Tap a target on your phone. The mount moves there on its own. The Explore Scientific Sidara Pro 80mm GoTo Refractor (ES-AR80900-SAGT-ST10) pairs a sharp 80mm apochromatic refractor with a fully motorized SkyAssist mount that doesn't just point you toward a target — it slews there automatically and tracks it as Earth rotates. This is what GoTo actually means: the telescope finds the object, not you.
Unlike app-guided manual mounts
The standard SkyAssist mount on other Sidara scopes uses your phone's sensors to show you which direction to push. That works well. The GoTo SkyAssist takes it further — the mount has motors on both axes that move the telescope to your selected target without any manual input. Select Saturn from the app, tap Go, and the scope slews to it. This is the difference between navigation and autopilot.
What you'll see
The 80mm apochromatic objective minimizes chromatic aberration — the color fringing that makes stars in cheaper refractors look like they have halos. At 900mm focal length and f/11.3, the long tube excels at high-magnification planetary work: Saturn's ring tilt and Cassini Division, Jupiter's cloud bands and Great Red Spot, the lunar surface in crisp detail. The GoTo tracking keeps objects centered as you swap eyepieces or share the view with others. Star clusters and bright nebulae are easy targets the system locates in seconds.
What's in the box
- 80mm apochromatic refractor OTA
- GoTo SkyAssist motorized alt-azimuth mount
- Tripod
- Starter eyepiece set
- Accessories
| Spec |
Value |
| SKU |
ES-AR80900-SAGT-ST10 |
| Optical Design |
Apochromatic Refractor |
| Aperture |
80mm (3.1 inches) |
| Focal Length |
900mm |
| Focal Ratio |
f/11.3 |
| Mount Type |
GoTo SkyAssist (motorized, app-controlled, dual-axis) |
Price Match, Shipping & Questions
We price-match any authorized Canadian or US retailer. Ships free to the contiguous US. Questions? Email us at support@telescopewolves.com or visit our contact page.
Frequently Asked Questions
Do I need to align the GoTo mount before use?
Yes — the SkyAssist GoTo mount requires a brief alignment routine (typically 2–3 alignment stars) so it knows its orientation in the sky. The app guides you through the process; most users complete it in 5–10 minutes. After alignment, the database of thousands of objects is available at a tap.
Is this an apochromatic refractor or an achromat?
Apochromatic — the 80mm objective uses ED (extra-low dispersion) glass elements to bring three wavelengths of light to the same focal point, virtually eliminating the purple or green fringing common in standard achromatic refractors. Sharper stars, more accurate color, especially useful for planetary work.
How does this compare to the manual SkyAssist Sidara scopes?
The manual SkyAssist scopes show you where to point using arrow indicators — you still push the scope yourself. The GoTo version moves the telescope automatically via dual motors. If you're sharing views with guests, observing solo without time to hunt, or planning systematic object tours, GoTo is worth the premium.
Can I use it for astrophotography?
The motorized tracking makes short-exposure planetary and lunar photography straightforward via a smartphone adapter or camera at the eyepiece. Long-exposure deep-sky imaging requires an equatorial tracking mount — this alt-az GoTo isn't designed for multi-minute exposures on faint objects.
New to telescopes?
Our beginner guides walk you through everything — from setting up your first scope to finding objects in the night sky.