Features include:

• Carbon fibre closed tube design
• 200mm f/4 primary mirror
• CNC machined single piece spider
• 3.1″ Antares Optics (Wave PV 1/14) secondary mirror
• Astroworx 2.5″ standard focuser
• Astroworx CNC machined telescope rings
• Astroworx Losmandy style 360mm dovetail
• Internal primary mirror edge mask
• Integrated secondary mirror dew heater
• Astroworx secondary mirror holder with independent collimation and rotation control
• 3 speed controlled primary mirror fans.

Single piece spider

The Astroworx 8″ f/4 astrograph is supplied with a solid spider machined from a single piece of aluminium. This will give you perfect diffraction spikes in your images, because the secondary is fixed on the optical axis of the tube, and the vanes on either side of the secondary are always perfectly aligned. The solid spider also retains collimation because the vanes are not flexible. This means that the secondary holder is on a solid foundation and will not twist or move when suspended at different angles.

Secondary mirror holder

The secondary mirror holder is bolted to the solid spider and supports the secondary mirror without pinching the optics. The secondary holder is designed to allow independent collimation and rotation, meaning collimating the scope will not push the secondary away from the optical axis. Similarly, rotating the secondary mirror holder will not affect collimation. The secondary mirror is heated using nichrome wire embedded in the secondary holder. The heater temperature is user controllable. An optional automated control system is available.

Secondary mirror

The quality of the secondary mirror has a significant effect on the quality of the final image. Astroworx telescopes are supplied with Antares secondary mirrors, which are flat to 1/14 wave. The size of the secondary is optimised for an APS-C sized sensor. A larger secondary mirror for optimal illumination of a full-frame sensors is an option.

Astroworx Standard focuser

The astrograph is supplied with an Astroworx 2.5″ standard focuser. This is designed to hold the imaging train on the primary optical axis without tilt, and incorporates four bearings on the drawtube and another four bearings on the roller. The roller itself is made from titanium, and will not bend or wear. The focuser body is made from anodised aluminium and the drawtube is hard anodised. It can be powered either by a Pegasus Focus Cube or an ZWO EAF.

The focuser’s drawtube is entirely recessed and does not extend into the carbon fibre telescope tube preventing asymmetric flaring of bright stars in the image.

CNC machined aluminium tube rings

The tube rings provide a solid and well-distributed support for the carbon fibre tube. These tube rings are anodised in red (other colours are also available). The design features partial cut-outs that retain rigidity while minimising weight.

CNC machined primary cell with 6-point suspension

The Astroworx 8″ f/4 mirror cell suspends the primary mirror in six places, using three paired floating rockers. The cell holds the mirror perfectly perpendicular to the optical axis without pinching the optics or producing astigmatism.