Corvane Gloam 152 refractor, tube only

Specifications

Description

The Gloam 152 is an achromatic doublet refractor with 152 mm of clear aperture and 1216 mm of focal length, working at f/8. That ratio gives a moderate field at low power and handles high magnification on the Moon, the planets, and close double stars without the tube length of a faster design. The objective is a two-element achromat, so bright planets and the lunar limb show a visible violet fringe, more than an apochromat of the same size would show.

The tube is made from aluminum and has a retractable dew shield and internal baffles behind the objective cell. These reduce stray light from nearby lamps and keep the background darker when a bright planet sits near the edge of the field. The lens is multi-coated on both surfaces, and front and rear dust caps protect the optics between sessions.

The 2.5 in dual-speed rack-and-pinion focuser holds a star diagonal and a heavy eyepiece, and the fine-focus knob gives a 10:1 reduction for critical focus on planetary detail. At 9.5 kg for the tube, the Gloam 152 needs a sturdy equatorial mount or a heavy alt-az mount with a payload rating above 10 kg. Allow the tube to reach the outdoor temperature before observing, since a refractor of this size takes longer to settle than a small one.

Typical targets include the craters and terminator of the Moon, the cloud belts and Galilean moons of Jupiter, the Cassini Division in the rings of Saturn, and close double stars such as Gamma Andromedae. Under dark skies the aperture shows more structure in the brighter galaxies of Virgo and Coma Berenices than a smaller refractor does. A 2.5 in wide-field eyepiece fits large open clusters such as the Pleiades in a single field.

About this configuration

This listing covers one specific configuration of the Corvane Gloam 152 refractor, defined by its bundle, finish, accessory kit, and edition year. Buying the tube alone makes sense if you already own a suitable mount or plan to choose one separately. Without a mount in the package, check the tube weight against the payload rating of your mount, with some margin to spare. Carbon fiber saves some weight compared with a metal tube, which eases the load on the mount and on your arms.

Color filters from the planetary kit can bring out surface markings on Mars and the cloud belts of Jupiter. This is the 2024 edition, which revised the packaging and the accessory fittings of the Gloam line. 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 retractable dew shield
• Dovetail mounting bar
• 2.5 in star diagonal with 2 in adapter
• 8x50 right-angle finderscope
• Front and rear dust caps
• 6 mm planetary eyepiece (1.25 in)
• Four color filters (1.25 in)

Compatibility notes

• Accepts 2.5 in eyepieces directly and 2 in eyepieces through the supplied adapter.
• The dovetail bar fits standard wide saddles on small and medium equatorial mounts.
• The focuser accepts a T-2 camera adapter once the 2.5 in nosepiece is removed.