Askar SQA70 70mm f/4.8 Quintuplet ED Astrograph

A compact full-frame astrograph for big nebulae and easy travel

The Askar SQA70 70mm f/4.8 Quintuplet ED Astrograph is a small deep-sky imaging refractor with an air-spaced Petzval design and two ED glass elements. The flattener is part of the optics and the 44mm image circle covers full-frame sensors. It's a good fit for big nebulae, the Milky Way's star clouds and large galaxies. It comes with integrated tube rings and handle, a 290mm Vixen-style dovetail plate, a 2.5" dual-speed focuser with a 360° rotator, and an Oxford cloth carry case.

Key specs: 70mm aperture · 336mm focal length, f/4.8 · 5-element air-spaced Petzval with 2 ED elements · 44mm full-frame image circle · 37–68mm back focus range, 55mm recommended · 2.5" dual-speed focuser, 32mm travel · 2.68kg (5.9lb) tube; 3.5kg (7.7lb) with rings and plate

What you can image

• Large nebulae: the Heart and Soul Nebulae, the California Nebula, the Rosette Nebula, the North America and Pelican Nebulae, and the Lagoon and Trifid Nebulae in one frame.
• Big galaxies: the Andromeda Galaxy with M32 and M110, the Triangulum Galaxy, and M81 and M82 together.
• Milky Way fields: the M24 star cloud, the Rho Ophiuchi region and the dust lanes around the Cone Nebula.
• Comets: the wide field leaves room for long tails.

With an ASI2600 camera the SQA70 frames 4.01° × 2.68° at 2.31″ per pixel. With a full-frame ASI6200 it frames 6.13° × 4.09°, and with a smaller ASI533 it frames 1.93° × 1.93°.

How it works

No flattener to space: the flattener is built in, so anything from 37mm to 68mm behind the camera adapter comes to focus, with 55mm recommended. Askar's connection diagram shows a ZWO cooled camera (17.5mm back focus) with ZWO's included M48 extension tubes, or with an off-axis guider (19.5mm) and filter drawer (18mm) in their place.

Adapters: the focuser ends in an M76 thread with M54, M48 and M42 adapters. The M48 adapter also has an M48 × 0.75 (2") filter thread, so you can screw a 2" filter straight into it.

Focuser and rotator: the 2.5" dual-speed rack-and-pinion focuser has 32mm of travel and an engraved scale. A 360° rotator with a scale and locking screw lets you frame a target and return to the same angle. Askar shows the ZWO EAF, Pegasus FocusCube 3, QHYCCD Q-Focuser, Astroasis Oasis and iOptron iEAF fitted to it.

Mounting: the tube rings have M4 and M6 threaded holes on both sides for accessories, the top handle has a finder slot, and a finder base sits beside the focuser.

What to add for the best results

• A mount (required): the ZWO AM3N with TC40 tripod carries 8kg (17.6lb) without a counterweight, more than double what the SQA70 and a camera weigh. The ZWO AM5N is the step up if you plan a larger telescope later.
• A camera (required): the ZWO ASI2600MC Air has ASIAIR and a guide sensor built in, so you don't need a separate guide scope or controller. The ASI2600MC Pro and ASI2600MM Pro are classic APS-C choices, and the ASI533MC Pro gives a square 1.93° field for less.
• Guiding: Askar's 32mm F4 guide scope or the ZWO 30F5 mini guide scope with an ASI220MM Mini, or a ZWO OAG.
• Autofocus: a ZWO EAFN or EAF Pro.
• Control: the ZWO ASIAIR Plus, unless your camera has it built in.
• Filters: a 2" ZWO Duo-Band or Optolong L-eXtreme threaded into the M48 adapter, or Askar's Colour Magic C 2" duo-band package in a ZWO M54 2" filter drawer.
• SQA accessories: SQA Series 20mm riser blocks for more clearance on an equatorial mount, and the SQA Series handle bar for carrying.

Which SQA astrograph is right for you?

See all Askar telescopes and accessories.

What's in the box

• Askar SQA70 optical tube with integrated tube rings, handle and dew shield
• 290mm Vixen-style dovetail plate
• Camera adapter on the focuser's M76 thread
• Front lens cap
• Oxford cloth carry case

The mount, camera, guider, electronic focuser and filters are sold separately.

Askar SQA70 FAQ

Is the SQA70 good for beginners?

Yes. It's one of the easiest ways into deep-sky imaging: there's no flattener spacing to work out, the short 336mm focal length is forgiving of small guiding errors, and it's light enough for a compact mount. Pair it with a ZWO AM3N and an ASI2600MC Air for a simple, low-cable setup.

What mount do I need?

The SQA70 with a camera and guider weighs about 4.5kg (10lb). The ZWO AM3N carries that easily without a counterweight.

Which camera works best?

An APS-C camera such as the ASI2600MC Pro or ASI2600MC Air gives 4.01° × 2.68° at 2.31″ per pixel. The smaller ASI533MC Pro frames 1.93° × 1.93°, closer for galaxies.

SQA70 or SQA85?

The SQA85 gathers about 47% more light, uses SD glass and reaches 408mm for more galaxy detail. The SQA70 is wider, lighter and costs less, so it's the better pick for big nebulae and travel.

SQA70 or SQA60 Pro?

The SQA60 Pro is a newer six-element design with SD glass, a slightly faster f/4.6, an 82mm front filter thread and Askar's best illumination figure in the series (over 95% at full-frame edge). The SQA70 has more aperture and a longer 336mm focal length for a little more detail.

Do I need a field flattener?

No. The flattener is built in. Keep your camera between 37mm and 68mm behind the adapter (55mm recommended) and focus.

Can I use it for visual observing?

Askar designs the SQA series as astrographs, and all of Askar's connection diagrams for the SQA70 are for cameras. If visual use matters to you, ask us before you buy.

Specifications