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The Sky-Watcher Evostar 80ED Telescope is a remarkable instrument designed for astronomy enthusiasts seeking high-quality optics and versatility.
This telescope offers exceptional image clarity and color accuracy, making it ideal for observing celestial objects such as planets, stars, and deep-sky wonders.
If you’re a seasoned stargazer or just starting your astronomical journey, getting a good telescope is key.
In this review, we will explore the features, performance, and overall user experience of the Sky-Watcher Evostar 80ED Telescope.
Sky-Watcher Evostar 80ED APO Refractor, in a nutshell
The Sky-Watcher Evostar 80ED APO Refractor is a versatile, user-friendly telescope with high-quality optical performance suitable for both amateur astronomers and hobbyists.
It combines a compact design with precision optical lens systems and light-baffled optical systems, delivering clear, detailed, and chromatically precise views of celestial objects.
The objective lens cell is designed to prevent the interference of stray and unfocused light.
The Evostar 80ED’s objective lens element is expertly crafted, utilizing high-quality glass that ensures optimal light transmission, resulting in brighter, clearer views.
However, as with any product, it has limitations, including some unfocused internal light reflections and potential difficulty for beginners.
What can you see with the Sky-Watcher Evostar 80ED?
The Sky-Watcher Evostar 80ED telescope offers a versatile viewing experience, allowing observers to explore a wide range of celestial objects, such as:
Planets
With the Sky-Watcher Evostar 80ED, observing our solar system becomes an exceptional experience. The telescope’s precise optics make it possible to see detailed views of Jupiter’s cloud bands and Saturn’s ring system.
Bright deep-sky objects
The Sky-Watcher Evostar 80ED telescope performs admirably when observing bright deep-sky objects.
Its doublet apochromatic optical design and air-spaced optical assembly minimize false color, providing enhanced clarity and contrast.
With its moderate aperture, this telescope offers excellent views of objects such as:
Star clusters
The Sky-Watcher Evostar 80ED delivers crisp, detailed views of open star clusters like the Pleiades (M45) and Beehive Cluster (M44).
The telescope’s optics allow for the resolution of individual stars within these clusters, revealing their intricate patterns and structures.
Nebulae
The telescope excels in capturing the intricate details of emission and reflection nebulae. Objects like the Orion Nebula (M42) and the Lagoon Nebula (M8) come to life, displaying their intricate filaments, wisps, and colors.
The Sky-Watcher Evostar 80ED’s optical performance enables observers to appreciate the beauty and complexity of these celestial clouds.
Galaxies
While the Evostar 80ED is not primarily designed for deep-sky imaging, it still offers respectable views of bright galaxies.
Objects such as the Andromeda Galaxy (M31) and the Whirlpool Galaxy (M51) reveal their spiral structures and prominent features, allowing observers to appreciate the vastness and grandeur of these celestial objects.
Moon
The Moon is a captivating target for the Sky-Watcher Evostar 80ED telescope. With its high-quality optics and moderate aperture, this telescope provides incredible views of the lunar surface.
Observers can witness intricate lunar details, such as craters, mountain ranges, and lunar maria.
The telescope’s crisp and sharp images allow for a closer examination of lunar features, revealing the Moon’s rugged terrain and fascinating geological formations.
Is the Sky-Watcher Evostar 80ED suitable for beginners?
The Sky-Watcher Evostar 80ED is suitable for beginners, but there might be a slight learning curve. The telescope tube attachment hardware and user-friendly design make it quite straightforward to set up and operate.
Furthermore, the telescope’s optical design helps beginners understand the essentials of observation, from pinpointing objects to understanding how light and lenses interact.
However, beginners might need some time to familiarize themselves with the adjustments required to achieve the best viewing experiences.
Is the Sky-Watcher Evostar 80ED good for astrophotography?
The Sky-Watcher Evostar 80ED is a versatile telescope that indeed excels in both visual astronomy and affordable astrophotography, offering enthusiasts the opportunity to capture celestial images without the need for an overly expensive or cumbersome mount.
Its compact size and relatively lightweight design make it a convenient choice for astrophotographers who value portability and ease of setup.
Equipped with a doublet apochromatic optical design and air-spaced optical assembly, the Evostar 80ED delivers high-quality images with minimal chromatic aberration, ensuring sharp and clear results in astrophotography.
This feature is crucial for capturing detailed and accurate representations of celestial objects, including planets, star clusters, nebulae, and even galaxies.
The Sky-Watcher Evostar 80ED is compatible with a variety of famous brand camera lenses, making it an ideal telescope for astrophotography enthusiasts looking to capture high-quality images of the cosmos.
The telescope’s moderate aperture allows for a good balance between light-gathering capability and image resolution, making it suitable for capturing a wide range of astronomical targets.
You may also like: 15 Best Telescopes for Astrophotography (Full Guide)
Pros of the Sky-Watcher Evostar 80ED
The Sky-Watcher Evostar 80ED telescope offers a range of advantages, including:
High optical and mechanical quality
The Sky-Watcher Evostar 80ED shines in terms of optical and mechanical quality. It offers clear, detailed, and color-accurate views of celestial objects.
The mechanical parts are robust and well-crafted, ensuring a durable and long-lasting telescope.
Lightweight and compact design
The Sky-Watcher Evostar 80ED telescope stands out for its lightweight and compact design, making it highly portable and easy to carry.
Weighing in at a manageable size, it offers convenience for astronomers who desire mobility and flexibility in their observing sessions.
The compact nature of the telescope also facilitates quick setup and takedown, allowing users to spend more time observing and less time on assembly.
Affordable
One of the notable advantages of the Sky-Watcher Evostar 80ED telescope is its affordability without compromising on quality. This telescope provides exceptional value for its price, offering an excellent balance between performance and cost-effectiveness.
Astronomers on a budget or those looking for an entry-level astrophotography setup will appreciate the affordability of the Evostar 80ED.
It allows enthusiasts to delve into the captivating world of astronomy without breaking the bank or making significant financial commitments.
Cons of the Sky-Watcher Evostar 80ED
While the Sky-Watcher Evostar 80ED telescope has numerous advantages, it also has a few limitations that potential users should consider.
Unfocused internal light reflections
One notable concern with the Sky-Watcher Evostar 80ED is the presence of unfocused internal light reflections. These reflections can occur within the telescope’s optical system and result in unwanted light scatter and artifacts in the final image.
Unfocused internal light reflections can degrade image contrast and introduce unwanted artifacts, affecting the overall quality of astrophotographs or visual observations.
They may appear as ghost images, halos, or stray light patterns that reduce the clarity and definition of the targeted object.
These reflections are more likely to occur when observing bright stars, planets, or other high-contrast objects.
Limited aperture for visual observations
The Evostar 80ED’s 80mm aperture may not provide sufficient light-gathering capacity for advanced visual observations.
While the telescope performs well when viewing bright celestial objects, it may lack the ability to reveal fine details of faint deep-sky objects due to its relatively small aperture.
If you have specific visual observing goals, such as detailed planetary or deep-sky object observations, you should consider this limitation.
A slightly lower f/ratio, even with a reducer-flattener
Despite utilizing a reducer flattener, the Evostar 80ED’s f/ratio might still be considered relatively slow. This means that longer exposure times may be required for astrophotography, particularly when capturing dim celestial objects.
It’s important to note that those seeking faster f/ratios for low-light imaging may need to explore alternative telescope options.
Is the Sky-Watcher Evostar 80ED worth buying?
The Sky-Watcher Evostar 80ED is definitely worth considering for anyone looking to step up their stargazing experience. The combination of the precision optical lens system, ease of use, and its suitability for astrophotography all add significant value.
While it does have some minor drawbacks, such as unfocused internal light reflections, the overall benefits make it a worthy investment, especially for amateur astronomers and hobbyists seeking peak performance.
Features of the Sky-Watcher Evostar 80ED
The Sky-Watcher Evostar 80ED has a range of features that enhance its performance.
Here are some notable features of the Sky-Watcher Evostar 80ED:
Precision optical lens systems
The Evostar 80ED APO refractor uses an extra-low dispersion (ED) glass lens, which drastically reduces chromatic aberration and provides sharp, high-contrast images.
Sky-Watcher collaborates with high-quality glass manufacturers to ensure the Evostar 80ED’s lenses provide excellent light transmission and image clarity, crucial for an optimal stargazing experience.
With its precision optical lens systems and robust telescope tube attachment hardware, the Evostar 80ED offers an amateur astronomer peak performance, ensuring vivid, detailed observations of celestial objects.
Telescope tube attachment hardware
The sturdy tube ring attachment hardware ensures the telescope remains stable and secure during observations, minimizing disruptions and allowing for smooth adjustments.
Doublet apochromatic optical design
The Evostar 80ED Telescope features a doublet apochromatic optical design. This design utilizes a two-element lens system that corrects for chromatic aberration, a common optical issue in refractor telescopes.
Two-element, air-spaced optical assembly
The optical assembly of the Evostar 80ED Telescope consists of two elements that are air-spaced. This configuration allows for optimal thermal equilibrium, ensuring the telescope adapts quickly to ambient temperature changes.
This results in improved image quality and greater overall reliability during observations.
Aluminum tube
The telescope’s aluminum tube is coated with a glossy, black diamond metal-flake finish. This finish not only adds an aesthetic appeal but also serves functional purposes.
The black color reduces internal reflections and improves contrast, enhancing the quality of the observed images.
Sky-Watcher Evostar 80ED specs
This table highlights some of the specs of the Sky-Watcher Evostar 80ED.
| Specification | Description |
| Optical Design | ED Doublet |
| Focal Length | 600mm |
| Aperture | 80mm |
| Focal Ratio | F/7.5 |
| Weight | 3.31kg |
| Minimum Magnification | 11 |
| Maximum Magnification | 157 |
| Lens Coatings | Fully Multi-Coated |
Accessories included in the Sky-Watcher Evostar 80ED
The inclusion of these accessories enhances the overall functionality and convenience of the Evostar 80ED Telescope. They are as follows:
Two 1.25-inch eyepieces
The Evostar 80ED Telescope comes with two 1.25-inch eyepieces, providing different magnification options for a versatile observing experience.
These eyepieces allow you to adjust the level of detail and field of view, catering to your specific observing needs.
2-inch Crayford-style focuser
The telescope features a 2-inch Crayford-style focuser known for its smooth and precise focusing capabilities.
This type of focuser allows for fine adjustments, ensuring sharp and well-defined views of celestial objects.
Tube rings and V-style dovetail
The included tube rings and V-style dovetail provide a sturdy and reliable mounting system for the telescope.
These accessories allow for easy attachment and secure positioning of the telescope on various mounts, providing stability during observations.
8×50 right-angle finderscope
The Evostar 80ED comes with an 8×50 right-angle finderscope, offering a wide field of view and comfortable viewing angles.
This finderscope aids in locating and centering objects in the telescope’s field of view, making target acquisition more convenient and efficient.
2-inch dielectric diagonal
The telescope includes a 2-inch dielectric diagonal, which plays a crucial role in maintaining excellent light transmission and minimizing reflections.
This diagonal ensures that the observed images retain their clarity and brightness, providing an enhanced observing experience.
Foam-lined aluminum case
To ensure safe transportation and storage, the telescope is accompanied by a foam-lined aluminum case.
This durable and protective case safeguards the telescope and its accessories from potential damage during travel or when not in use.
FAQs about Sky-Watcher telescopes
Let’s address some frequently asked questions.
Does the Sky-Watcher Evostar 80ED have any warranty?
The Sky-Watcher Evostar 80ED typically comes with a two-year manufacturer’s warranty. However, it’s always advisable to check with the retailer for the specific terms and conditions.
Is the Sky-Watcher Evostar 80ED suitable for more advanced users?
The Sky-Watcher Evostar 80ED is not just for beginners; it’s also ideal for advanced users. The telescope’s excellent optical and mechanical quality, along with its adaptability for astrophotography, make it a suitable choice for experienced observers.
Can the EvoStar 80ED be easily transported and set up in different locations?
The EvoStar 80ED is designed with portability in mind. It’s lightweight, and compact, and comes with a carrying case, making it convenient for transportation and setup in different locations.
Does the Sky-Watcher Evostar 80ED need additional accessories?
While the Sky-Watcher Evostar 80ED comes with all the necessary accessories for a standard viewing experience, additional accessories, such as mounts and filters, could enhance your observations.
Here are some recommendations:
Read the full review: Sky-Watcher HEQ5 GoTo Astronomy Mount Review (Read Before Purchase)
Takeaway: Gaze into the universe with the Sky-Watcher Evostar 80ED
The Sky-Watcher Evostar 80ED APO Refractor is a reliable and high-performing telescope for anyone passionate about exploring the cosmos, whether they’re beginners or more advanced astronomers.
It stands out due to its apochromatic (APO) refractor telescope optical design, which effectively minimizes chromatic aberration and delivers crisp, high-contrast images.
The telescope’s tube boasts a powder coated reflective gloss, providing a sleek, durable finish that can withstand the elements during your night-sky observations.
The Evostar 80ED includes ultra-fine focusing adjustments, allowing for precise control when honing in on celestial objects, ensuring you achieve perfectly clear and sharp images.
The telescope’s standard optical focus provides a comfortable viewing experience, making it easier to observe and track objects across the night sky.
Despite its high-quality optics, the Evostar 80ED, like all refractor telescopes, may display slight residual chromatic aberration, though this is usually only noticeable during high-contrast observations.
But its robust features, coupled with excellent optical and mechanical quality, make it a worthwhile investment for any Sky-Watcher.
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