Sky and Telescope - November 2016 - 60

S & T Test Report

Jerry Lodriguss

The Stellarvue SVA-130T
This premium 5.1-inch apochromat is aimed at observers and imagers alike.

from the Northern Hemisphere.
Other benefits of 5-inch refractors: you don't need a
huge mount to hold them. They cool down quickly, and
they aren't as susceptible to poor seeing as larger scopes.
There are no contrast-reducing obstructions as in Newtonians, Schmidt-Cassegrains, or Maksutovs.
So when offered the opportunity to review the Stellarvue SVA-130T, my question was, is it a great refractor?
Let's find out.

Fit and Finish

Let me wax lyrical about the joys of a quality 5-inch refractor. I think they are quite possibly the
perfect telescope. There are few things quite as pleasing as the pinpoint stars formed through the optics of
a fine refractor; they are like icy needles whose brilliant
pinpricks of light go straight through your soul.
A 5-inch refractor is ideal for high-resolution visual
use on the Sun, Moon, and planets. Its resolving power
of 0.9 arcseconds is perfect for sampling the typical
seeing of 2 to 3 arcseconds common at most amateur
observing locations and is well-matched for high-resolution solar imaging in the daytime.
An excellent 5-inch apochromat is nearly the perfect
instrument for deep-sky astrophotography. There are
literally thousands of objects in the night sky to photograph with them. I've shot through 5-inch refractors
for more than 30 years, and I'm just reaching the point
where I don't have anything new left to shoot, at least

The Stellarvue SVA-130T Apo Triplet Refractor is a 130mm, air-spaced f/7 triplet available in several configurations. The "SVA" designation indicates an advanced
optical design made with a super-low-dispersion ED glass
center element and a Lanthanum rare-earth rear element
to correct for spherochromatism. Its lens is mounted in
an adjustable, temperature-compensating steel cell. Light
scatter and internal reflections are minimized using 6
baffles inside the optical tube. I measured its focal length
to be 911 mm. Stellarvue claims each SVA-130T has 0.95
or better Strehl ratio, and the company includes a test
report with every scope. The report for the scope we borrowed showed a Strehl of 0.961.
The SVA-130T base model (SVA130-25SV) weighs 16.8
pounds and comes standard with a 2½-inch, dual-speed,
rack-and-pinion focuser with 80 mm of travel. Included
with purchase is a soft-sided travel case, mounting rings,
a metal dust cap, and a 2- to 1¼-inch compression-ring
eyepiece adapter.
The scope is also available as an imaging system
(SVA130-IS) for $4,090. This package comes with a
3-inch Feather Touch focuser and matched SFFR.72WHAT WE LIKE:
Excellent optics
Solid imaging focuser

Stellarvue 130 mm
f/7 Apo Triplet Refractor
U.S. price: $3,195
Available at stellarvue.com

WHAT WE DON'T LIKE:
Switching from visual to
imaging configuration

The Stellarvue SVA-130T triplet
apochromatic refractor is a
premium refractor built to last a
lifetime - and then some.
ALL PHOTOS BY THE AUTHOR

60

November 2016 sky & telescope


http://www.stellarvue.com

Sky and Telescope - November 2016

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of Sky and Telescope - November 2016

Contents
Sky and Telescope - November 2016 - Cover1
Sky and Telescope - November 2016 - Cover2
Sky and Telescope - November 2016 - 1
Sky and Telescope - November 2016 - Contents
Sky and Telescope - November 2016 - 3
Sky and Telescope - November 2016 - A
Sky and Telescope - November 2016 - B
Sky and Telescope - November 2016 - 4
Sky and Telescope - November 2016 - 5
Sky and Telescope - November 2016 - 6
Sky and Telescope - November 2016 - 7
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Sky and Telescope - November 2016 - Cover3
Sky and Telescope - November 2016 - Cover4
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