{"product_id":"farpoint-2-inch-super-collimation-kit","title":"Farpoint 2\" Super Collimation Kit — Laser, Cheshire, Autocollimator + Case","description":"\u003ch3\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eProduct Overview\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe Farpoint 2\" Super Collimation Kit is the three-tool set, assembled for the highest precision Farpoint's tools reach. It combines the Farpoint 650 nm laser collimator with its 1.25\"\/2\" combo stepped barrel, a 2\" Farpoint Cheshire collimation eyepiece, and a 2\" Farpoint autocollimator, in a sturdy carrying case with a fitted foam insert.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eEach tool covers a different stage: the laser sets the focuser axis and the secondary, the Cheshire aligns the primary precisely, and the autocollimator refines what is left by stacking multiple reflections. A mirror center-marking template with triangle center spots is included. All three tools are precision-machined in the USA, and the laser and autocollimator carry a lifetime alignment guarantee.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003ch3\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eWho It's For\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThis is a good match if you own a Newtonian or Dobsonian reflector with a 2\" focuser and the alignment matters to the last fraction — a fast Newtonian astrograph where coma-free field is thin, a large Dob whose planetary performance rewards precise collimation, or an imaging rig where corner star shape is the visible measure of how square the primary is. It is also the sensible single purchase if you already know you want all three tools rather than adding an autocollimator to a two-tool kit later.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003ch3\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eKey Features \u0026amp; Design\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eFarpoint 650 nm laser collimator:\u003c\/strong\u003e single-piece machined body, eight-screw alignment system holding both ends of the diode, and a 0.76 mm beam aperture — the smallest Farpoint publishes for any collimator on the market.\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003e1.25\"\/2\" combo stepped barrel on the laser:\u003c\/strong\u003e fits either drawtube size.\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eFarpoint 2\" Cheshire eyepiece:\u003c\/strong\u003e reflective-pane design in the CATSEYE™ BlackCat style, without crosshairs, and with no batteries or electronics.\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eFarpoint 2\" autocollimator:\u003c\/strong\u003e precision-machined to optical-grade tolerances; Farpoint reports it as rated the finest on the market by their customers.\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eMirror center-marking template and triangle center spots:\u003c\/strong\u003e covers mirrors up to 12.5\".\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eSturdy carrying case with fitted foam insert:\u003c\/strong\u003e a cutout for each tool, so nothing shifts in transport.\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eLifetime alignment guarantee on the laser and the autocollimator\u003c\/strong\u003e, with USA manufacture throughout.\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003c\/ul\u003e\n\n\u003ch3\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eHow the Three Tools Divide the Work\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eEach tool resolves a different magnitude of error, which is why the set is a sequence rather than three ways of doing the same thing. The laser projects a beam along the focuser axis and answers the geometric question first: is the secondary centred under the focuser and correctly tilted. That is fast, it works in full darkness, and it gets the primary roughly there as well.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe Cheshire then takes over on the primary. Its reflective pane illuminates the optical path and gives you a wide, evenly lit field in which the primary's centre mark and the reflected apertures can be brought together far more finely than a bright dot on a target allows.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe autocollimator is the last step, and it works on a different principle again. Its flat mirror returns the light back through the system so you see several superimposed reflections at once. Any residual misalignment is multiplied across that stack, so an error too small to see through a Cheshire separates into visibly offset images. Alignment then proceeds iteratively — a small adjustment, another look — until the reflections stack concentrically. This is the stage that distinguishes a well-collimated scope from an exactly collimated one.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003ch3\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eRecommended Uses\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003ePrecise collimation of fast Newtonians:\u003c\/strong\u003e at f\/4 to f\/5 the tolerance for primary tilt is tight, and the autocollimator is what keeps you inside it.\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eDeep-sky imaging:\u003c\/strong\u003e corner star shape across an APS-C or larger sensor is the most unforgiving test of alignment there is.\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eHigh-resolution planetary and lunar observing:\u003c\/strong\u003e where the last of the on-axis performance depends on the primary being exactly square.\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eLarge Dobsonians:\u003c\/strong\u003e longer tubes and heavier mirrors move more between sessions, so a full three-tool pass earns its time.\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eAfter transport or reassembly:\u003c\/strong\u003e laser for the fast check, Cheshire and autocollimator when you are set up for the night.\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003c\/ul\u003e\n\n\u003ch3\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eCompatibility and Accessory Notes\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eFocuser fit:\u003c\/strong\u003e the Cheshire and autocollimator are 2\" and need a 2\" focuser drawtube. The laser's combo barrel steps to fit 1.25\" or 2\".\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003e1.25\" focusers:\u003c\/strong\u003e the 2\" Cheshire and autocollimator will not seat in a 1.25\" drawtube. The Farpoint 1.25\" Collimation Kit is the equivalent two-tool set for those scopes.\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eTelescope types:\u003c\/strong\u003e Newtonian and Dobsonian reflectors with 2\" focusers. Not for SCTs, Maksutovs, refractors or other catadioptric designs.\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eMirror center mark required:\u003c\/strong\u003e all three tools align to a mark on the primary. The supplied template covers mirrors up to 12.5\".\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eMirrors over 12.5\":\u003c\/strong\u003e the LARGE center-marking template covers 12\" to 26\" and is sold separately.\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eAutocollimator and centre-mark quality:\u003c\/strong\u003e because the autocollimator multiplies residual error across several reflections, it also makes a sloppily placed centre mark visible. A carefully applied triangle spot is worth the extra minute.\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003c\/ul\u003e\n\n\u003ch3\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eGood to Know Before You Order\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eTwo of the three tools are 2\".\u003c\/strong\u003e This kit is sized for 2\" focusers; if your drawtube is 1.25\", the Farpoint 1.25\" Collimation Kit is the right set and we carry it.\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eReflectors only.\u003c\/strong\u003e All three tools are built for Newtonian and Dobsonian optics. For a refractor, SCT or Maksutov, get in touch and we will point you at the right approach.\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eYour primary needs a center mark.\u003c\/strong\u003e The template and spots are in the box, and it is a one-time job — worth doing carefully, since the autocollimator will show how well it was placed.\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eThe supplied template fits mirrors up to 12.5\".\u003c\/strong\u003e Larger mirrors take the LARGE template, which we also stock.\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eThe autocollimator is an iterative tool.\u003c\/strong\u003e It reveals small errors rather than removing them in one pass, so a full three-tool session takes longer than a laser check. Most people run the laser alone between sessions and the full sequence occasionally.\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eIt includes a laser.\u003c\/strong\u003e The beam is bright by design, and the usual care about not looking into it applies.\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003c\/ul\u003e\n\n\u003ch3\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eFrequently Asked Questions\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eIs it difficult to set up?\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eEach tool drops into the focuser like an eyepiece, so the mechanics are simple. The autocollimator is the one that takes practice — reading a stack of superimposed reflections is a skill that arrives after a few sessions rather than on the first night. Farpoint publishes collimation guides and reference PDFs that walk through the sequence, and the laser and Cheshire stages are straightforward from the start. The one preparatory step is marking the centre of the primary, and the template and spots for that are supplied.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eWhat does the autocollimator add over a laser and Cheshire?\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eResolution. It returns the light back through the system so you see several superimposed reflections at once, and any residual error is multiplied across that stack. A misalignment too small to read through a Cheshire separates into visibly offset images, which is what lets you iterate down to an exact result.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eDo I need all three tools?\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eNot for every scope. For casual visual observing a laser alone covers it, and a laser plus Cheshire is enough for most imaging. The autocollimator earns its place on fast Newtonians, on large Dobsonians, and where you are chasing the last of the on-axis or corner performance.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eWill this fit my telescope?\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eIf your Newtonian or Dobsonian has a 2\" focuser, yes. If it has a 1.25\" focuser, the 2\" Cheshire and autocollimator will not seat — order the Farpoint 1.25\" Collimation Kit instead. Send us the make and model if you are not sure and we will confirm it.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eDoes the Cheshire or autocollimator need batteries?\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eNeither does. Both work on reflected light, with no electronics to fail in the cold. Only the laser is powered.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eHow is this different from the standard 2\" Collimation Kit?\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eSame laser and same 2\" Cheshire, with a 2\" Farpoint autocollimator added and a case sized for three tools. If you already own the two-tool kit, the difference is the autocollimator.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003ch3\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eBottom Line\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eIn short: a USA-made 650 nm laser, a 2\" reflective-pane Cheshire and a 2\" autocollimator in one fitted case — the full sequence for Newtonian and Dobsonian collimation on scopes with 2\" focusers. It needs a centre-marked primary, the template is included, and the autocollimator is the stage that turns good alignment into exact alignment.\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Farpoint","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":54271565004911,"sku":"FP218","price":597.99,"currency_code":"CAD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0686\/0049\/6239\/files\/Product-Shot-New-Case-FP218.jpg?v=1789136719","url":"https:\/\/ontariotelescope.com\/products\/farpoint-2-inch-super-collimation-kit","provider":"Ontario Telescope and Accessories","version":"1.0","type":"link"}