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Agena 1.25" Cheshire Collimating Eyepiece for Newtonian Reflectors

4.7 (30 Reviews) Read Reviews Write Review
Brand Agena AstroProducts
Part Number PALC-AG-RN
Availability available

Product Info

Manufacturer Description

This is a great accessory for precisely collimating the optics of your Newtonian reflector telescope to achieve the best image the telescope can deliver.

The approximately 5" long aluminum tube is a combination sight tube and Cheshire eyepiece. Peephole in the top and wire crosshairs at the bottom allow quick and precise centering of the optics. Fits in 1.25" focusers or in 2"-1.25" adapters. All metal construction.

Please note that no instructions are included with the item but these and other tutorials can be found easily on the internet. As with most other telescope collimation/alignment procedures, use of this accessory requires some patience and experience.

Reviews

4.7 (Based on 30 Reviews) 93% of reviewers recommended this product.
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    1. Guest

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      Review by David f.
      1529749045
      Jun 23, 2018

      5.0 Agena 1.25 Cheshire Collimating Eyepiece for Reflectors

      Pros:

      Cons:

      Comments:

      this Cheshire device is better than using a laser collimator

      Bottom Line: Would you recommend this item? Yes
      Was this review helpful? Yes / No

      This review was provided courtesy of AgenaAstro.com

    2. Guest

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      Review by Stephen K.
      1525942702
      May 10, 2018

      5.0 Great Item

      Pros:

      Cons:

      Comments:

      Perfect

      Bottom Line: Would you recommend this item? Yes
      Was this review helpful? Yes / No

      This review was provided courtesy of AgenaAstro.com

    3. Guest

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      Review by Chasity R.
      1524193249
      Apr 19, 2018

      5.0 Works great!

      Pros:

      Cons:

      Comments:

      Works great! It makes collimating much simpler.

      Bottom Line: Would you recommend this item? Yes
      Was this review helpful? Yes / No

      This review was provided courtesy of AgenaAstro.com

    4. Guest

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      Review by Michael B.
      1519093273
      Feb 19, 2018

      5.0 Does what it is supposed

      Pros:

      Cons:

      Comments:

      Does what it is supposed to do.

      Bottom Line: Would you recommend this item? Yes
      Was this review helpful? Yes / No

      This review was provided courtesy of AgenaAstro.com

    5. Guest

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      Review by Sebastien T.
      1516845996
      Jan 24, 2018

      4.0 Well built

      Pros:

      Cons:

      Comments:

      Well built

      Bottom Line: Would you recommend this item? Yes
      Was this review helpful? Yes / No

      This review was provided courtesy of AgenaAstro.com

    6. Guest

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      Review by twogear of Virginia.
      1475798400
      Oct 6, 2016

      5.0 Must have for Newts

      Pros:

      Accurate,Strong Construction,Compact,Lightweight,Easy to Use

      Cons:

      Comments:

      This is an accurate, solid, well-built Cheshire. The simpler the machine the better. Aligning the "cross-hairs" become easier as your perform more collimations. Yes you need plenty of light to do this that is the only upside to a laser IMO. However I know quite a few (9 out or 13) local astronomers I know check their laser collimation with a Cheshire afterwards. This eyepiece is the way to go to get your reflector to give you constantly crisp beautiful images of the sky.

      Bottom Line: Would you recommend this item? Yes
      Was this review helpful? Yes / No

      This review was provided courtesy of AgenaAstro.com

    7. Guest

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      Review by Polnoch of Russia, Moscow Federation.
      1427500800
      Mar 27, 2015

      5.0 Must have for newtons

      Pros:

      Easy to Use

      Cons:

      Comments:

      Must have for all newtons scopes. You must collimate your retrac newton before each observation, and if your newton not reatrac, after each trasportaion by car.

      Bottom Line: Would you recommend this item? Yes
      Was this review helpful? Yes / No

      This review was provided courtesy of AgenaAstro.com

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      Review by technomaget of Robbinsville, NJ.
      1424476800
      Feb 20, 2015

      5.0 Functional at a very good price

      Pros:

      Strong Construction,Accurate,Compact

      Cons:

      Comments:

      Works very well for collimation of my 12" Dobsonian and is good for verification of laser-based collimation as well.

      Bottom Line: Would you recommend this item? Yes
      Was this review helpful? Yes / No

      This review was provided courtesy of AgenaAstro.com

    9. Guest

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      Review by Toompty of 55802.
      1424476800
      Feb 20, 2015

      4.0 Very well satisfied with the CE.

      Pros:

      Easy to Use,Quality Lenses,Strong Construction,Accurate

      Cons:

      Comments:

      It was even better I beleve, than the 25 year old tool that I donated along with my 8 inch dob. Now I have just a little 4 1/2 inch dob that needed collimation in a big way.

      Bottom Line: Would you recommend this item? Yes
      Was this review helpful? Yes / No

      This review was provided courtesy of AgenaAstro.com

    10. rmscott59

      rmscott59 New Member

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      Review by RMS of NorCal.
      1414886400
      Nov 1, 2014

      5.0 Great tool for Newts

      Pros:

      Accurate,Strong Construction,Lightweight,Compact

      Cons:

      Comments:

      I don't completely rely on laser collimators, as THEY can often be misaligned themselves. This "old, analog device" is extremely accurate! Used in conjunction with a laser, I can collimate reasonably fast and with "dead on" accuracy! A MUST for serious Newt owners.

      Bottom Line: Would you recommend this item? Yes
      Was this review helpful? Yes / No

      This review was provided courtesy of AgenaAstro.com

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      Review by ecuador of Manchester, UK.
      1413676800
      Oct 18, 2014

      5.0 Gets it done

      Pros:

      Cons:

      Comments:

      If you go to the fancy laser collimator route you have to make sure you stay away from cheap models which might not be accurately aligned. So instead of spending a lot of money to get a laser collimator that actually works, you can go the Cheshire route, which works fine and will save you some money.

      Bottom Line: Would you recommend this item? Yes
      Was this review helpful? Yes / No

      This review was provided courtesy of AgenaAstro.com

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      Review by dude of holland.
      1404518400
      Jul 4, 2014

      4.0 Works great

      Pros:

      Strong Construction,Accurate,Works great

      Cons:

      No instructions,Heavy

      Comments:

      I've been using the collimation cap that came with my scope. I thought I was collimating it ok, but wasn't seeing as much detail in Jupiter or Saturn as I should. Some members from the Cloudynights forums suggested my scope may not be collimated well enough and I should try a different collimation tool. This one was only $29, so I gave it a try. No instructions! I wasn't sure how to use it. I gave it my best guess. After I collimated the scope, I took a look at the moon. I could see a lot more detail than before. I guess I did it right.

      Bottom Line: Would you recommend this item? Yes
      Was this review helpful? Yes / No

      This review was provided courtesy of AgenaAstro.com

    13. Guest

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      Review by 320mb of So Arizona.
      1402963200
      Jun 16, 2014

      5.0 Collimation Cap

      Pros:

      Compact,Easy to Use,Accurate

      Cons:

      Comments:

      I like to do my own collimation, I don't use lasers or other 'lazy collimation tools' this works perfect for my Z10 Dob. I use this Cap along with a Cheshire eyepiece site tube and my mirror alignment is perfect.

      Bottom Line: Would you recommend this item? Yes
      Was this review helpful? Yes / No

      This review was provided courtesy of AgenaAstro.com

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      Review by Zamboni Schwartz of Colorado Springs.
      1402790400
      Jun 14, 2014

      5.0 Precise collimation on a budget.

      Pros:

      Accurate,Easy to Use,Strong Construction

      Cons:

      Comments:

      Good basic cheshire at a low cost. No surprises, No complaints.

      Bottom Line: Would you recommend this item? Yes
      Was this review helpful? Yes / No

      This review was provided courtesy of AgenaAstro.com

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      Review by Talat of Turkey.
      1389052800
      Jan 6, 2014

      5.0 Robust and handy

      Pros:

      Easy to Use,Strong Construction,Accurate

      Cons:

      Comments:

      With collimation cap and this cheshire, it's so easy to collimate. It is robust and accurate. I don't feel need of laser collimator for now.

      Bottom Line: Would you recommend this item? Yes
      Was this review helpful? Yes / No

      This review was provided courtesy of AgenaAstro.com

    16. Guest

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      Review by Jarrod of Tennessee.
      1374969600
      Jul 27, 2013

      4.0 Great value on an accurate tool

      Pros:

      Easy to Use,Accurate,Strong Construction

      Cons:

      Comments:

      I use this to double check my laser collimation and it works great. This is the only collimation tool you really need. However, the laser is more convenient (but not necessarily more accurate).

      Bottom Line: Would you recommend this item? No
      Was this review helpful? Yes / No

      This review was provided courtesy of AgenaAstro.com

    17. Guest

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      Review by Word-Up Jackson of Fullerton, CA.
      1365379200
      Apr 7, 2013

      4.0 Handy tool!

      Pros:

      Strong Construction,Accurate,Easy to Use

      Cons:

      Comments:

      The combination Cheshire/Sight tube is a geat tool for aligning your mirrors.
      Fair price too!

      Bottom Line: Would you recommend this item? Yes
      Was this review helpful? Yes / No

      This review was provided courtesy of AgenaAstro.com

    18. Guest

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      Review by The Curiosity of Korea, Republic of.
      1365292800
      Apr 6, 2013

      4.0 Reasonably priced

      Pros:

      Easy to Use

      Cons:

      Needs Some Finish

      Comments:

      It is no doubt that the guys who buy this will have full knowledge of how to use this.
      But, I felt emptiness when I opened the box because there was nothing in it except the eyepiece.
      The product itself is good with robust construction, but a little bit heavy.

      Bottom Line: Would you recommend this item? Yes
      Was this review helpful? Yes / No

      This review was provided courtesy of AgenaAstro.com

    19. Guest

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      Review by Eric of Manchester, TN.
      1360627200
      Feb 11, 2013

      5.0 A very good collimator.

      Pros:

      Easy to Use,Accurate,Strong Construction

      Cons:

      No Manual Was Included

      Comments:

      This product can work in daylight or with a flashlight at night. It will collimate as well as an inexpensive laser collaminator. While no manual was included you can get general instructions for collimating off of the internet.

      Bottom Line: Would you recommend this item? Yes
      Was this review helpful? Yes / No

      This review was provided courtesy of AgenaAstro.com

    20. Guest

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      Review by precaud of Sunny New Mexico.
      1357603200
      Jan 7, 2013

      5.0 Essential tool

      Pros:

      Strong Construction,Accurate,Easy to Use

      Cons:

      Comments:

      If you have a Newtonian scope, you need one of these, especially for setting the secondary mirror geometry properly. A laser is only useful AFTER you have collimated with a tool like this.

      FYI this unit works fine with up to 10" dobs. Ones bigger than that might be a problem, due to their larger secondary mirror.

      Bottom Line: Would you recommend this item? Yes
      Was this review helpful? Yes / No

      This review was provided courtesy of AgenaAstro.com

    21. Guest

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      Review by Nick of Ames, IA.
      1354320000
      Nov 30, 2012

      5.0 Reliable, Inexpensive Way to Collimate

      Pros:

      Easy to Use,Accurate,Strong Construction

      Cons:

      Comments:

      Cheshires are a great way to easily collimate your telescope without the hassle of messing with batteries on a laser collimator. This one is cheap, very sturdy and easy to use. Comes with caps for both ends and even has an eye guard - something you don't always see with Cheshires. Compared to some other name-brand products, this performs exactly the same function at a lower price.

      Bottom Line: Would you recommend this item? Yes
      Was this review helpful? Yes / No

      This review was provided courtesy of AgenaAstro.com

    22. Guest

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      Review by Murry Prankster of Akron, Ohio.
      1348617600
      Sep 25, 2012

      5.0 A Must Have for Newtonian Owners

      Pros:

      Strong Construction,Accurate

      Cons:

      Comments:

      My favorite device for aligning the mirrors in a Newtonian reflector. Best and quickest results when two people work together. One person using the eyepiece and one turning the screws. I have used the device alone and achieved the same results but it takes longer. Can be used in the field with the aid of a flashlight as well, but generally I spot check with a laser after the initial collimation has been done.

      Bottom Line: Would you recommend this item? Yes
      Was this review helpful? Yes / No

      This review was provided courtesy of AgenaAstro.com

    23. Guest

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      Review by Duke II of Montreal, QC, CA.
      1341014400
      Jun 29, 2012

      5.0 I would buy this product again

      Pros:

      Strong Construction,Good value,Easy to Use,Accurate

      Cons:

      Comments:

      Perfect basic equipment for the collimation of a Newtonian telescope. Easy to use.

      Bottom Line: Would you recommend this item? Yes
      Was this review helpful? Yes / No

      This review was provided courtesy of AgenaAstro.com

    24. Guest

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      Review by dpa10 of Nrew Hampshire.
      1324944000
      Dec 26, 2011

      5.0 Outstanding customer service

      Pros:

      No

      Cons:

      No

      Comments:

      I appreciated the quick replacement on a laser collimator I purchased from you.
      I added the cheshire as a result. Upgraded me to a better laser collimator and I purchased the above item during that exchange. Thanks again!!!!
      Both items are doing the job.

      Bottom Line: Would you recommend this item? Yes
      Was this review helpful? Yes / No

      This review was provided courtesy of AgenaAstro.com

    25. Guest

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      Review by Rasalhague of Adana, TURKEY.
      1324598400
      Dec 22, 2011

      5.0 A crucial asist to collimating

      Pros:

      Easy to Use,Strong Construction,Accurate,Compact

      Cons:

      Comments:

      Following a short period of trial and error with Agena Cheshire collimating eyepiece on my new 10" f/3.9 Newtonian astrograph I managed to achieve perfect star tests and images, and my dilemma for having not decided on a laser device subsided completely.

      Bottom Line: Would you recommend this item? No
      Was this review helpful? Yes / No

      This review was provided courtesy of AgenaAstro.com

    26. Guest

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      Review by TheSaint of Belo Horizonte - Brazil.
      1320019200
      Oct 30, 2011

      5.0 Great product for the price

      Pros:

      Accurate,Easy to Use,Strong Construction,Lightweight

      Cons:

      Comments:

      This is a very accurate piece and has an affordable price.

      Bottom Line: Would you recommend this item? Yes
      Was this review helpful? Yes / No

      This review was provided courtesy of AgenaAstro.com

    27. Guest

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      Review by AO of Coslada (Madrid) Spain.
      1319846400
      Oct 28, 2011

      4.0 Easy to use and fast

      Pros:

      Strong Construction

      Cons:

      Comments:

      It is an article with a low price but good quality for the function you have. It is easy to collimate a telescope a few minutes in a perfect newton. Accuracy and good price.

      Bottom Line: Would you recommend this item? Yes
      Was this review helpful? Yes / No

      This review was provided courtesy of AgenaAstro.com

    28. Guest

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      Review by Robert of Cedar Park, TX.
      1307145600
      Jun 3, 2011

      5.0 Very Useful, Accurate and Well Built

      Pros:

      Strong Construction

      Cons:

      Comments:

      In comparison to other alignment (collimating) methods, I prefer using this. It's simple, fast, and won't ever fail due to dead batteries.

      Bottom Line: Would you recommend this item? Yes
      Was this review helpful? Yes / No

      This review was provided courtesy of AgenaAstro.com

    29. Guest

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      Review by The WW1 Flying Ace of Sacramento, CA.
      1306627200
      May 28, 2011

      4.0 A tool for all steps of collimation.

      Pros:

      Comprehensive,Strong Construction,Accurate

      Cons:

      Comments:

      This single tool allows for complete collimation of a newtonian reflector.

      It easily allows you to:
      1) Center and round the secondary under the focuser.
      2) Align the secondary so the focuser axis is aiming directly at the primary center spot.
      3) Adjust the primary so the primary optical axis and focuser axis coincide.

      Bottom Line: Would you recommend this item? Yes
      Was this review helpful? Yes / No

      This review was provided courtesy of AgenaAstro.com

    30. Guest

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      Review by Ben of Texas.
      1294012800
      Jan 2, 2011

      5.0 Collimation made easy

      Pros:

      Accurate

      Cons:

      Comments:

      This is an easy to use tool that is accurate and very well built. This make collimaton much easier

      Bottom Line: Would you recommend this item? Yes
      Was this review helpful? Yes / No

      This review was provided courtesy of AgenaAstro.com

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