TEC APO 160 f/11 Fluorite "Yellow Submarine" Apochromat

Apochromatic refractor TEC APO 160 FL - "Yellow Submarine"

The APO 160 FL f/11 has number of features that in a given combination are rarely found in one scope:

• An air-spaced apochromatic-doublet objective with a Fluorite (CaF₂) inner element
• The objective will be housed in an aluminum cell, providing for excellent thermoregulation properties while remaining lightweight and strong
• The optical assembly will sit in a lightweight aluminum tube that utilizes anti-reflective coating and sharp-edged baffles throughout the interior and forget about collimation – after the scope leaves TEC, no adjustment is required.
• Each APO160FL F/11 will come equipped with a Starlight Instruments FTF#3545 Feather Touch Focuser that was designed in collaboration with TEC. This is Starlight Instruments’ largest rotating focuser with coarse and fine focusing 9:1 Planetary Reduction Assembly.
• The 2” locking metal collet is insensitive to temperature fluctuations and holds loads with high precision and concentricity.
• Able to accommodate a wide variety of eyepieces

The telescope, a dedicated planetary refractor, features an air-doublet design that uses a fluorite CaF2 element for the rear lens. With a ratio of F/11, it offers apochromatic correction that surpasses even F.7 triplets of the same aperture. Despite its aperture, the telescope is surprisingly light, weighing only 12.5 kg and measuring 1.76 meters long. It does require a stable mount due to its length, but its light weight makes it easy to handle.

Like all telescopes from TEC, the APO160FL F/11 will come with a standard 3,5" feathertouch focuser. In addition, the tube has a pull bar at the back, which is standard for refractors with an aperture of 160 mm or larger and makes transport easier. Another feature that sets it apart from most other TEC telescopes is the fact that no tube rings are required. The TEC Dovetail 3" (305mm) (#1353140 , € 125,- ) and  12" Carry Handle for all TEC APOs (#1353201 , € 85,- )  can be optionally attached directly to the tube flanges. Larger Losmandy plates can be used to create a larger compensation area for the telescope. Recommended to be combined with a heavy duty mount and a stationary observing station. TEC recommends the 10Micron AZ2000 HPS, GM2000 HPS and the Astro-Physics 1600GTO mount. The tube can be dismantled into three parts for easier transportation.

Why the fancy new name?

The answer lies in the will of producer Yuri Petrunin, CEO of Telescope Engineering Co. "Yellow Submarine" is a Beatles song composed by Lennon/McCartney. It first appeared on their seventh album "Revolver" and was released on August 5th, 1966 as a double A-side with "Eleanor Rigby". The song is also the title of the main track in the 1968 animated film of the same name

Thanks to this song, the owner of Telescope Engineering Company managed to learn the English language as a young man after emigrating and settling in the United States. In recognition of this personal educational experience and the worldwide success of his optical products, he decided to highlight this formative memory. In doing so, optical perfectionism and customer trust are at the heart of his corporate philosophy.