Built with a large aperture and short focal length, the FirstLight 114mm f/4.3 Reflector EQ Telescope by Explore Scientifichas a fast focal ratio that makes this scope ideal for lower magnification wide-field observation or deep-sky astrophotography. This is perfect for use as a simple grab-and-go option for intermediate amateurs or as a competent entry-level telescope—the combination of aperture, focal length, and focal ratio produces bright images with a wide field of view whether you are looking at the moon, planets, or bright deep sky objects.

The OTA is supported by a manual equatorial mount that has precise Right Ascension (RA) and Declination indicators to find your subjects using celestial navigation coordinates and dual slow-motion cables for virtually vibration-free tracking. As a more advanced mount, it allows users to find just about any visible object by just knowing its coordinates. After the scope has been properly polar aligned, and the subject found, it can be easily tracked by making slight adjustments to just the RA axis. An adjustable-height stainless steel tripod provides a stable platform for sky-watching.

An included red-dot finder makes polar alignment faster and is an essential tool for quick observations and star-hopping navigation. The 25mm eyepiece yields a respectable 40x magnification and, with the included smartphone adapter that sleeves over the eyepiece, users can easily take and share images or video through the scope.

114mm Newtonian Reflector OTA    500mm Focal Length, f/4.3 Focal Ratio    Fully Multicoated Optics    40x Eyepiece, Red-Dot Finder    EXOS Nano EQ3 Manual Equatorial Mount    Dual-Axis Slow Motion Cables    Smartphone Eyepiece Adapter    1.25" Stainless Steel Tripod with Tray

• Large 114mm aperture is ideal for making detailed observations of the moon, planetary observations, and reaching out to view bright deep sky objects like stars & clusters
• Fast f/4.3 focal ratio enables shorter exposure times for basic astrophotography techniques
• 500mm focal length produces a relatively low magnification potential to keep the field of view wide
• Newtonian reflector design enables the primary mirror to be large, but not overly heavy, making it easier to manage with better light gathering capability than a refractor
• Fully multicoated optics improves light transmission throughout the optical path to improve contrast and color rendition
• Rack-and-pinon focuser with 40mm drawtube and 1.25" eyepiece/accessory holder adapter
• Mounting rings with Vixen-style dovetail plate

EXOS Nano EQ3:

• Manual German equatorial design allows users to navigate the night sky using celestial coordinates and to track along the right ascension when properly polar aligned
• 15-pound payload capacity can handle small to medium sized optical tubes with accessories
• Right Ascension and Declination indicator scales
• Latitude adjustment thumbscrew
• Slow motion control cables for tracking with reduced vibrations
• 2.5-pound counterweight with shaft

• 1.25" stainless steel legs
• Adjustable height from 24-41"
• Accessory tray with cutouts to hold three 1.25" eyepieces

• 1.25" 25mm Plössl eyepiece yields 20x magnification
• Smartphone adapter attaches over eyepiece and allows any smartphone to be used for astrophotography
• Red-Dot Finder: Unmagnified for fast subject acquisition with variable red illumination to protect night-adjusted vision

Related Questions and Answers

Q: 1. Is there a computerized tripod for the Explore Scientific Firstlight 130mm f/4.6 Alt-Az Newtonian Telescope?

A: The Explore Scientific FirstLight 130mm f/4.6 comes with the manual Twilight I Alt-Azimuth Mount. You could replace the manual mount with this computerized Explore Scientific iEXOS-100-2 PMC-Eight Equatorial Go-To Tracker System: https://bhpho.to/3qouVtc

Q: 2. What is the max magnification this scope can use?

A: For maximum magnification I would not use an eyepiece lower than 5mm. I comes with a wide view of 25mm

Q: 3. Is this a Bird Jones design?

A: Explore Scientific does not indicate if the Explore Scientific FirstLight 114mm f/4.3 Reflector Telescope BH #EXFLN114NT • MFR #FL-N114500TN has a spherical primary mirror in place of a parabolic one, with spherical aberrations corrected by sub-aperture corrector lens usually mounted inside the focusser tube or in front of the secondary mirror.

Q: 4. what is its shipping box's packed weight ?

A: Unfortunately the question you're asking cannot be answered with our Q+A feature. Please contact our Sales directly for assistance.Email: Sales@bhphotovideo.com

Q: 5. What materials are the tube and cradle rings made of?

A: Explore Scientific FirstLight 150mm f/5 Reflector Telescope has an aluminum tube and cradle rings.

Q: 6. I see the telescope comes with a 1.25" reducer adapter to accommodate 1.25" eyepieces. What is the diameter of the focuser?

A: The reducer that is part of the diagonal in this FirstLight 114mm F/4.3 Reflector Telescope is 1.25" diameter .

Q: 7. Does the primary mirror have a center spot?

A: Unfortunately no, it does not have a center dot for collimation.

Q: 8. how can I use my nikon DSLR camera with this telescope?

A: There are different ways to attach your Nikon camera to the Explore Scientific FirstLight 102mm f/9.8 Alt-Az Refractor Telescope BH #EXFLAR102RT1 • MFR #FL-AR1021000MAZ01 the most secure way would be to attach the Tele Vue SLR Prime Focus Camera Adapter for 2" Focusers BH #TE2CA • MFR #ACM-2000 to the rear of the scope. Attach a T-mount ring to your camera body and those (2) pieces will screw together. The T-mount or ring is specific to the make and model of your camera.

Q: 9. what's the mount size?

A: There is no mounting socket at the bottom of the base to mount it on any tripod.

Q: 10. How tall is the tripod ?

A: Sorry that information is not specified by Explore Scientific.