Field Performance
The Askar 120APO occupies a unique space in the refractor market. At 120mm, it provides the resolving power needed for smaller NGC galaxies and intricate nebula details while remaining light enough to be supported by mid-range strain wave mounts like the ZWO AM3.
Operating at a native 840mm (f/7), the demands on guiding are higher than a typical 80mm class scope. However, my testing showed that with proper balancing, the triplet objective produces exceptionally clean stars and high-contrast details across the entire frame.
Strengths
- Pinpoint resolution for small targets
- Robust 3.3" focuser handles heavy mono rigs
- Manageable weight for mobile setups
- Excellent color correction across LRGB
- Seems As sharp as my 8" SCT
Considerations
- Requires dedicated flattener
- Significant physical length
- Demands high-precision guiding at 840mm