Sky-Watcher Heliostar 76Ha 76mm H-Alpha Solar Telescope

A compact H-alpha solar telescope you'll actually take outside

The Sky-Watcher Heliostar 76Ha puts a true hydrogen-alpha (H-alpha, Hα) view of the Sun into an 8.4 lb package that lifts onto a light mount with one hand. Point it at the Sun and the plain white disk you know from white-light filters gives way to the chromosphere: prominences looping off the edge, dark filaments stretched across the disk, and bright plage around sunspot groups, all changing from one session to the next.

For experienced observers adding dedicated H-alpha to their kit, it's small enough for a quick session before work and complete enough that there's nothing else to buy before first light.

Double-stack contrast from a single etalon

H-alpha telescopes have traditionally made you choose. A single etalon is bright but shows softer surface detail. Adding a second etalon ("double-stacking") sharpens the surface, but costs around 40% of the brightness and adds significant expense.

Sky-Watcher's Solis etalon technology gets the 76Ha to a <0.55Å bandpass from a single etalon, so you see the crisp surface features a double-stack is bought for, without giving up brightness. The built-in Trifid Tuner presses evenly on the etalon at three points for smooth tuning between limb prominences and disk detail.

Share what you see

The 76Ha includes a phone adapter, so you can grab a shot of a big prominence and send it to friends the moment you see it. When you're ready for more, the M42 T-threads accept a dedicated solar or planetary camera for full-disk and close-up imaging.

Everything in the box

• 76mm H-alpha optical tube with integrated Solis etalon and Trifid Tuner
• Mounting rings and carry handle
• V-style (Vixen-compatible) dovetail
• Heliostar solar finder, for finding the Sun quickly and safely
• 2" dual-speed Crayford focuser
• 11.5mm, 1.25" H-alpha blocking filter diagonal
• 20mm 70° 1.25" eyepiece
• Phone adapter
• Clip-on sun shade
• Hard-shell carrying case

Want a complete grab-and-go setup? The Heliostar 76Ha with SolarQuest mount bundle adds Sky-Watcher's self-aligning solar tracking mount, which finds and follows the Sun for you.

Built and tested for safe solar viewing

Every Heliostar 76Ha is tested on the actual Sun before shipping, and the design has been lab tested in the United States to the ISO 12312-2 solar viewing standard. The blocking filter in the supplied diagonal is part of the telescope's safety system: always observe through it and never swap in another diagonal.

This is a dedicated solar telescope and will not show anything other than the Sun. Please use an abundance of caution when observing the Sun, as incorrect use can cause serious and permanent eye damage.

Heliostar 76Ha FAQ

What mount does it need?

Any mount that handles about 9 lbs and takes a V-style (Vixen) dovetail will do. For a dedicated solar setup, the Sky-Watcher SolarQuest tracks the Sun automatically and is available as a bundle with this telescope.

Heliostar 76Ha or Heliostar 100Ha?

The 76Ha is lighter, more portable and considerably less expensive, and it includes a phone adapter. The Heliostar 100Ha adds resolution (1.16 vs. 1.52 arcseconds), about 73% more light gathering, a larger 20mm blocking filter and a heavier-duty focuser. Choose the 76Ha for grab-and-go viewing and casual imaging; choose the 100Ha if high-magnification imaging is the priority.

What will I see in H-alpha that I can't see in white light?

A white-light filter shows sunspots on the Sun's visible surface. H-alpha reveals the layer above it, the chromosphere, including prominences on the limb, filaments across the disk, bright plage regions and, occasionally, a solar flare in progress.

Specifications