Askar 50P 50mm f/3.8 Quadruplet Petzval Astrograph

A 1.4kg f/3.8 astrograph for small mounts and big skies

The Askar 50P is a 50mm f/3.8 quadruplet Petzval astrograph with a 190mm focal length. It's built like a compact camera lens: a knurled focusing ring with 15mm of travel, a quick-release dew shield, and a tube ring whose top handle carries a finder base for a guide scope. At 147mm (5.8") long with the dew shield retracted, it fits in a camera bag, which makes it a good first astrograph for a tracker and a handy grab-and-go telescope for experienced imagers.

Key specs: 50mm aperture · 190mm focal length, f/3.8 · quadruplet Petzval APO with 1 SD element · APS-C format, optimized for 1-inch sensors · 50–65mm back focus, 55mm recommended · M48 adapter with 2" (M48 × 0.75) filter thread · 1.4kg (3.1lb) with ring, handle and 160mm dovetail

The Askar 50P is on display in our Denver store, so you can see it in person before you buy.

What you can image

• Big nebula fields: the colorful Rho Ophiuchi cloud complex, the Monoceros region with the Rosette and Cone Nebulae, and the Eagle and Omega Nebulae (M16 and M17) together, all targets in Askar's own 50P sample images.
• Winter and summer classics: Orion's Belt and Sword from the Horsehead and Flame Nebulae to the Orion Nebula, the California Nebula, the Heart and Soul Nebulae, and the North America and Pelican Nebulae.
• Galaxies and clusters with room around them: the whole Andromeda Galaxy with M32 and M110, the Pleiades with their dust, and the Double Cluster.
• Milky Way star clouds and comets: the Sagittarius and Scutum star clouds and long comet tails fit easily.

Fields of view at 190mm: 7.1° × 4.7° with an APS-C camera such as the ASI2600MC Pro (4.1″ per pixel), 3.4° × 3.4° with the ASI533MC Pro, and 3.4° × 1.9° with the ASI585MC.

How it works

Connecting a camera: thread an astronomy camera onto the M48 × 0.75 adapter, with the sensor 50 to 65mm behind it; 55mm is the recommended spacing. A ZWO cooled camera with its 17.5mm back focus and included M48 extension tubes lands right at 55mm. Mirrorless cameras and DSLRs connect with an M48 T-ring.

Filters: a 2" filter threads into the M48 adapter, in front of the camera.

Focusing: turn the knurled focusing ring until stars are smallest, then lock it. With a short focal length and a 15mm focus range, it's quick to find. A Bahtinov mask or your capture software's focus aid helps at f/3.8, where the in-focus zone is shallow.

Mounting: the 160mm dovetail plate fits Vixen-style saddles on star trackers and small mounts, and the handle's finder base takes a guide scope or red-dot finder. Askar's drawing also shows 1/4-20 and M6 threaded holes on the ring's foot.

What to add for the best results

• A mount (required): the iOptron SkyGuider Pro carries the 50P and a camera with room to spare, and the Sky-Watcher Star Adventurer GTi adds GoTo and two-axis guiding. Or get the Askar 50P + SkyGuider Pro bundle with its tripod.
• A camera (required): the ZWO ASI2600MC Pro or ASI2600MC Air (with ASIAIR and a guide sensor built in) uses the full APS-C field; the ASI533MC Pro gives a square field, and the light ASI585MC suits a tracker.
• A T-ring for mirrorless cameras: an M48 T-ring such as the Sony E, Canon EOS R or Nikon Z version.
• Camera control: the ZWO ASIAIR Plus runs the camera, focusing aids, plate solving and guiding from your phone or tablet.
• Guiding (optional): the Askar 32mm f/4 guide scope slides into the handle's finder base; add an ASI120MM Mini or ASI220MM Mini guide camera.
• Filters for city skies: the 2" Askar Colour Magic C1 (Hα + OIII), whose wider bands suit a fast f/3.8 telescope, or the Optolong L-eXtreme for nebulae with a color camera.

50P vs. other small Askar astrographs

See all Askar telescopes.

What's in the box

• Askar 50P optical tube with quick-release dew shield and front cap
• Tube ring with multifunctional carry handle and finder base
• 160mm dovetail plate
• M48 camera adapter with 2" filter thread
• Manual

A mount, camera, T-ring, filters and guiding equipment are sold separately.

Askar 50P FAQ

Is the 50P good for beginners?

Yes. A 190mm focal length hides small tracking and polar alignment errors, the Petzval design needs no exact flattener spacing, and the whole telescope weighs about as much as a large camera lens. You'll still need a tracking mount, a camera and some time learning to stack and process images.

Can I see one before I buy?

Yes. The Askar 50P is on display in our Denver store, and we're happy to show it to you on a mount with a camera attached.

What mount do I need?

A star tracker such as the iOptron SkyGuider Pro carries it easily, and the Star Adventurer GTi adds GoTo. Both take the 50P's Vixen-style dovetail. Any larger equatorial mount works too.

Does it cover a full-frame sensor?

Askar rates it for APS-C and optimizes it for 1-inch sensors. For full frame, look at the FMA180 Pro or SQA55, which both have a 44mm image circle.

50P or FMA180 Pro?

The 50P has more aperture and a faster f/3.8, so it reaches the same depth in less time. The FMA180 Pro is half the weight, covers full frame and can double as a guide scope on a larger telescope.

Can I use it for visual observing?

Askar designed the 50P as an astrograph and includes only a camera adapter, so we recommend it for imaging.

Specifications