Instrument class
102–127 mm Maksutov on a GoTo alt-az
A long focal length folded into a short tube, on a mount that finds things for you. The planetary specialist, and the most city-friendly telescope on this list.
| Aperture | 102–127 mm |
|---|---|
| Focal ratio | f/11.8–f/15 |
| Typical weight | 9 kg |
| Setup time | 12 minutes |
| Learning curve | 3 out of 5 |
| Price band | €450–950 |
| Useful magnification | 19× to 230× at 115 mm |
What it does well
- Long focal length gives high magnification with ordinary eyepieces — ideal for planets and double stars
- Small enough to live on a shelf
- GoTo finds things a city sky hides, which is exactly where it is needed
What it costs you
- A narrow field of view. Some large objects will not fit in it at all
- Takes 30–45 minutes to cool before it performs
- The mount needs power and an alignment routine, in the dark, in the cold
Fit against each goal
The Moon and the planets · 5 out of 5
This is what the design is for. Sharp, high-contrast, and long enough to reach 250× without effort.
Taking it with me · 3 out of 5
The tube travels beautifully; the mount and tripod less so.
The Sun · 3 out of 5
Excellent with a proper front filter — the long focal length suits sunspot detail.
Nebulae, clusters and galaxies, by eye · 2 out of 5
Modest aperture and a narrow field. Globulars are fine; large nebulae are not.
Learn my way around the sky · 1 out of 5
GoTo does the part you said you wanted to learn.
Models in this class
Indicative European street prices with the date they were observed. Ordered by price. Links marked paid link earn us a commission and cost you nothing extra.
Sky-Watcher Skymax 127 AZ-GTi
€720seen 2026-08-17127 mm · 1500 mm focal length · f/11.8 · 8.5 kg
With a 10 mm eyepiece: 150×, 0.8 mm exit pupil.
Mount AZ-GTi GoTo alt-az, driven over Wi-Fi from a phone
Eyepieces 25 mm and 10 mm
Needs eight AA cells or a power bank. The Wi-Fi control is better than the old hand controllers and still needs a two-star alignment.
Where to buy
- Amazon.frships FR
- Astroshopships DE, FR, EU
- First Light Opticsships GB
- Optique Unterlindenships FR
- Pierro Astroships FR
- Teleskop-Expressships DE, EU
None of these links earn us anything.