A long focal length telescope, like our compact 90mm Mak-Cass, excels at lunar and planetary viewing, and also does an admirable job of imaging such objects when coupled with an accurate tracking mount like our AstroView EQ equipped with dual-axis motor drive.

The versatile, powerful, and portable Apex 90mm Maksutov-Cassegrain (Mak-Cass) Telescope exhibits all the performance of classic long-tube 90mm refractors, and easily outperforms smaller refractors on views of the planets and Moon as well as on faint nebulas and star clusters. Its long focal length allows high-power study and imaging of Jupiter’s cloud belts and Red Spot, and Saturn’s rings. The included correct-image 6x20 finder scope makes locating objects a cinch. The finder scope is held in a quick-release dovetail bracket for easy assembly and disassembly. And here’s something special: we also include a rugged, fully padded carrying case to protect your Mak-Cass telescope. It’s got hand and shoulder straps and pockets for accessories, like the included Orion Shorty 2x Barlow Lens. The Shorty Barlow is included to give you a magnification boost if needed to frame your shot.

The smooth-moving, sturdy Orion AstroView EQ mount has enclosed worm gears, an azimuth adjustment, and dual manual slow-motion controls. A hinged center brace adds stability to the all-aluminum adjustable tripod. The included polar alignment scope makes setup easy and high-walled accessory tray provides convenient storage of accessories while in the field. Pop the precision EQ-3M Dual-Axis electronic motor drive onto the Orion AstroView EQ telescope mount and track celestial objects automatically to take long exposures. The drive provides regulated sidereal-rate tracking in right ascension and declination. Computerized Hand controller has 2x and 4x speeds and pause mode. External disengage allows coarse movement of the telescope by hand with motor attached. Motor drive powered by four D-cell batteries (not included).

One of the most challenging aspects of planetary imaging is getting enough stable atmospheric seeing in order to capture crisp images of Mars, Jupiter, Saturn or other Solar System object. The Orion StarShoot 3MP Planetary Imager and AutoGuider meets the challenge by virtue of its imaging chip and fast frame rate. The 3MP camera is one of the highest resolution color planetary imagers available today, capable of acquiring gorgeous astrophotos of our nearest neighbors in the night sky including the Moon and planets. You can even take great astrophotos of the Sun with this imaging camera through a solar filter-equipped telescope. With top-notch features such as subframe downloading, 8 bit A/D conversion, and a super-fast frame rate of more than 60 fps when subframing, the Orion StarShoot 3MP Planetary Imager & AutoGuider can catch even the most short-lived planetary events such as occultations, eclipses, and transits with ease. Its ability to bin in 2x2 mode in full color at 1024x768 is ideal for planetary imaging, while 1x1 mode at 2048x1536 will provide mega-high resolution of the Moon or terrestrial targets. The imager is built around the highly sensitive Micron MT9T001 ½” format CMOS sensor which is much larger than chips used in most other planetary cameras. This big chip provides a larger field of view which is ideal for capturing astrophotos of the entire Moon, or to frame multiple solar system targets in one shot. The StarShoot 3MP Planetary Imager & AutoGuider’s large sensor features square 3.2µm x 3.2 µm pixels for excellent performance. You can alter the camera’s exposure time from 0.01 seconds to 5 seconds to match your imaging goals. A 10’ USB cable is included, as is a removable 1.25” nosepiece barrel, a hard case, and Orion AmCap imaging software CD-Rom. On top of taking wonderful planetary portraits, the StarShoot 3MP Planetary Imager & Autoguider can also be used as an autoguider when you decide to move onto more advanced guided imaging techniques.

The Orion Lunar and Planetary Explorer Astrophotography Bundle includes the following items:

• Orion Apex 90mm Mak-Cass telescope
• Orion AstroView Equatorial mount and tripod
• Orion StarShoot 3MP Planetary Imager & AutoGuider
• Orion EQ-3M Dual-Axis motor drive
• Orion Shorty 2x Barlow Lens

Limited Warranty against defects in materials or workmanship for one year from date of purchase. This warranty is for the benefit of the original retail purchaser only. For complete warranty details contact us at 800-676-1343.

Please note this product was not designed or intended by the manufacturer for use by a child 12 years of age or younger.