{"id":20222,"date":"2026-10-20T09:52:21","date_gmt":"2026-10-20T07:52:21","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/deep-space-astronomy.ch\/?p=20222"},"modified":"2026-10-20T10:31:11","modified_gmt":"2026-10-20T08:31:11","slug":"sky-watcher-hac125dx-astrographe-f2-star-products-2026","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/deep-space-astronomy.ch\/en\/sky-watcher-hac125dx-astrographe-f2-star-products-2026\/","title":{"rendered":"The Sky-Watcher HAC125DX, an ultra-fast f\/2 astrograph, is a \u00abStar Product of 2026\u00bb"},"content":{"rendered":"<div class=\"product\"><div class=\"product\"><p>Astronomy Magazine has just published its 16th annual selection of Star Products: 35 outstanding products chosen by Phil Harrington. Among them, one product from our store stands out: the Sky-Watcher HAC125DX Minigraph, a compact Honders f\/2 catadioptric astrograph priced at CHF 729. Here\u2019s why it caught the gear editor\u2019s attention\u2014and why it might just become your next telescope.<\/p>\n<h2>All the info at a glance<\/h2>\n<ul>\n<li>Name: Sky-Watcher HAC125DX Minigraph<\/li>\n<li>Optics: Honders catadioptric (refractive + reflective)<\/li>\n<li>Opening: 125 mm<\/li>\n<li>Focal length: 250 mm, f\/2<\/li>\n<li>Image circle: 16 mm (optimized for IMX533 and IMX585 sensors)<\/li>\n<li>Primary mirror: Mangin, Radiant Aluminum Quartz (RAQ) coating<\/li>\n<li>Proofreader: HTMC processing<\/li>\n<li>Focusing: rear helical focuser on the primary mirror<\/li>\n<li>Secondary obstruction: 53 mm<\/li>\n<li>Weight: 3.8 kg<\/li>\n<li>Length: 40 cm<\/li>\n<li>Limitation: diffraction (1\/4 wavelength)<\/li>\n<li>Rail: Vixen<\/li>\n<li>Price: CHF 729 (tube only), CHF 1,549 with EQ-AL55i PRO mount<\/li>\n<li>Availability: Available by special order in our store<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h2>Why f\/2 Changes Everything<\/h2>\n<p>An f\/2 focal ratio is five times faster than a conventional f\/4.9 instrument. In practical terms: a 10-second exposure at f\/2 collects as much signal as a 50-second exposure at f\/4.9. For wide-field astrophotography, this means capturing nebulae in minutes rather than hours, and often without autoguiding: at a 250 mm focal length, the field of view is so wide that the tracking accuracy of a modern equatorial mount is sufficient without a guide camera.<\/p>\n<p>The HAC125DX is a Honders astrograph, a catadioptric design that combines refractive and reflective elements. The result is a compact (40 cm) and lightweight (3.8 kg) tube with a short focal length (250 mm) and a large aperture (125 mm). It\u2019s the ideal format for photographing extensive nebulae, star fields, clusters, and comets.<\/p>\n<h2>A 16-mm image circle for modern sensors<\/h2>\n<p>The 16-mm image circle is perfectly suited for modern compact sensors: Sony IMX533 (ASI533MC, ASI533MM) and IMX585 (ASI585MC). These sensors offer an excellent sensitivity-to-noise ratio in a compact format. The HAC125DX is designed to get the most out of these sensors: sharp stars from the center to the edge, no noticeable vignetting, and a flat field.<\/p>\n<h2>125 mm aperture: 2.5 times more light than an 80 mm lens<\/h2>\n<p>With a 125-mm aperture, the HAC125DX collects 2.5 times more light than an 80-mm refractor. With faint nebulae (California Nebula, Iris Nebula, wide-field Milky Way), the difference is visible from the very first exposures. The signal-to-noise ratio improves, background noise decreases, and details emerge more quickly during stacking.<\/p>\n<h2>Portable and compact: the ultimate grab-and-go option<\/h2>\n<figure><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/deep-space-astronomy.ch\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/10282-HAC125DX-with-EQ-AL55i-Cropped.webp\" alt=\"Sky-Watcher HAC125DX avec monture EQ-AL55i PRO\" \/><figcaption>Sky-Watcher HAC125DX with EQ-AL55i PRO mount, CHF 1,549. Credit: Sky-Watcher.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p>At 40 cm long and weighing 3.8 kg, the HAC125DX fits into a backpack. It\u2019s an astrograph you can take with you on trips, camping, or under a truly dark sky. Mounted on a small equatorial mount (EQ-AL55i PRO or similar), it makes for a complete setup weighing under 8 kg. It\u2019s the opposite of a heavy setup that stays in the warmth because it takes 45 minutes to set up.<\/p>\n<h2>Astronomy Magazine's 2026 Picks: What's in Our Store<\/h2>\n<p>Astronomy Magazine has selected 35 products this year. Among those available in our store:<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li><strong>Sky-Watcher HAC125DX<\/strong> (CHF 729): the star of this article, the Honders f\/2 astrograph<\/li>\n<li><strong>Sky-Watcher HAC125DX + EQ-AL55i PRO<\/strong> (CHF 1,549): the telescope with a GoTo WiFi mount<\/li>\n<li><strong>Askar SQA130<\/strong> (CHF 3,899): APO 130 mm f\/4.8 Petzval quintuplet astrograph, flat field, full-frame<\/li>\n<li><strong>Celestron Origin MKII<\/strong> (CHF 4,099): Automatic home observatory with 678C Starvis 2 camera<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h2>Why shop at Deep Space Astronomy?<\/h2>\n<p>At Deep Space Astronomy, we're not just a retailer. We're enthusiasts who test, advise, and provide ongoing support.<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li><strong>Personalized Advice<\/strong> : We'll help you choose the setup that's right for your local sky, your budget, and your goals. By phone, WhatsApp, or by appointment in Nyon.<\/li>\n<li><strong>After-Sales Support<\/strong> : Do you have a question about installing, aligning, or editing your images? We're here to help.<\/li>\n<li><strong>14-Day Return Policy<\/strong> : Not satisfied? Return the product within 14 days.<\/li>\n<li><strong>Secure payment<\/strong> : Twint, credit card, invoice, Apple Pay, Bitcoin. Pay in 3 or 4 installments with no fees.<\/li>\n<li><strong>Free shipping in Switzerland<\/strong> Starting at CHF 200. Free pickup in Nyon.<\/li>\n<li><strong>Selected Brands<\/strong> : We only sell brands that we use and recommend. Sky-Watcher, Askar, Celestron, PrimaLuceLab, Pegasus Astro, SVBONY, ZWO, and others.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h2>The HAC125DX is for you if\u2026<\/h2>\n<ul>\n<li>Are you looking for a compact, fast wide-field astrograph?<\/li>\n<li>Do you want to photograph nebulae without spending hours on each target?<\/li>\n<li>Are you looking for a portable setup (backpack, travel, camping)?<\/li>\n<li>Do you have an IMX533 or IMX585 sensor (ASI533, ASI585, etc.)?<\/li>\n<li>Do you want a 125-mm aperture without the weight and bulk of a telescope of that size?<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>The <a href=\"https:\/\/deep-space-astronomy.ch\/en\/product\/sky-watcher-hac125dx\/\">The HAC125DX is available for order in our store<\/a> CHF 729 (tube only) or <a href=\"https:\/\/deep-space-astronomy.ch\/en\/product\/sky-watcher-hac125dx-monture-eq-al55i-pro\/\">CHF 1,549 with EQ-AL55i PRO mount<\/a>. Check out the full <a href=\"https:\/\/deep-space-astronomy.ch\/en\/marque\/sky-watcher\/\">Sky-Watcher line<\/a>the <a href=\"https:\/\/deep-space-astronomy.ch\/en\/marque\/askar\/\">Askar astrographs<\/a>and the <a href=\"https:\/\/deep-space-astronomy.ch\/en\/product\/celestron-origin-mkii\/\">Celestron Origin MKII<\/a>.<\/p>\n<h2>Sources<\/h2>\n<p>This article is based on Astronomy Magazine\u2019s \u201cStar Products 2026\u201d selection (Phil Harrington, October 13, 2026) and on the official specifications for the HAC125DX published by Sky-Watcher and available at <a href=\"https:\/\/deep-space-astronomy.ch\/en\/product\/sky-watcher-hac125dx\/\">our store<\/a>.<\/p>\n<\/div><\/div>","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Le Sky-Watcher HAC125DX Minigraph, astrographe Honders f\/2 de 125 mm, retenu par Astronomy Magazine dans sa s\u00e9lection Star Products 2026. CHF 729 (tube seul), CHF 1&rsquo;549 avec monture EQ-AL55i PRO. Disponible sur commande dans notre boutique. Conseil, suivi, retour 14 jours, paiement s\u00e9curis\u00e9.<\/p>","protected":false},"author":187,"featured_media":9718,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[827],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-20222","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-actualites"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/deep-space-astronomy.ch\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/20222","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/deep-space-astronomy.ch\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/deep-space-astronomy.ch\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/deep-space-astronomy.ch\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/187"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/deep-space-astronomy.ch\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=20222"}],"version-history":[{"count":3,"href":"https:\/\/deep-space-astronomy.ch\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/20222\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":20228,"href":"https:\/\/deep-space-astronomy.ch\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/20222\/revisions\/20228"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/deep-space-astronomy.ch\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/9718"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/deep-space-astronomy.ch\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=20222"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/deep-space-astronomy.ch\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=20222"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/deep-space-astronomy.ch\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=20222"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}