Askar SQA55 Telescope 55mm Aperture F4.8 Quintuplet Air-Spaced SD Glass Petzval

The Askar SQA55 is a compact 55mm f/4.8 refractor designed primarily for astrophotography, though its build quality makes it capable in wider observing roles as well. The five-element air-spaced optical design incorporates both SD and ED glass, and Askar reports an RMS star radius under 2.5 microns at center and under 4 microns at the corners. In practical terms, that means stars should stay tight and round across your full image frame without a separate field flattener.

At f/4.8, exposure times are reasonably short for a refractor in this class, which helps when imaging faint nebulae or galaxies. The self-flattened design accepts cameras between 50mm and 60mm back focus, removing some of the guesswork that trips up newer astrophotographers. Weight comes in at 5kg, so a mid-range tracker or equatorial mount will handle it comfortably.

The adjustable aperture ring, running from f/4.8 down to f/22, adds flexibility for daytime or high-contrast targets. At $868, this sits in a competitive range for dedicated imaging refractors, and with only five Amazon reviews so far, real-world long-term data is still limited. Worth keeping in mind as you evaluate.