Enjoy exceptional optical and tracking performance for astrophotography, or research, with the CDK500 package! Includes a CDK20 optical tube and L-500 mount.
The PlaneWave Instruments CDK20 is a 20 inch (0.51 m) f/6.8 Corrected Dall-Kirkham Astrograph telescope. The CDK20 has a dual carbon-fiber truss design, with 3 cooling fans ejecting air from the back of the telescope. The CDK20 covers a 52 mm field of view without any field curvature, off-axis coma, or astigmatism. The instrument weight is 140 lbs (64 kg) and comes standard with a back plate retaining ring ready to accept the focuser of your choice.
CDK20 optical tube:
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f/6.8 and 3454mm focal length
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No coma, no off-axis astigmatism, and no field curvature
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Pinpoint stars across a 70mm image circle.
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Rock solid fused silica mirrors with low thermal expansion.
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Carbon fiber optical tube assembly for rigidity and fast cooling.Simple secondary mirror collimation thanks to the fixed primary mirror.
L-500 direct drive mount:
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Slew speeds up to 50 degrees/sec for satellite tracking and fast target acquisition.
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Sidereal tracking accuracy of < 0.30 arcseconds RMS over 5 minutes.
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High resolution optical encoders on both axes for precision feedback.
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Can be installed in either equatorial, or alt/az configuration.
- Includes PWI4 software (ASCOM compliant) for mount control.
All CDK20 telescopes come with fused silica primary and secondary mirrors.
The L-Series combines versatility, simplicity and affordability by combining all the technology of our Observatory class telescopes into a compact stand-alone mount. In its Alt/Az configuration it is considerably more compact than its equatorial counterpart, allowing a larger telescope to fit in a smaller enclosure. The mass it takes to make a rigid alt/az mount is substantially less, leading to cost savings. Unlike German Equatorial mounts, there are no meridian flips to deal with, and no large protruding counterweights to create a dangerous hazard in a public observatory. Alt/Az is more intuitive to use and no polar alignment is needed. Besides, it is the way the pros do it!
