Meade 10 Inch f10 Optical Tube Assembly (Non-UHTC) with Motofocus and Vixen Dovetail Bar

This product is in good condition. The lens cap has some slight dents and blemishes, and the wear on the telescope is mostly external. The glass and mirror are clean and have very few motes of dust. 

1. Aperture and Optical Design

• Aperture: 10 inches (254mm)
• Focal Ratio: f/10, providing a long focal length of 2500mm, making it excellent for observing planetary details, lunar craters, star clusters, and deep-sky objects.
• Optical System: Schmidt-Cassegrain design (SCT), which combines a spherical primary mirror and a corrector plate to provide a compact and powerful telescope. This design is a good balance of portability and performance.
• Non-UHTC: This model does not include Meade’s Ultra-High Transmission Coatings (UHTC), meaning the optical coatings are standard, resulting in less light transmission compared to the UHTC models. Still, it offers impressive views with good contrast and brightness.

2. Motofocus

• The Motofocus system allows for precise, vibration-free focusing by using a motorized focus unit. This eliminates the need to manually adjust the focus knob, minimizing vibrations that could affect viewing, especially at high magnifications or during astrophotography.
• The Motofocus is especially useful for fine-tuning focus when viewing planets or double stars, or when imaging with a camera.

3. Vixen Dovetail Bar

• The telescope comes with a Vixen-style dovetail bar for easy mounting. This dovetail is compatible with many popular equatorial and alt-azimuth mounts. The Vixen dovetail is a standard mounting system, ensuring compatibility with a wide range of mounts and accessories.

4. Optical Coatings

• Standard coatings: While it lacks UHTC, the standard optical coatings are designed to minimize reflections and maximize light transmission, allowing for decent contrast and image clarity.

5. Focusing Mechanism

• Manual and Motorized Focusing: In addition to the motorized focusing, the telescope offers manual fine focusing through its regular focus knob.

6. General Features

• Tube Weight: The OTA is relatively lightweight for its size, making it easier to transport and mount.
• Visual and Imaging Capabilities: This 10" f/10 SCT is suitable for both visual observation and astrophotography. Its long focal length is ideal for imaging planets and small deep-sky objects with great detail.
• Compact Design: The Schmidt-Cassegrain design offers a compact form factor, making this telescope relatively easy to handle compared to similar aperture reflectors or refractors.