Aurel Lodestar 114 Newtonian reflector, tube only

Specifications

Description

The Lodestar 114 is a Newtonian reflector with a 114 mm parabolic primary mirror and a focal length of 570 mm, which gives a focal ratio of f/5. At that ratio the telescope gives a moderate field of view, wide enough to frame the Andromeda Galaxy and the larger nebulae in Sagittarius at low power. Eyepieces with shorter focal lengths take it to high magnification on the Moon and the brighter planets.

Light from the primary mirror reaches a flat secondary mirror near the front of the tube, which turns it toward the focuser on the side of the tube. Because the optics contain no lenses, the telescope shows no chromatic aberration, so bright planets such as Jupiter and Saturn appear without the color fringe that an achromatic refractor of the same aperture would show. The open tube lets the mirror reach outdoor temperature in about 30 to 45 minutes, and mirror seeing can still affect sharp detail on warm nights. Allow the tube to cool before you judge fine planetary detail.

The 1.25 in dual-speed rack-and-pinion focuser accepts standard eyepieces and filters, and the 6x30 finder helps you locate targets before you switch to higher power. The optical tube weighs 5.8 kg, so you can carry it outdoors without a heavy base. A light alt-az mount carries the tube at a comfortable height for seated observing, and the tube length keeps the assembly compact enough for transport in a car.

Typical targets include the Moon, the planets, the Orion Nebula, the Double Cluster in Perseus, and the brighter globular clusters such as M13. Under suburban skies the 114 mm aperture shows the cloud bands of Jupiter and the spiral arms of M51 as faint detail. Fainter nebulae and galaxies show more contrast from darker sites, and a nebula filter can improve emission nebulae under light-polluted skies.

About this configuration

The Aurel Lodestar 114 Newtonian reflector is offered in several configurations, and the notes below describe what this particular combination adds or changes. This is the optical tube on its own, so you need to supply a mount that can carry its weight steadily. Buying the tube alone makes sense if you already own a suitable mount or plan to choose one separately. The carbon fiber tube expands less as the temperature drops, so the focus point drifts less as the night cools.

The starter kit adds two eyepieces and a Barlow lens, which gives you four magnifications from three pieces. The optics in the 2024 edition match the other years; the changes concern hardware details only. Check the specifications table for the optical figures, since they stay the same across every configuration of the Lodestar line.

What's in the box

• Optical tube assembly with primary mirror
• Flat secondary mirror installed
• 1.25 in 25 mm eyepiece
• 6x30 finder scope with bracket
• Dust cover
• 25 mm and 10 mm eyepieces (1.25 in)
• 2x Barlow lens (1.25 in)

Compatibility notes

• Accepts 1.25 in eyepieces, diagonals, and filters directly.
• The optical tube mounts on alt-az mounts that accept a standard tube clamp.