Corvane Ardent 114 reflector, tube only

Specifications

Description

The Ardent 114 is a compact Newtonian reflector with a 114 mm parabolic primary mirror and a focal length of 500 mm. At f/4.4 the short tube gives wide low-power views, which makes it easy to find objects and to frame large star clusters and bright nebulae.

The parabolic mirror matters at this fast focal ratio. A spherical mirror of the same size and focal length would blur stars across the field, while the parabolic surface brings them to a sharp point in the center. The secondary mirror is held by a thin four-vane spider, which produces the familiar small diffraction spikes on bright stars.

A Newtonian needs occasional collimation, the alignment of its two mirrors. The Ardent 114 has adjustment screws on both mirrors and a center spot on the primary, so you can check and adjust alignment in a few minutes with a simple collimation cap. Fast reflectors are sensitive to alignment, so it pays to check it before each session.

The short 500 mm tube weighs 2.9 kg and fits on the back seat of a car. With 114 mm of aperture, it collects about 2.6 times as much light as a 70 mm refractor. That extra light helps with globular clusters such as M13, the Ring Nebula, and the brighter galaxies such as M81 and M82 under suburban skies.

The short focal length limits high-power views, so planetary detail calls for a short focal length eyepiece or a Barlow lens. At around 100x, Saturn shows its rings clearly and Jupiter shows its main belts, as long as the air is steady and the mirror has cooled.

About this configuration

The Corvane Ardent 114 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 gloss white tube reflects sunlight, which helps it stay closer to air temperature while you set up before dusk.

The starter kit adds two eyepieces and a Barlow lens, which gives you four magnifications from three pieces. This is the 2023 edition of the Ardent line, the earliest version that is still listed in the catalog. If you plan to add accessories later, compare the compatibility notes with the parts you already own before choosing a configuration.

What's in the box

• Optical tube with 114 mm parabolic primary mirror
• Tube rings with Vixen-style dovetail bar
• Red-dot finder
• Collimation cap
• Dust cap
• 25 mm and 10 mm eyepieces (1.25 in)
• 2x Barlow lens (1.25 in)

Compatibility notes

• Accepts standard 1.25 in eyepieces, filters, and Barlow lenses.
• The Vixen-style dovetail bar fits small alt-az and equatorial mounts.
• Many DSLR cameras cannot reach focus at prime focus with this tube; a Barlow lens or a low-profile adapter helps.