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Explore Scientific ED127 Essential Series Air-Spaced Triplet Refractor Telescope

SKU ES-ED127075-04

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$1,999.99

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CA Residents: Prop 65 Warning(s)

The Original Classic Explore Scientific ED127 Air-Spaced Triplet, Retooled for the Astrophotographer: 

  • New precision front cell with push-pull adjustments for tilt and centering adjustments to get the best collimation for the tightest stars.
  • New 2-inch two-speed rack and pinion focuser with heavy-duty locks and rotation adjustment, to position and hold your imaging system.
  • New retractable dew shield, for improved portability. 

A proven performer for astrophotographers and critical visual astronomers alike, the Explore Scientific ED127 Essential Series Air-Spaced Triplet Refractor utilizes genuine HOYA FCD1 ED glass to deliver stunning details of the night sky’s most notable treasures.


Astrophotographer Chuck Ayoub compares his image of the Pillars of Creation taken with his Explore Scientific ED127 Essential Series, with the Hubble Space Telescope Image (HST).

 The Eagle Nebula in the Hubble Palette narrowband filters by Chuck Ayoub with his Explore Scientific ED127 Essential Series Refractor

The Eagle Nebula in the Hubble Palette narrowband filters by Chuck Ayoub with his Explore Scientific ED127 Essential Series Refractor. In the center is the feature called the "Pillars of Creation".

Detail of Chuck Ayoub's Pillars of Creation with his Explore Scientific ED127 Essential Series Air-Spaced Triplet  The Pillars of Creation with the Hubble Space Telescope
 Chuck Ayoub + ED127 Hubble Space Telescope

 

"The Pillars of Creation (a birthplace for creating new stars) lies deep in the heart of the Eagle Nebula (M16). It was made famous by a photograph captured from the Hubble Space Telescope taken on April 1, 1995. Fast forward to the year 2018, and now it was finally time to try my hand at capturing it with my Explore Scientific ED 127 telescope. My goal was to capture the entire Eagle Nebula so I used a reducer which dropped the focal down from 952 to 761 - so it actually took me farther away from the Pillars, but still close enough to see their detail. I was extremely happy with how the picture turned out and to this day, it's still one of my favorite captures. The Explore Scientific ED 127 has worked out so well for me, that it's the reason I run two rigs. I simply refuse to ever remove it from my mount, so that if I ever want to try new equipment, it has to be on my second rig." - Chuck Ayoub

Chuck Ayoub with his Explore Scientific ED127 Essential Series Rig for Astrophotography

 

Chuck Ayoub's astrophotography has been honored with three NASA Astronomy Pictures of the Day. In addition to the ED127 Essential Series Air-Spaced Triplet, he uses the AR102 Air-Spaced Doublet for solar imaging. 

See Chuck's Gallery on Astrobin

 

With its true apochromatic performance with diffraction-limited optics and ample aperture, this versatile model can showcase deep-sky delights like the edge-on Sombrero Galaxy with its distinct bulging center or the spiraling beauty of the face-on Pinwheel Galaxy as easily as it can reveal the intricacies of the Moon’s winding Hadley Rille.

Featuring an air-spaced triplet optical design that virtually eliminates chromatic aberrations, this telescope generates brilliant high-contrast images by combining genuine FCD1 HOYA extra-low dispersion (ED) glass and proprietary EMD enhanced multi-layer coatings on all optical surfaces.

The cradle rings feature a built-in handle, sculpted for secure handling. The top face of the handle is slotted to allow a 1/4x20 bolt for attaching a DSLR for "piggyback" imaging. The bottom of the cradle ring includes a V-block (Vixen-style) plate for attaching to your equatorial mount. The telescope comes with the Explore Scientific 2N1 Finder Scope Base installed. (Finder scope sold separately.)

Recommended Accessories: Astrozap 5" Dew Heater Strap

CA Residents: Prop 65 WARNING(S)

Item Number ES-ED127075-04
Focal Length 952mm
Focal Ratio f/7.5
Limiting Magnitude 13
Resolution .9 arcsec
Tube Length w/ Dew Shield 41.75"; 1060mm
Tube Length w/o Dew Shield 33.25"; 849mm
Diameter 130mm
Weight 18lb; 8.16kg
Dovetail Vixen

  

Join the Explore Alliance

Become an Explore Alliance Platinum Member and receive the added benefit over the Explore Scientific Warranty (for registered purchases) of Extended Care with Advanced Product Replacement.  


Customer Reviews

Based on 11 reviews
73%
(8)
27%
(3)
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P
Patrick Bellew
Great 'scope, pity about the 2" star diagonal

I bought the ED127 16 months ago and am very pleased with the optics. However I have a niggle with the supplied 2" star diagonal: the 90 degree reflected image is off axis. I will try to explain the effect further: with a star centred in the eyepiece, if I rotate the star diagonal for a more comfortable viewing position, the previously-centred star moves off centre. With a 10mm eyepiece, the star can move out of the field of view. There is no adjustment to fix this. This is not a manufacturing flaw, rather a fault in its design. I have read and watched reviews of the ED127 and this problem doesn't get a mention. For me the solution was simple: buy a different star diagonal, which I did and the problem was solved!
Can only give 4/5 stars.

W
Wissam Ayoub
Thanks to you for a Great Telescope

Thanks to you for a great Telescope, I am extremely happy with it and have been having some excellent results, and recently I added the ES ED80 to my family!

D
Don Elliot
What a great scope it is

I have a 127 as well and the more I learn about this hobby, the more I learn what a great scope it is.

D
Dr. Daniel Barth
Superior refractor - bargain price

Purchased two of these units for my Astronomy for Educators program at my University. Quality is excellent, both fit and finish as well as optically. The scope and Bressler mount are rugged, easy to set up and transport to the observing site. The soft case holds the scope, finder, diagonal, eyepiece set, camera adapter, GoTo handset and battery. The mount could be a bit beefier, but this is very transportable as it is.
Optically, the scope is a joy; rotating focuser makes it easy to use without adjusting the saddle clamps. Clusters in Hercules, Sagittarius, Cassiopeia resolve down into the interiors - even dense globulars are well defined. With the 30mm 100-deg eyepiece, the double cluster and Andromeda galaxy fill the field; double cluster shows nebulosity and star colors throughout - no discernible false color at the eyepiece. Double-double is easily resolved. At 225x, Saturn was exceptional, showing banding and surface features, Cassini division easily visible, ring structure was excellent, tracking is accurate and the hand control works very well. Airy disks of stars are well formed & balanced across the range of focus.
Photographically, the scope is really amazing. Photo of the gibbous Moon with Canon 5D at prime focus gives detail down into crater interiors, lava flows of different colors, amazing detail. I can't wait to try this scope on the Orion nebula this winter.
Highly recommended.

D
Danny L. Cosat
Ahhh true color, the gift of the APO!

Top notch. 10 of 10. First rate. A+. Top of the line. Five stars. Simply the best. It's so hard to be original as I'm sure these have all been used before. I'm just as sure they will all be used again.
This is an exceptional telescope and an exceptional value. I purchased it with this in mind: galactic star clusters & pinpoint stars! In a 1-1/2 degree field at 60X the double cluster in Perseus is stunning! Diamonds and granulated sugar on black velvet! Just across the line in Cassiopeia I have NGC 654, 663, Berkley 6 and IC 166, all in the same field of view!
Of course it also does exceptionally well in lunar and planetary applications. While recently observing Jupiter at 159X I had a 14 year old ask me, "What's that pink thing?" Ahhh true color, the gift of the APO!
I'm a humble man. I don't ask too much out of life. There is however, one area where I don't compromise. When it comes to astronomy and telescopes, I want THE BEST. As one who has observed through telescopes from 30mm up to 60" over a 55 year span of time, I can assure you that I have EXACTLY THAT in the Explore Scientific ED127!

- Danny L. Cosat

The Original Classic Explore Scientific ED127 Air-Spaced Triplet, Retooled for the Astrophotographer: 

  • New precision front cell with push-pull adjustments for tilt and centering adjustments to get the best collimation for the tightest stars.
  • New 2-inch two-speed rack and pinion focuser with heavy-duty locks and rotation adjustment, to position and hold your imaging system.
  • New retractable dew shield, for improved portability. 

A proven performer for astrophotographers and critical visual astronomers alike, the Explore Scientific ED127 Essential Series Air-Spaced Triplet Refractor utilizes genuine HOYA FCD1 ED glass to deliver stunning details of the night sky’s most notable treasures.


Astrophotographer Chuck Ayoub compares his image of the Pillars of Creation taken with his Explore Scientific ED127 Essential Series, with the Hubble Space Telescope Image (HST).

 The Eagle Nebula in the Hubble Palette narrowband filters by Chuck Ayoub with his Explore Scientific ED127 Essential Series Refractor

The Eagle Nebula in the Hubble Palette narrowband filters by Chuck Ayoub with his Explore Scientific ED127 Essential Series Refractor. In the center is the feature called the "Pillars of Creation".

Detail of Chuck Ayoub's Pillars of Creation with his Explore Scientific ED127 Essential Series Air-Spaced Triplet  The Pillars of Creation with the Hubble Space Telescope
 Chuck Ayoub + ED127 Hubble Space Telescope

 

"The Pillars of Creation (a birthplace for creating new stars) lies deep in the heart of the Eagle Nebula (M16). It was made famous by a photograph captured from the Hubble Space Telescope taken on April 1, 1995. Fast forward to the year 2018, and now it was finally time to try my hand at capturing it with my Explore Scientific ED 127 telescope. My goal was to capture the entire Eagle Nebula so I used a reducer which dropped the focal down from 952 to 761 - so it actually took me farther away from the Pillars, but still close enough to see their detail. I was extremely happy with how the picture turned out and to this day, it's still one of my favorite captures. The Explore Scientific ED 127 has worked out so well for me, that it's the reason I run two rigs. I simply refuse to ever remove it from my mount, so that if I ever want to try new equipment, it has to be on my second rig." - Chuck Ayoub

Chuck Ayoub with his Explore Scientific ED127 Essential Series Rig for Astrophotography

 

Chuck Ayoub's astrophotography has been honored with three NASA Astronomy Pictures of the Day. In addition to the ED127 Essential Series Air-Spaced Triplet, he uses the AR102 Air-Spaced Doublet for solar imaging. 

See Chuck's Gallery on Astrobin

 

With its true apochromatic performance with diffraction-limited optics and ample aperture, this versatile model can showcase deep-sky delights like the edge-on Sombrero Galaxy with its distinct bulging center or the spiraling beauty of the face-on Pinwheel Galaxy as easily as it can reveal the intricacies of the Moon’s winding Hadley Rille.

Featuring an air-spaced triplet optical design that virtually eliminates chromatic aberrations, this telescope generates brilliant high-contrast images by combining genuine FCD1 HOYA extra-low dispersion (ED) glass and proprietary EMD enhanced multi-layer coatings on all optical surfaces.

The cradle rings feature a built-in handle, sculpted for secure handling. The top face of the handle is slotted to allow a 1/4x20 bolt for attaching a DSLR for "piggyback" imaging. The bottom of the cradle ring includes a V-block (Vixen-style) plate for attaching to your equatorial mount. The telescope comes with the Explore Scientific 2N1 Finder Scope Base installed. (Finder scope sold separately.)

Recommended Accessories: Astrozap 5" Dew Heater Strap

CA Residents: Prop 65 WARNING(S)

Item Number ES-ED127075-04
Focal Length 952mm
Focal Ratio f/7.5
Limiting Magnitude 13
Resolution .9 arcsec
Tube Length w/ Dew Shield 41.75"; 1060mm
Tube Length w/o Dew Shield 33.25"; 849mm
Diameter 130mm
Weight 18lb; 8.16kg
Dovetail Vixen

  

Join the Explore Alliance

Become an Explore Alliance Platinum Member and receive the added benefit over the Explore Scientific Warranty (for registered purchases) of Extended Care with Advanced Product Replacement.