Astro-Tech AT86EDQ f/7 Quad Refractor

Description

Can I use this just for visual observing?
Absolutely. Multiple CN owners use the AT86EDQ exclusively for visual and report excellent results on planets, double stars, open clusters, and deep sky. The flat field is a visual advantage too stars are sharp to the edge of wide-field eyepieces, which makes sweeping and cluster observing noticeably better.

How does the AT86EDQ compare to the AT106EDQ and AT126EDQ?
Same optical design in three aperture sizes, all f/7. The AT86EDQ (86mm, 602mm, ~11 lbs) is the grab-and-go lightest, shortest, airline-capable. The AT106EDQ (106mm, 742mm, ~14 lbs) is the mid-size option with 52% more light grasp. The AT126EDQ (126mm, 882mm, ~17.7 lbs) is the big one most aperture and resolution, heaviest mount requirements. All share the ATEDQR 0.8 reducer and the built-in flat field.

What did S&T note as drawbacks?
Alan Dyer noted three things: the focuser tube itself doesn’t rotate (the camera angle adjuster handles rotation instead, but lacks index markings for repeatable positioning), and threading 48mm filters into the adapter ring was difficult. These are minor mechanical issues the optics and optical performance drew no complaints.

Accessories

• ATEDQR 0.8 Reducer (sold separately): Drops the AT86EDQ from 602mm f/7 to ~482mm f/5.6. Almost a full stop faster, wider field, full-frame coverage. Threads directly to the focuser’s M69 threads (remove the step-down ring first).
• T-ring for your camera mount: Required for connecting DSLR and mirrorless cameras. Dedicated CMOS/CCD astronomy cameras typically have 48mm T-threads built in and connect directly via the included adapter rings.
• Astro-Tech 1.25″ Dielectric Diagonal (AT1D): Recommended on the product page for visual use. High-reflectivity dielectric coating.
• Finder or guide scope: The AT86EDQ ships with one finderscope shoe. Add a red-dot finder for visual use or a guide scope for autoguided imaging. Consider a second shoe if you want both.
• ZWO EAF electronic focuser: Compatible with the AT86EDQ’s focuser for motorized, software-controlled focusing.

Final Thoughts

The AT86EDQ is the smallest flat-field quad in the Astro-Tech line 86mm of aperture at 602mm f/7 with a built-in ED field flattener that delivers round stars across full-frame sensors without an external corrector. Alan Dyer put it through a full S&T review and found optics that matched or exceeded anything he’d tested recently, with a star test that was textbook-clean and imaging performance that held up on a 45-megapixel full-frame camera. The CN community calls it excellent for visual, excellent for imaging, and built like it means business. At 18.2 inches retracted and roughly 11 pounds, it goes where you go backyard, dark sky site, or the overhead bin of a 737. If you want one refractor that does visual and imaging without compromise and without needing a separate flattener, and you want to actually carry it out to the backyard on a weeknight, this is the scope that earns that job.

Tech Details: