What does APO mean in telescopes?

An apochromat, or apochromatic lens (apo), is a photographic or other lens that has better correction of chromatic and spherical aberration than the much more common achromat lenses.

What is a good size refractor telescope?

3″ to 4″
Under average seeing conditions, a useful rule of thumb in astronomy is that a good quality 3″ to 4″ refractor can often outperform an average quality 6″ to 8″ reflector or catadioptric telescope for seeing details on the Moon and planets, splitting binary stars, and resolving globular clusters.

What can you see with a 4 inch refractor?

A 4-inch refractor, for example, is a great scope for planets, the Moon, and double stars. I know because I own one, and I wouldn’t part with it for love or money. This size scope, however, is a bit small for deep-sky objects such as nebulae, star clusters, and galaxies.

Are refractors better than reflectors?

Refractors generally have the edge over reflectors for a quality image, both from the standpoint of lens/mirror quality and precision optical mountings, and lack of central obscurations. Equally important in a choice of telescope type is the focal length and the resulting field of view.

Why are refractors better for astrophotography?

If you are interested in astrophotography, purchasing a refractor is a better option because of it’s specialized optic design that captures deep space objects like galaxies and nebulae. If you are interested in brighter celestial objects like the Moon or planets or a beginner, a reflector telescope is ideal.

What are refractors good for viewing?

Refractor telescopes use specialized lenses that make them a favorite for deep space objects like galaxies and nebulae. Reflector telescopes are more popular with larger and brighter objects like the Moon and planets because they use mirrors that provide more sensitivity to all wavelengths.

Is a 4 inch refractor good?

A striking telescope that could be destined to be a classic, the Nebula Class 4-inch gives great views with very little false colour and excellent contrast. At a time when small, short focus apochromatic refractors are all the rage, it comes as quite a surprise to see a long focus achromatic refractor enter the market.

Can you see the Moon with a refractor telescope?

Using a telescope One of the most useful ones is the “Sky & Telescope Field Map of the Moon,” available in both normal and mirror-reversed versions. The latter is mainly for observers with refractors and Cassegrain telescopes, which reverse the moon’s image left to right.