what the blemish was. The first quality stuff must be really impressive!!

If my first scope had been the Nighthawk instead of that 60mm Tasco, I might never have bought another one.

Overall Rating: 10
Ease of Use:10 Value:10
Weight: 33 (Notable Vote)
Date:
By:
Link to this vote: http://www.excelsis.com/1.0/displayvote.php?voteid=507354


Stellarvue AT1010 (OTA)
This was my first scope and I was expecting a lot from it - too much. On the SV website there were some pictures taken by an SV owner of the Horsehead neb. I'm not really naive, but I thought maybe I would be able to see at least a trace of the horsehead with naked eye. Well, of course my SV Blackhawk can't do extended nebulae very well. On the moon and jupiter I saw purple fringes and I despaired, telling myself I should have gotten an apo.

On the bright side, right away I noticed the pinpoint nature of star images with the SV. As I learned more I began to appreciate this little scope. Part of the learning came when I purchased a Meade 8" SCT. As my observing skills improved, I was surprised at how little advantage the larger scope had on many objects - especially on double stars and open clusters where many times my view thru the SV is actually prettier than thru the Meade. For example, recently in good skies I had a view of epsilon Bootes at 177X that was just amazing - better than my Meade can do even after I've just collimated it.

When I look at the moon I no longer even notice the purple fringe, and recently in quiet air I was able to detect the largest craterlet in Plato. No mean feat for a 3" scope! Of course the larger scope is better for faint objects, but during the day I have to hide it away while the SV stays in the living room focused on the birdfeeder - looking sleek and black on the nutwood Berlebach tripod that my wife agreed to. That means it's always right there to grab and go - a big advantage especially in climates where good seeing comes and goes quickly ( I live in MD).

I would recommend this scope as a good portable mid-power stellar and terrestrial scope. You may want to upgrade the diagonals for both purposes, and I highly recommend the upgraded focusser. I also recommend a lightweight alt-az mount ( I have a Unistar light whose plate I have modified so it will swap onto the SV M4 eq mount).

For the Horsehead nebula I am still looking for an answer -probably a CCD camera plus a super stable mount for my SCT would be nice, but while I'm waiting for my bank account to allow that, in the meantime, there's plenty to see thru my SV.

Overall Rating: 9
Optics:8 Mount:8 Ease of Use:10 Value:9
Weight: 10 (Trustworthy Vote)
Date:
By:
Link to this vote: http://www.excelsis.com/1.0/displayvote.php?voteid=368117


Stellarvue AT1010 (OTA)
Star test: Out of collimation from factory. I know of three other people who have experienced this with their scopes.

Overall Rating: 7
Optics:5 Ease of Use:8 Value:7
Weight: 10 (Trustworthy Vote)
Date:
By:
Link to this vote: http://www.excelsis.com/1.0/displayvote.php?voteid=111416

>Star test: Out of collimation from factory. I know of three other people who have experienced this with their scopes.


This problem has been eliminated. Not that it was serious. With 1300 scopes sold in two years and only a handful knocked out of alignment by UPS this was not serious. In addition, this individual was encouraged to return it for a free fix but refused. What else can we do?

The new model AT1010's now use a push pull system in our aluminum lens cell. Each lens is now held in place with four screws cushioned with rubber o-rings. So if UPS drops the box, the lenses are held in alignment.

However, if something occurs, we will repair it and encourage our customers to let us do so. We do not want damaged telescopes on the market. Most of our business is word of mouth.

Vic Maris
Owner
Stellarvue

Stellarvue AT1010 (OTA)
This little scope is incredible. You MUST try one to understand just how good it is. I give public star parties about once a month (adult continuing education) and I usually have three telescopes set up at the same time. I've been doing this for some time now, but for the last two months (since I got the AT1010) the longest line is always behind the Stellarvue. The 8" Newtonian "wins" on deep-sky objects because of its greater light-gathering power, but on everything else the better optics and higher contrast of the Stellarvue win hands down. I have never seen better views through a small telescope. I also just acquired some Vixen LV eyepieces and have ordered my first Televue Nagler just because of this scope. It seemed a shame to have such a great refractor and not put some better eyepiece glass in it.
I have an engineer friend who is very smitten with the Stellarvue. He raves about the quality of machining and assembly compared to other telescopes. When he comes to the star parties I practically have to kick him to use anything else.
Technically, I haven't found any objectionable false color. It simply isn't there at all on planetary views. I can't see any edge-to-edge light or focus falloff along the lunar terminator, either. I considered ordering an minus-violet filter with it, but didn't, and now I find I don't need it.
If you're looking for the best introductory experience, I'd recommend the AT1010 with a couple of Harry Siebert eyepieces (the 7mm is my favorite).
To top it all off, Vic is now occasionally offering the AT1010 OTA on eBay! That's how I got mine. At the time, I was looking at the Orion 120ST rich-field ... same price range, similar features. I had used the Orion at a star party given by a local dealer and was impressed. So when I found the Stellarvue at about $100 less as an OTA (I already had an extra CG-5 mount with motor), I was worried about the difference in size. I shouldn't have: the views through the AT1010 are very much better than through the Orion even given the difference in aperture.
Try it ... you'll like it. A red-dot finder, star diagonal, 40mm Plossl, mount rings, and an easy-to-set up, portable scope ... all for under $400 including shipping. Amazing.

Overall Rating: 10
Optics:10 Ease of Use:9 Value:10
Weight: 10 (Trustworthy Vote)
Date:
By:
Link to this vote: http://www.excelsis.com/1.0/displayvote.php?voteid=110689


Stellarvue AT1010 (OTA)
A remarkable scope, especially at this price.

I bought mine used on Astromart, and have enjoyed it so much - and so often - that selling my 8" SCT has crossed my mind!

Mounted on Tele-Vue's Telepod, I can use the scope sitting or standing and the hours just breeze by. Scan for clusters, or zero in on the planets, this scope does both, and at a bargain price.

I seem to split my time between a 22 Panoptic and 9 Nagler in this scope.

Highly recommended. I also think this would make an excellent first scope.

Overall Rating: 9
Weight: 10 (Trustworthy Vote)
Date:
By:
Link to this vote: http://www.excelsis.com/1.0/displayvote.php?voteid=95956


Stellarvue AT1010 (OTA)
aperture rules they say, i have had this scope for a month now and just wanted to give an example where this is not always the truth. i live in the north east under very dark skies, but it is also very cold at this time of the year. temps zero and below are the norm for long periods of time, when it is this cold there always seems to be a warm layer of air in the upper atmosphere that degrades the images at the eyepiece. i own a six inch f8 dob that provides excellent images when the atmosphere is steady, in the past two months that has been only one night. on the other hand the AT1010 has been providing me with much sharper, crisper views during this time every night. an example would be the multiple star beta monoceros, the dob split two stars easily while the closer pair was fuzzy, at the same magnification in the AT1010 the 3 stars were ceanly split being much sharper. those of you who live in the south west have it made when it comes to "seeing". the AT1010 is only 78mm and with only 480mm of focal length is not really made for the planets although it performs quite well. the scope looks like a small traveler and for me has the same emotional appeal the traveler has, just looking at it makes me want to take it outside and observe. it really is built like a tank and at the introductory price of $499 is a steal. yes i know aperture rules, but this little scope has been getting all my attention.

Overall Rating: 10
Optics:10 Value:10
Weight: 5 (Veritable Vote)
Date:
By:
Link to this vote: http://www.excelsis.com/1.0/displayvote.php?voteid=204645


Stellarvue AT1010 (OTA)
Will show slight color on the brightest objects under less than perfect skies. I've had a couple of nights where it was next to impossible to see color on the limb of the moon, for example. Support for Vic Maris is no less than sensational. Would recommend this scope to anyone.

Overall Rating: 10
Optics:9 Mount:8 Ease of Use:10 Value:10
Weight: 2 (Unreliable Vote)
Date:
By:
Link to this vote: http://www.excelsis.com/1.0/displayvote.php?voteid=63268


Stellarvue AT1010 (OTA)
I originally rated this telescope in the category listed for the model with the 1.25" focuser. My remarks and comments regarding this fine scope remain the same. I have owned it now for about 8 months and enjoy it all the more every time I use it. One very fine telescope and worth the very few extra dollars paid over the commercially made scopes from the major mfgrs. Simply no comparison in optically quality or finish. A solid 10+!! A telescope that anyone would be proud to own and use. I have mine mounted on a CG5 mount and it is a perfect match-up. Reallly a joy to use. I strongly recommend upgrading to a quality 2" diagonal, as this does make a difference in both brightness and contrast, at least with my eyes.

Overall Rating: 10
Weight: 2 (Unreliable Vote)
Date:
By:
Link to this vote: http://www.excelsis.com/1.0/displayvote.php?voteid=41273


Stellarvue AT1010 (OTA)
Stellarvue's AT1010 (80mm,f6) offers superb wide field AND high power capability in an extremely convenient airline portable package. Low color, ultra high contrast and astounding resolution are its strengths, as well as is its light (~4lb.) weight. Stellarvue's variable intensity red-dot finder has a larger than average sight, and is very effective -- the best,IMO.

The OTA mechanicals are well executed and servicable, as is the standard 90* mirror diagonal.

I've found a Gizo photo tripod to suit it well for grab and go, and prefer my Speers-Waler 5-8mm "zoom" w/ Celestron Ultima 2x barlow for most any viewing.

BTW -- OTA price is ~$450 now. Vic's dedication and customer service is legendary and true.

This scope's optics are outstanding and able to convey the rich grandure of the heavens like few others -- absolutely delightful!

Thanks again for the views, Vic.

Overall Rating: 10
Weight: 2 (Unreliable Vote)
Date:
By:
Link to this vote: http://www.excelsis.com/1.0/displayvote.php?voteid=41269


Stellarvue AT1010 (OTA)
Great Acromatic Telescope.

Overall Rating: 9
Optics:9 Ease of Use:9 Value:9
Weight: 1 (Unreliable Vote)
Date:
By:
Link to this vote: http://www.excelsis.com/1.0/displayvote.php?voteid=602646

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