Products

Telescopes: Planet Hunter 80^TM

The Planet Hunter is a long focal length telescope from Burgess Optical. With a TMB designed 80mm objective of 900mm focal length, this f11.25 telescope offers fine planetary views. Also, the short tube lenth and long focal length makes the Planet Hunter a fine guidescope for astrophotographers.

The Planet Hunter is so light that a heavy duty mount is not needed. The telescope is easily carried with one hand. With its light weight, the Planet Hunter is easily positioned on a mount.

The Planet Hunter Optics are second to no other telescope in its price range. The TMB Optical designed objective can take almost as much magnification as you can put on the scope. Even on the brightest objects at high magnification, very little color is seen at the eyepiece.

The Planet Hunter scope includes attention to detail found only on much more expensive telescopes. The telescope has an aluminum tube, dew shield, and lens cap. The Crayford-style focuser offers smooth action and the fine focus control on the right-hand side allows images to be dialed in for perfect focus.

Features include:

• Objective designed by Thomas Back of TMB Optical
• Enhanced Achromatic objective lens
• A nulled doublet objective lens that introduces very little color
• An aluminum lens cell screwed into the optical tube to ensure collimation
• An aluminum dew shield screwed into the lens cell
• Dew shield length is 2x objective diameter
• A metal lens cap
• A Crayford focuser with fine focus control
• Focuser includes 1-1/4" adapter
• Focuser and adapter have compression ring clamps
• Rings with a Vixen-style dovetail plate with two metric threaded holes
• An MRF finder on a removable base

The optical tube assembly (OTA) has two baffles inside in addition to an ultra-black non-reflecting coating. The dew shield also has the same ultra-black non-reflecting coating. The focuser tube has micro-baffles to reduce reflections.

The Crayford focuser has a 10:1 fine focus adjustment. The focuser has a tension adjustment thumbscrew on the bottom. The focuser tension adjustment accomodates heavy accessories without slipping. To adjust the focuser, loosen the tension knob on the bottom until the focuser tube begins to slip. Tighten the tension knob 1/4 turn and you are good to go. The focuser will securely hold your diagonal and eyepiece without slipping and the action will be smooth.

The MRF finder attaches to a base secured to the tube with two removable thumbscrews. The MRF finder can be removed and replaced on the scope without having to recalibrate the finder alignment.

The rings have large thumbscrews for clamping the OTA. The top of the rings have a flattened raised area with a metric threaded hole for attaching accessories. The rings are attached to a Vixen-style dovetail.

Planet Hunter 80 Slideshow

Planet Hunter 80mm Planet Hunter 80mm Planet Hunter 80mm Focuser view of Planet Hunter Focuser end of Planet Hunter MRF Finder on Planet Hunter 80mm MRF Finder, Rear ring and Dovetail Front lens cap on Planet Hunter 80mm

Specifications

Available accessories include a dielectric diagonal and many eyepieces, including the Planetary eyepiece line, which provides an exceptionally good match for the Planet Hunter line of refractors.

Price and Availabilty Information

Purchase Information