[glend (Glen)]

Dane I am very impressed with the Bresser Messier AR102, OTA, should point out there are two models the long focal length f9 and the shorty at f5.9. I have the short one 600mm fl which doesn't seem to be available in Australia ( the longer one is stocked by Andrews Comms and a couple of others. I bought mine from Amazon UK and delivery was via UPS and very quick. I needed that short one to stay within the weight limit of my IOptron Smartstar G goto mount, and the scope weighs 3.9kg so its ok on that mount.

This is my first refractor and I am impressed with the crystal clarity of the view, and the pin point stars all across the field of view. The build quality for the price surprised me, with spun aluminium tubes (not seamed) and cast alloy rings and joining segments; it also has a rack and pinion single speed focuser which is nice and tight and well supported; well blackened inside. It comes with a Bresser 26mm Plossl EP which is surprisingly good as well. I've had my TV 11mm Nagler in it as well. Having always been a newt/dob guy it is a pleasure to not have to deal with collimation and coma! Of course it shines as a planetary scope being fast at f5.9, not near as much reach on dim DSOs but that's the dobs job. As a quick setup (5 min max) its great. As I said before, the CA was not as bad as I had expected and easily filtered but it may still be spotted and annoy the purist who pay five times as much for smaller aperture APO EDs etc.

As far as negatives are concerned, they relate to the obvious budget attachments, used to keep the price down, like the plastic 1.25" diagonal and the finder scope; but the diagonal has already been replaced with a 2" GSO diaelectric. I'll leave the finderscope as it gets little use on a goto mount and it's light.

Hope that covers it, I am happy.