The Askar SQA106 brings serious aperture to the SQA lineup. At 106mm, it gathers significantly more light than its smaller siblings, revealing faint nebulosity and fine detail that simply can't be captured with lesser instruments. Yet it retains the quintuplet Petzval design that makes this series so effective.
While all SQA series scopes cover full-frame sensors, the SQA106 goes further with a 55mm image circle that supports medium format cameras. This opens up new possibilities for ultra-high-resolution imaging or simply provides generous margin for sensor coverage on full-frame setups.
Like the SQA85, the SQA106 employs two pieces of SD (Super-Low Dispersion) glass in its quintuplet Petzval APO design. This ensures excellent chromatic aberration correction even at this larger aperture, with sharp, color-free stars from center to edge. The natively flat field eliminates any need for additional correctors.
The 509mm focal length at f/4.8 provides excellent image scale for detailed captures of nebulae and galaxies. The back focus range of 48-78mm (55mm recommended) accommodates sophisticated imaging trains, while M48/M54/M68 adapters ensure compatibility with professional camera systems.
At 5.82kg for the OTA (8.12kg fully equipped), the SQA106 requires a sturdier mount than its smaller siblings but remains transportable for dark site imaging. The retractable dew shield reduces packed length from 586mm to 516mm, and an Oxford cloth carrying case is included.
For astrophotographers ready to invest in serious aperture while maintaining the proven SQA optical formula, the SQA106 delivers.