Cassegrains

This modern design uses both mirrors and lenses and is just as versatile as a refractor but has the light-gathering capabilities and magnifying power of a reflector. The corrector plate in front of the mirror ensures that images are clear and sharp. The compact tube length makes smaller Cassegrains a great portable setup. Cassegrains are a great all-rounder and make for excellent visual observing and astrophotography. While more expensive than Newtonian reflectors, they give a sharper image with less distortion. Their combination of a large aperture and very long focal length makes it especially good for planetary photography.