William Optics FLT 156 - 6" f/7.8 Fluorostar APO Triplet Refractor - 3.7" Rack & Pinion Focuser - Red
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William Optics FLT156 - 156 mm f/7.8 APO Triplet Refractor - Red
The William Optics FluoroStar 156 Refractor is an air-spaced triplet APO. Using three elements made of high-end fully coated glass like FPL-53 and Lanthanum virtually removes chromatic aberration and produces images that are sharp and full of contrast. A patented light weight Bahtinov mask is included to provide assistance in focusing, or you can remove it when using the F156 visually.
The William Optics FLT156 has a native focal ratio of f/7.8 and a focal length of 1217 mm. The big 3.7" rack and pinion dual-speed focuser allows for use of three optional M92 flatteners from William Optics; the FLAT68III, which flattens the field beautifully without focal reduction, the FLAT7A, an APO flattener that will also reduce the effective focal length of the 156 FluoroStar to f/6.2, or the FLAT8. This 0.72X Focal Reducer and Field Flattener shortens the effective focal length a bit more than the FLAT7A, taking it from the native f/7.8 to f/5.6. William Optics recommends the FLAT68III for the best image quality of the three choices. All flatteners accept 2" threaded filters.
As with other William Optics refractors, the fit and finish on the FluoroStar 156 is superb. The telescope comes with cradle style mounting with three rings for extra stability, a saddle handle bar, and a universal Losmandy-style dovetail plate. All four pieces are anodized in red. The included camera rotator and the Rotolock 3" Adapter are anodized to match. This is one beautiful telescope. By the way, the top of the handle bar has a Vixen-style saddle built in to accept William Optics slide base guide rings for a guide scope or finder. You can also use an accessory mounted on a Vixen dovetail.
William Optics FLT156 Specifications
- Aperture: 156 mm
- Focal Length: 1217 mm
- Focal Ratio: f/7.8
- Focuser: 3.7" Rack & Pinion, Dual Speed, 360-degree Rotator
- Image Circle : > Full Frame
- Camera Format Compatible: APS-C, Full Frame
- Tube Length Retracted: 1120 mm
- Tube Length Extended: 1330 mm
- Tube Weight: 37.48 lb or 17 kg
SKU Number
|
WYO-A-F156RD-RP37 |
---|---|
Model Number
|
A-F156RD-RP37 |
Telescope Series
|
William Optics FLT |
Focal Ratio
|
f/7.8 |
Optical Design
|
Refractor |
Telescope Aperture
|
156mm (6.14") |
Telescope Mount Type
|
No Mount - OTA Only |
Type of Electronics
|
OTA Only - No Electronics |
Number of Refractor Elements
|
3 (Triplet) |
Focal Length (mm)
|
1217 |
Optical Coatings
|
SMT |
Image Circle
|
full frame |
Focuser Style
|
Rack & Pinion |
Focuser Size
|
3.7" |
Focuser Speed
|
Dual Speed |
Telescope OTA Weight (lb.)
|
37.48 |
Refractor OTA Length - Extended (in.)
|
1330 mm |
Refractor OTA Length - Retracted (in.)
|
1120 mm |
Warranty
Warranty
Manufacturer's warranty period, if known. Customers should communicate directly with the manufacturer regarding details of their warranty, as warranties have a tendency to change without notice.
|
William Optics - 2 Years |
- Fluorostar 156 f/7.8 APO refractor OTA with 3.7" R&P Focuser - Red
- Bahtinov Mask
- Lens Cover
- Micro Focus Cover
- 3.7" to 2" RotoLock
- 2" Rotolock Adapter Plug
- 2" to 1.25" Eyepiece Adapter
- 1.25" Eyepiece Adapter Plug
- Mounting Rings
- Saddle Handle Bar
- Losmandy Universal Plate
Recommended Accessories

William Optics Flattener 68III
If you'd like to flatten the field when doing photography through the FLT 156, this field flattener will do the trick. It has adjustable back focus, accepts 2” filters, and presents M48 threads on the camera side and M92 threads on the scope side. The APO design & Ohara glass produce amazing results.

William Optics 0.72x Reducer/Flattener 8
If you want to reduce the effective focal length of the FLT 156 to f/5.6 while also flattening the field, check out this adjustable 0.72X reducer/flattener. The triplet APO optics are made with Ohara glass for beautiful results. It is designed with full frame cameras in mind, and has M92 threads on the telescope side to fit the FLT 156. Image circle for the 156 is 44.4 mm and back focus is 60.8 mm.

Apertura 2" Twist Lock Carbon Dielectric Mirror Di...
Upgrading your telescope with a 2” diagonal allows you to use a wide range of 2” eyepieces and other barreled accessories. This diagonal has a carbon fiber body and dielectric coatings. It threads onto the rear cell of the telescope and comes with a 2” to 1.25” adapter so you can use 1.25" eyepieces in the diagonal as well.

Tele Vue 16 mm Nagler Type 5 Eyepiece
The Tele Vue 16 mm Nagler eyepiece, with it’s beautiful 82-degree field, will produce 76X when used with the FLT 156. Add a 2X Barlow and double the magnification to 152X, then use the Barlow with any other eyepieces you add to your collection.

Tele Vue 2.0x 2" Big Barlow Lens
A 2X Barlow is one of the most popular telescope accessories available because it doubles the magnification of any eyepiece! Since this is a 2” 2X Barlow with a 1.25” adapter, it will work great with both 1.25” and 2” eyepieces, but does need a 2” diagonal or focuser to accommodate its larger 2” insert barrel. Grow your magnification choices quickly by adding a good 2X Barlow to your accessory case.

William Optics 0.8x Reducer/Flattener
If you want to reduce the effective focal length of the FLT 156 to f/6.2 while also flattening the field, check out this adjustable 0.8X reducer/flattener. The triplet APO optics are made with Ohara glass for beautiful results. It is designed with full frame cameras in mind, and has M92 threads on the telescope side to fit the FLT 156. Image circle for the 156 is 44.4 mm and back focus is 65.3 mm.

William Optics Red Dot Finder Kit with Synta Style...
Make locating objects easier by mounting this sturdy red dot finder to the FLT156. Because the William Optics RDF offers a choice of reticles, you can match them to the type of object you're viewing and then adjust the brightness to allow you to easily center the object in the finder’s reticle.

Apertura M48 Canon EOS T-Ring
Attach your Canon EOS DSLR to the M48 threads on the back of the optional flattener or reducer for the FLT 156 with this T-ring. M48 T rings for other camera brands are also available.

Apertura Nikon F Ultimate T-Ring
Attach your Nikon DSLR to the M48 threads on the back of the optional flattener or reducer for the FLT 156 with this T-ring.