Fantastic complete astronomy starter kit - now only £134.99 inc UK mainland delivery featuring the Skyhawk 1145P high power parabolic Newtonian (114mm diameter mirror x 500mm focal length) reflecting telescope and a host of accessories and top quility guidence to get anyone, young or old, off to a flying start in the fascinating hobby of astronomy!

Generations of amateur astronomers have started and advanced their hobby with a classical Newtonian reflector like the Skyhawk 1145P - the 1145 is a classic scope with a modern makeover - the updated shorter tube, makes it easier to handle and transport - and offers great wide angle views of the sky when needed. The normally basic spherical primary optics have been upgraded to full parabolic figure. Here�s what a reviewer said about this scope:

"The optics were so good... the review instrument certainly delivered in every important respect." BBC Sky at Night Magazine.

Incidentally, the predecessor to this model, the Skyhawk 1145, received two "Best Buy" awards from the above magazine. Our model is identical to the Skyhawk 1145 but now includes a 2x Barlow lens.

The Independent�s "Best ten telescopes" feature written by Robin Scagell, Vice President of the Society for Popular Astronomy - declared the Skyhawk to be the "Best Budget Buy" available.

The Sky Watcher Skyhawk 1145P is a superb scope to get started in astronomy and progress onward to more ambitious views and projects (astro-photography etc). The specification of the this instrument is a big jump up from the basic starter scopes offered here and elsewhere.

High performance parabolic primary mirror

The primary mirror is the engine of the Newtonian telescope and the Skyhawk 1145P has a superb 114mm large aperture parabolic figure primary mirror. This type of telescope is normally supplied with a mirror employing a technically simpler figure. The simpler mirror is still very good but not in the class of the more sophisticated primary mirror created for the 1145P.

German equatorial mount

The Skyhawk 1145P is equipped with a well-engineered German Equatorial Mounting (or GEM) with fully geared manual slow-motion hand controls and a rigid aluminium full height field tripod (just the tripod and mount is amazing enough and looks like it would cost �150 to �200 on its own!). The telescope can be fitted with an electric RA clock drive (not included) -this upgrade option is another refinement that sets this scope apart from the competition. High magnification observing is virtually impossible without an equatorial mounting because the challenge of counteracting the rotation of the Earth. The GEM supplied with the 1145P (the P stands for Parabolic by the way) provides easy slow-motion target tracking via a convenient hand control allowing the highest magnifications to be used with ease.

We can't praise the Skyhawk 1145P equatorial mount enough. Equatorial mounting is the best way to mount this type of telescope, for high powered viewing the geared slow-motion compensates for the rotation of the Earth and is indispensable for detailed views and stands this telescope a clear head above it's competitors. We've been selling good quality starter telescopes like this for years and the Skyhawk 1145P and is one of the best we've seen and used!

Supplied with the unique Skyhawk 1145P kit are two excellent eyepieces - 10mm, and 25mm and a 2x image amplification Barlow lens (see below for full specification) giving a useful range of magnifications from medium to high power.

Even the instruction manual (in well-written English!) is fully illustrated and easy to follow.

Also includes a useful 2x Barlow lens to allow you to double the magnification of any eyepiece used. Simply pop the eyepiece into the Barlow lens and put the combined unit into the scope as you would the eyepiece and the Barlow will increase the magnification of that eyepiece by a factor of two - it's like getting four eyepieces with the scope instead of two!

This outfit is a great astronomy starter kit - in fact, all you will need to supply is a clear night!

Telescope specifications

Primary Mirror: Glass, aluminised with silicone overcoat 114mm

Focal length: 500mm

Aperture: 114mm (f4)

Magnification with supplied eyepieces:

20x,40x,50x and 100x

This is achieved with the following combinations:

25mm = 20x plus Barlow = 40x, 10mm = 50x plus Barlow = 100x (the telescope is easily capable of delivering magnifications of 50x per inch of aperture (ie 225x) and even beyond on nights of exemplary seeing conditions).

Mounting: German equatorial with dec-axis manual slow motions.