I just bought this telescope today. My first telescope. I had been searching for the right scope for over 2 years and today I pulled the trigger. Now I need everything else, but I saved up for them and now I'll need a great mount for my endeavors into astrophotography. Great review and I've watched it many times and this and other videos really helped in my decision. Thank you. Me

Michael is a very good presenter that brings a lot of warmth and humanity to his insightful videos. His channel is like the Astronomy Channel for the Rest of Us. I only wish that he would make more of these presentations!

This was my first telescope too, used it for 4 years, it was a great telescope. I will say i did have minor quality assurance issues that I had the older model and the diagonal had issues where the glue would wear out and the mirror inside the diagonal fell off(fortunately mine was already that way and High Point hooked me up and gave ma good deal on a meade 2" diagonal.). Now I have a Meade LX200 8". Great video!

Like your content and voice streaming, as much as your smile man 😉 Good job, keep it up !

Thanks to you and your video I ordered a ES 102ED and Celestron Advanced VX mount! Thanks, can't wait to get it! It's October and it won't ship till Nov 17! Can't wait!

Had one for a little over a year. Love it.

Congratulations! I bought the same scope and am happy with it. I eventually upgraded the focuser to a 2" Moonlight with motorized focus. A wonderful upgrade if you should ever consider it. Rock solid.

Nice video on the scope. I have just received this same scope and I am going to use it on a HEQ5PRO mount, with ZWOASI 183MC, guide cam and ZWO ASIAIR PLUS. There are plenty of smaller objects that I can photograph in the night sky with this F-RATIO scope, wish me luck as this will be my first use of something other than a DSLR. The HEQ5PRO mount with Rowan belt mod tracks really well, it is a great mount.

Nice buy, this scope is so beautiful not to mention its capabilities. I hope I will buy one someday

I bought ES 102mm ED last week but I'll only receive in January or February. My aunt will bring it when she was visiting Brasil. I will use 102 for astrophotograph. Will be my first experience with refractor. Congratulations! Good video!

Thanks, because of you putting together the exact setup I am gathering for my setup, I am looking at getting the ES 102 carbon fiber. Bit more than the non CF version but think it will help in weight savings. 👍

You put together a pretty solid semi grab and go system, just get yourself a good field flatterer, guide scope and your all set.

I have this scope on a vixen porta ii, great setup! Wish I had eq 5 as well though.

Thanks for this. I was considering a 165mm APO by the same company. This looks great for photography.

i liked your presentation flourite glass has a compensatory index of refraction to bring the high end of light spectrum closer to red-yellow to give a closer total focal point for the visible spectrum looks great..hope it works as good s it looks dave z

Congratulation! It looks great. I think this telescope is good choice for astro-photography =)

Congrats on the scope! I'm putting together my first AP setup and so far it is identical to yours ; ) Ps. Can you post a video with some pics through the scope?

Awesome scope!

Hi Michael and thank you for your wonderful videos. Have you done anything in relation to installing and aligning the celestron Polarfinder scope on the AVX mount, or using the Celestron Starsense?

Congrats for the gear, you've made an excellent choice for a refractor over the SCT, the SCT might lure you with their aperture but the long focal length means smaller FOV and that puts most the DSOs out of the game, besides the large F-ratio wll need longer exposers and complex guiding ( unless with a reducer or HyperStar for celestron which is more money) so this wield field APO will deliver staggering results and maybe when you get more experience you can switch to an SCT or an RC. Good luck and can't wait for the other gear and for you to start taking shots. Clear Skies :)

Nice little beginner kit.

Can't beat a good refractor for imaging. A 102 is a very capable scope. Very crisp, aboration free views/images. Almost maintainance free. The size makes it easy to transport. No central obstruction, no culminating.

Very well done video thank you

Always come back for refreshment info , im really interested on info on those eye pieces ,could you specify on them? thank you

Really enjoy your videos. I have an 8" orion reflector/dob and am considering a refractor such as this. I do not have much interest in astrophotography. I prefer clusters, double-stars and some dso's. What are your thoughts on this ES APO in terms of aperture and optical quality since you've had it a while?

Do you have any video of your photography setup / pictures?

Another video like that and I will have no choice but to pull the trigger and buy it!!!

Hi mike,i ordered a es152 last week and it's out of stock,hope I get it before the bugs hit Louisiana

My son has the 150 ed its a beast !!!

Hey, thanks for the post. I'm looking at this exact scope now. Now that you've had some time with it. How do u like it? Have any deep sky pics you've taken with it u can share?

Good choice!

thats sweet man😎😎

I just started out astrophotography and I’m looking for a mount. I’m not sure to get a heq5 or advance vx. Thanks

Hello!!!, good video, I really like that telescope, and I want to buy it, could you tell me how much it really weighs? (only the tube with the rings). Thank you so much!!!

Welcome back Michael

great video. how about making one to review the eyepieces you have from ES, I see you have a 2inch eyepiece

I would've went with the Edge over this. Would serve as both DSO and planetary. If I'm going straight DSO, I'll take my ES 127 carbon Fiber all day.

Hello Michael: Great video. I ordered an Explore Scientific FirstLight MAK100mm to start watching the sky but unfortunately is in back order and the store told me that it will be shipped around August (that makes my cry when I see Jupiter and Saturn every night). I'm considering doing astrophotography eventually and for that reason, I'm considering canceling the MAK100mm for an AR102 to start making visual until I can afford a DSLR or CCD camera. What do you think? Thanks in advance.

I should really subscribe this channel. thank you! from india

I have the celestron cgem ii, explore 152mm 4 filter lenses on the diag and when want to see moon add the 13% moon filter. I can tell you this and this is that it is just perfection with a explore scientific 100degree lenses I have from 9mm 14mm and 30mm I have.

Realy like this scope and I am doing tons of research now for what scope I am going to buy. What I don't understand is WHY does Explore Scientific not provide anything with this scope. It would be nice if they could come up with a package like almost every other scope company does, like providing a two-inch diagonal, a couple of eyepieces, and a field flattener, and a finder scope. If they did I would buy it hands down. But I guess I am going to have to go with Skywatcher or some other group.

Carbon fiber also expands amd contracts less due to temp variarion so people claim it is better for imaging.

Buen Dia que precio tiene puesto en Chihuahua Mex.

Robi wrażenie. Jesteś zadowolony?

Nice but you should've said something about the included extension tubes.

have you taking any photos with your camera? is there a video?

I bought also such a telescope and I share the impression that its quality is very good. Since I want to use ist for astrophotography I' looking for a suitagle flattener. Which one is the best ?

Hello. This OTA is f / 7. Was it slow for astrophotography of nebulae and galaxies or does it perform well? THANK YOU.

That's a badass scope. My girlfriend would say "totes jelly" lol

Are you using CPWI in order to go to for your AVX?

why dont you share the video or a picture of you have taken with this telescope ?

What is the price of the teliscop

If you went with the Explore Scientific scope, why on earth did you go with an AVX instead of the Explore Scientific EXOS2-GT with PMC-Eight, which has belt drive?

Clear Skies

How much did you pay for this?

Did the Telescope come with the MOUNT? With the mount Motorized? What motorized MOUNT would you recommend?

I love his channel i have a 60 mm telescope of twinstar well waiting for myself to become am astronomer 😂😂😂

How much it, 🔥❤

what is that right angle viewer you have there? Edited: Wow I am a dump arse. So I purchased the same exact scope. I didn't notice the three extra pieces on the outside edge of the foam in the box and when I went back to look at my purchase I saw them. So I had to go to the trash can and get 'em. Had it not been for this video, those pieces would be in a land fill tomorrow.

Any one has this type used one for resale, AR102, ED102, ED100

Michael!!!!, where r u????

Nice video but you fail to mention the law of physics... More aperture does not always give you more light/visual as it also receives more atmospheric disturbance. Most likely you will get the same "light" from both scopes you mention. As always the refractor is more of a planetary scope than the SCT. Thanks again for the nice video.

good video since you did not update, I assume you did not like it.

watched a whole video of a telescope I will never be able to afford, but good review tho.

Why explore it's so expensive???

Dont forget to share your experience after using this telescope Michael :D