This review, “Konus’s new Mak-Cass,” appeared in the April 2004 issue of Astronomy magazine.
In October 2003, I had the opportunity to review Konus U.S.A. Corp.’s new 5.1-inch (130mm) f/15.4 Maksutov Cassegrain (Mak-Cass) telescope. Designated the Motormax-130 HM, this scope features a 2000mm focal length, multi-coated optics, and a German equatorial mount with dual-axis motor drives. Included in the $569 package are an aluminum tripod, an 8×50 finder scope, 10mm and 17mm Plössl eyepieces, a polar scope, and a Moon filter. Test locations varied from my light-polluted urban backyard to the ink black skies of rural New Mexico, so the Motormax-130 HM got to see the full range of sky quality.
Overview
Let’s start with the telescope’s tube. Manufactured in China, it has a clean, efficient, rugged appearance with a length of just 17.5 inches and a whopping 2000mm focal length. A large, user-friendly 1.75-inch focus knob is partially inset at the rear edge of the tube. This inset allows room for the star diagonal to be rotated without hindering the operation of the focus knob, which is smooth and precise.
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