William Optics OPT NightCat 51 | Special Edition
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***THIS IS CURRENTLY SOLD OUT*** All previous orders are expected to ship in AUGUST 2020, per the manufacturer.
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If expedited shipping is selected, it will occur after OPT receives the product.
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Everything you get with the popular RedCat...with a new look!
- Handle and custom colored soft carry case included.
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43 mm image circle perfect for full-frame cameras.
- 51 mm aperture Petzval refractor.
- f/4.9 focal ratio allows for fast light-gathering power on this wide-field telescope.
Accessories Added
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William Optics OPT NightCat 51 | Special Edition
Designed to be the best, and looking better than ever, this OPT special edition of the RedCat is an affordable, small, lightweight and fast apochromatic refractor for astrophotography. The unique optical design includes the highest quality glass for the best possible color correction and flat large image circle. The result is a 51 mm objective lens, in a sleek Petzval design, for a full-frame image.
Handle Included!
The included Cat Series handle gives you an easy handle to carry your NightCat. It has a V-Style saddle on top for attaching a guide scope.
Optical Design
51 mm lens, in a sleek Petzval design, using Synthetic Fluoride (FPL53 and FPL51) glass for a full-frame flat field image. The optical quality provides exceptional performance at a fast focal ratio of f/4.9. The Special Edition NightCat 51 will out resolve most high-resolution DSLR lenses of similar focal lengths.
Field Rotator
Inspired by luxury watches, the telescope's field rotator is laser etched with a degree indicator. To ensure that you will have the most precise framing possible in a small portable system, the camera can be rotated to fit within a degree of accuracy.
Filter Adapter
It is now easier to connect your filter to the Filter Adapter.
Filter Index
The filter index marks let you know the estimated focusing site when you twist the focuser.
Tilt Adjuster
The Tilt Adjuster can adjust the tilt of the image plane.
Modular Mounting
The single-tube Cat ring is sturdy enough to hold the optical tube and a large-sized DSLR without noticeable flexure. It is modular in the sense that you can add a finder scope or guide camera.
New Mounting
Plate
William Optics has reinvented the V-style dovetail. Not only will it fit into a V-style saddle plate, but if it's flipped over it can be attached to any Arca-Swiss style photography tripod head. This allows you to use the telescope for both day and night photography. The length of the new mounting plate is 210 mm.
Reversible
Dew Shield
To maximize portability, the dew shield on this telescope is reversible. When stored backwards it can shorten the telescope length by approximately 83 mm.
Bahtinov Cap
The cap with this telescope not only protects the glass from the elements, but it also has one of the most useful tools when it comes to focusing.
The Bahtinov Cap creates three lines that pass through a bright star. There is a main large line and a smaller cross-section of two lines making an “X”. The goal is to get the large line centered between the X and centered on the star. Once that is done, you have perfect focus in as little as 2 to 3 seconds.
SPECIFICATIONS
| Aperture | 51 mm (2") |
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| Camera/Eyepiece Connection | Male M48x0.75 |
| Dawes Limit | 0.46 arcseconds |
| Focal Length | 250 mm |
| Focal Ratio | f/4.9 |
| Free Shipping | Yes |
| Glass Type | FPL53 and FPL51 |
| Highest Magnification | 102x |
| Light Gathering Power | 53x |
| Limiting Magnitude | 12.3 |
| Optical Design | Petzval |
| Tube Color | Black with Blue highlights |
| Tube Diameter | 51mm |
| Tube Weight | 3.2 lbs |
INCLUDED ITEMS
- Reviews
- Questions
United StatesWhile I haven't even seen one of these in the wild, I seriously doubt that it would beat a 200mm Canon L lens which are selling used for a lot less than this scope. A brand new Canon 200 L has f2.8 actually costs less. If you haven't used an f2.8 lens for astro work, you don't know what you're missing. With AF, you could also use the 200 f2.8 lens for terrestrial with lots of filter options. NiteCat 51 is good if you only do astro, but will be interesting to see how this compares to Canon L glass.