SkyWatcher Pro 120ED Telescope Review – Best Telescope For Astrophotography

Patenting the Extra-Low Dispersion and photon anti-rejection Metallic High-Transmission Coating Technologiy (MHC), the Skywatcher Pro 120ED is the true embodiment of performance and one of the most professional pieces of equipment available on the market.

The scope’s 120mm aperture does not only provide a wide field of view, but it actually increases the light-gathering factor of the telescope compared to the 80mm models. Although this scope does not come equipped with its own mount, the Skywatcher Pro 120ED has a Vixen-style dovetail plate, which is compatible with any types of mount, be it altazimuth or German Equatorial.

Product Description

The Skywatcher Pro 120ED, also known as the Skywatcher ProED 120mm f/7.5 Doublet APO Refractor, sports out the so-called doublet apochromatic lens technology, which basically reduces any incidence of chromatic aberration.

In order to utterly eliminate the chance of chromatic aberration, the Skywatcher Pro 120ED has an air-to-glass optical surface, and its high-quality lenses have received the Extra-Low Dispersion (ED) and the MHC treatments.

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The Skywatcher Pro 120ED is truly a professional and versatile piece of equipment since it can be used for both terrestrial and celestial observations. Moreover, the telescope can also be used as a powerful astrophotography platform.

Regarding fine-tuning, the Skywatcher Pro 120ED comes equipped with a two-speed Crayford-style focusing rod which helps you adjust the image with increased precision. Furthermore, the Skywatcher Pro 120 ED also has a 90-degree star diagonal for extra comfort and an 8×50 Finderscope which you can use in order to calibrate the telescope.

Other Specs and Features:

• Focal Length: 900mm;
• Mount type: Vixen-style dovetail;
• Focal Length of First Eyepiece: 5mm;
• Focal Length of Second Eyepiece: 20mm;
• Magnification Factor of Eyepiece One: 180x;
• Magnification Factor of Eyepiece Two: 45x;
• Includes a 1.25-inch camera adapter;
• Weight (fully assembled, without tripod): 5.1 kilograms;
• Light-gathering factor: 294x;
• Highest Useful Magnification Factor: 283x;
• Lowest Useful Magnification Factor: 17x;
• Limiting Stellar Magnitude: 12.9.

Additional Accessories for the Skywatcher Pro 120ED

Apart from the accessories found inside the box, you can also buy some additional items for your telescope. They will enhance the focusing capabilities of your scope, giving you a crisp image of most deep space objects.

Note that most of them can be bought from any astronomy shops, but they are also available for purchase on the Internet. Below, you will find a small list with some of the most popular accessories that customers bought together with their telescopes.

• Celestron – PowerTank 7-Amp 12 VDC Power Supply (best for motorized mounts);
• Tele Vue – Ethos-SX 4.7mm Eyepiece;
• Celestron 2-inch Accessory Kit;
• Celestron – Moon Filter 1.25-inch for Viewing the Moon when bright;
• Meade – Series 4000 Moon Filter ND96 (1.23-inch) – for viewing brighter moons;
• Celestron – Ultra High Contrast Light Pollution Reduction Filter (1.25-inch);
•  Oxygen III Narrowband Nebula Filter;
•  Oxygen III Narrowband 48mm Filter;
• Skywatcher Virtuoso Computerize Multi-Purpose Mount Kit;
• Skywatcher Allview mount;
• Celestron – Omni CG-4 mount;
• Celestron – Starpointer Finderscope.

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What’s in the Box?

• Skywatcher ProED 120mm f/7.5 Doublet APO Refractor (OTA only) telescope;
• One 5mm eyepiece;
• One 20mm eyepiece;
• One 90-degrees star diagonal;
• One 1.25-inch eyepiece adapter;
• One 8×50 Finderscope with bracket;
• Mounting plate;
• Cradle Ring;
• Aluminum carrying case;
• 2-year warranty certificate.

Customer Reviews

According to the customer review section on Amazon, the Skywatcher Pro 120ED has received 4.6 stars, which makes it very popular among professional and amateur stargazers. Nearly every customer praises the doublet APO optical tube assembly, arguing that the image seen through the eyepieces are crystal clear.

However, the main reason why the Skywatcher Pro 120ED hasn’t received the maximum number is related to how the shipping company delivers the product itself.

More specifically, some of the customers who have given a bad review argued that a couple of the telescope’s parts were not mounted correctly, resulting in poor performance. Furthermore, another customer stated in his review that the ED refractor telescope is skewed towards the blue spectrum, which, in turn, may result in seeing pink tints on very bright objects.

Where to Get it From?

The best place from where you can buy the Skywatcher Pro 120ED is Amazon. Right now, Amazon has a special offer in stock for you – the telescope costs $1,549, and if you order it now, Amazon will deliver it to your front door for free.

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Skywatcher Pro 120ED – Pros and Cons

Pros:

• Impeccable imaging rendition capabilities;
• Minimal chromatic aberrations thanks to the ED and MHC technologies;
• Easy to install;
• Excellent for both celestial and terrestrial observations;
• Compatible with any type of mounts;
• Lightweight;
• Great platform for astrophotography.

Cons:

• Doesn’t have a tripod included in the pack;
• Skewed towards the blue spectrum which may result in seeing pink tints on bright objects;
• Discouraging price tag.

Conclusion

Designed for professionals, the Skywatcher Pro 120ED is compatible with all types of mounts thanks to its dovetail plate, but it performs flawlessly with a motorized mount. The Skywatcher Pro 120ED is designed to eliminate virtually any type of chromatic aberration. However, do keep in mind that the system is not infallible, and you might experience optic defects such as the pinkish tint which appears when viewing very bright objects. This can be corrected with a red filter. Click here to purchase the Skywatcher Pro 120ED and start exploring today!