The catadioptric telescopes of the Epsilon series are wide-field astrographs with an hyperbolic primary mirror. A corrector is integrated in the rack-and-pinion focuser and offers a flat field with stars less than 10μm at the edge of the 44mm image circle.

The Epsilon-130D has a focal ratio of F/2.8. Its very short focal length of 500 mm offers a field of view of 5° and is therefore ideal for imaging large areas of stars and nebulae. Its secondary mirror is mounted on a reinforced spider to avoid any flexion. The rack-and-pinion focuser is equipped with a CAA (Camera Angle Adjuster) for photographic framing.

The primary mirror cell is equipped with 3 double-action adjusting screws (push/pull) with lock nut for pressure adjustment to minimise stress.

The collimation of the Epsilon-180ED is very easy because it does not need to be done on a star. The optical axis is represented by markings on the 2 mirrors. Takahashi has designed a simple collimation eyepiece system particularly adapted to the Epsilon allowing the adjustment of the mirrors in daylight, a big advantage compared to a classical telescope.

Regardless of its photographic qualities, the Epsilon is a first-rate wide-field observation telescope. The observation of star clusters and galaxies will give you intense pleasure due to the fineness of the stars. It proves to be a fabulous instrument for the deep sky and the search for comets. The observation of the Lagoon and Trifide nebulae in the same field is extraordinary and striking.

Takahashi Epsilon-180ED reflector

Takahashi Epsilon-180ED reflector

Spot-diagram of the Takahashi Epsilon-180ED reflector at prime focus