Askar SQA60 Pro 60mm f/4.6 Sextuplet APO Astrograph

A small six-element astrograph with bright, even corners on full frame

The Askar SQA60 Pro 60mm f/4.6 Sextuplet APO Astrograph is a wide-field deep-sky imaging refractor. At 276mm and f/4.6 it frames 4.88° × 3.26° on an APS-C camera and 7.46° × 4.98° on a full-frame camera, big enough for the largest nebula complexes and Milky Way star fields. Its 44mm image circle covers full frame. It comes with integrated tube rings and carry handle, a 290mm Vixen-style dovetail plate with a balance scale, and an Oxford cloth carry case with room for an electronic focuser.

Key specs: 60mm aperture · 276mm focal length, f/4.6 · 6-element air-spaced Petzval with 2 SD elements · 44mm full-frame image circle · 41–66mm back focus, 55mm recommended · M48 rear adapter with 2" filter thread; 82mm front filter thread · 2.8" dual-speed focuser, 25mm travel · 2.79kg (6.2lb) tube; 3.54kg (7.8lb) with rings and plate

What you can image

• Huge nebula complexes: the North America and Pelican Nebulae together, the Heart and Soul Nebulae in one frame, the whole Cygnus Loop (Veil Nebula), and Orion's Belt with the Horsehead, Flame and Orion Nebulae on full frame.
• Big galaxies with context: M81 and M82 with the faint integrated flux nebula around them, and the Andromeda Galaxy with its companions.
• Milky Way fields: the Rho Ophiuchi cloud complex, the Lagoon and Trifid Nebulae with the M24 star cloud, and the Carina Nebula for southern trips.
• Comets with long tails, and the Pleiades with their surrounding dust.

With an ASI2600 camera the SQA60 Pro gives 2.81″ per pixel, a forgiving scale that is easy to guide even on a small mount.

How it works

No flattener to space: the flattener is built into the six-element design. Anything from 41mm to 66mm behind the M48 adapter comes to focus, with 55mm recommended, so a ZWO cooled camera with its included spacers is ready to go.

Filters front and back: the rear M48 adapter has a built-in 2" (M48 × 0.75) filter thread, so a 2" filter screws straight in with no filter drawer. The fixed lens hood also has an 82mm filter thread for standard photographic filters.

Focuser and rotator: the 2.8" dual-speed rack-and-pinion focuser has 25mm of travel with an engraved scale and internal baffles. A 360° rotator with an engraved scale and enlarged locking knob lets you frame and return to the same angle. Threaded holes under the focuser take a bracket for an electronic focuser.

Mounting: the one-piece tube rings have a raised base for more clearance on the mount, a top carry handle with a finder slot, and enlarged thumb screws. Two finder bases sit beside the focuser, and the 290mm Vixen-style dovetail has a printed scale for quick balancing.

What to add for the best results

• A mount (required): the ZWO AM3N with TC40 tripod carries 8kg (17.6lb) without a counterweight, plenty for the SQA60 Pro with a camera and guider. The ZWO AM5N leaves room for a bigger telescope later.
• A camera (required): the ZWO ASI2600MC Air has ASIAIR and a guide sensor built in, so you don't need a guide scope or controller. The ASI2600MC Pro or ASI2600MM Pro are classic APS-C choices, and a full-frame ASI6200MC Pro uses the whole 7.5° field.
• Guiding: Askar's 32mm F4 guide scope or the ZWO 30F5 mini guide scope with an ASI220MM Mini.
• Autofocus: a ZWO EAFN or EAF Pro; the carry case has space reserved for one.
• Control: the ZWO ASIAIR Plus, unless your camera has it built in.
• Filters: a 2" ZWO Duo-Band or Optolong L-eXtreme screws into the rear adapter for nebulae from light-polluted skies.

Which SQA astrograph is right for you?

See all Askar telescopes and accessories.

What's in the box

• Askar SQA60 Pro optical tube with integrated tube rings, carry handle and fixed lens hood
• 290mm Vixen-style dovetail plate with balance scale
• M48 rear adapter with 2" filter thread
• Front lens cap
• Oxford cloth carry case with space for an electronic focuser

The mount, camera, guider, electronic focuser and filters are sold separately. The accessories shown in Askar's case photo are for display only.

Askar SQA60 Pro FAQ

Is the SQA60 Pro good for beginners?

Yes. A short 276mm focal length is the most forgiving way to start imaging: small tracking and guiding errors barely show, there's no flattener spacing to work out, and it fits a compact mount. Pair it with a ZWO AM3N and an ASI2600MC Air for a simple setup.

Is this the same as the SQA60?

This listing is the SQA60 Pro, Askar's six-element version with two SD elements, f/4.6 and the 82mm front filter thread. Askar's part number is SQA60Pro.

What mount do I need?

With a camera and guider the SQA60 Pro setup weighs about 4.5kg (10lb). The ZWO AM3N carries that comfortably without a counterweight.

Which camera works best?

An APS-C camera such as the ASI2600MC Air or ASI2600MC Pro frames 4.88° × 3.26°. A full-frame camera frames 7.46° × 4.98°, and the over-95% edge illumination makes full frame especially easy with this scope.

SQA60 Pro or SQA70?

The SQA70 has more aperture and 336mm of focal length for a little more detail, and its focuser has 32mm of travel. The SQA60 Pro is wider, slightly faster at f/4.6, uses SD glass, and adds the front filter thread and filter-ready rear adapter. Both weigh about the same.

SQA60 Pro or SQA55?

The SQA55 is lighter at 2.18kg (4.8lb) with its handle and plate and doubles as a manual-focus camera lens for daytime photography. The SQA60 Pro has a rack-and-pinion focuser that takes an electronic focuser easily, a 360° rotator and Askar's best edge illumination in the series.

Can I use it for visual observing?

Askar designs the SQA series as astrographs, and Askar's diagrams for the SQA60 Pro are for cameras. If visual use matters to you, ask us before you buy.

Specifications