Explore Scientific ED152 152mm f/8 Triplet Carbon Fiber Refractor Telescope

The Explore Scientific ED152 puts 152mm of apochromatic triplet optics in a carbon fiber tube that weighs just 20.5 pounds — light enough for mid-range equatorial mounts, powerful enough to resolve fine planetary detail and pull in faint deep-sky structure. Its air-spaced triplet design with HOYA FCD1 extra-low dispersion glass delivers color-corrected, high-contrast views across the full field, whether you're splitting tight doubles or imaging nebulae.

Key Features

• 152mm of light-gathering power — collects 44% more light than a 127mm and 125% more than a 102mm, revealing fainter detail in galaxies, nebulae, and star clusters
• HOYA FCD1 ED glass triplet — air-spaced apochromatic design with EMD enhanced multi-coatings virtually eliminates chromatic aberration for sharp, true-color views
• Carbon fiber tube — 20% lighter than an equivalent aluminum OTA with very low thermal expansion, so the scope reaches thermal equilibrium faster and stays in focus longer
• Dual-speed 2.5" HEX focuser — 10:1 fine-focus ratio with 360-degree rotation and tension adjustment locks down precise focus even under heavy imaging payloads
• 0.75 arcsecond resolution — resolves Jupiter's cloud belt detail, Saturn's Cassini Division, and tight binary pairs at the theoretical limit for this aperture
• 50.8mm image circle (76mm with 3" adapter) — wide enough for full-frame sensors when paired with the appropriate field flattener
• Losmandy-style dovetail and cradle rings — secure, vibration-free mounting with a built-in carrying handle

Ideal For

• Serious astrophotographers stepping up to a large-aperture refractor without the weight penalty — at 20.5 lbs the ED152 pairs well with mounts like the Losmandy G11 PMC-Eight
• Advanced visual observers who want a refractor that can reveal planetary detail, resolve globular clusters, and show structure in emission nebulae that smaller scopes cannot
• Astronomy clubs and educational institutions looking for a durable, high-performance instrument that's portable enough for star parties and outreach events

Accessories & Compatibility

The ED152 ships with a 99% reflective 2" dielectric diagonal, compression ring eyepiece holders in both 2" and 1.25", a hybrid 2N1 finder base compatible with most finder scopes and red dot sights, and a removable carbon fiber dew shield. The cradle ring system includes a Losmandy-style dovetail plate and integrated carrying handle.

For astrophotography, pair with the Explore Scientific 3" Field Flattener / 0.7x Focal Reducer for flat, distortion-free images across the full field. Upgrading to the Explore Scientific 3" Self-Centering Focuser adds additional payload capacity and zero-tilt precision for heavy camera rigs.