Stop Hunting for the Universe and Let It Come to You: The Bresser Messier AR-102 GoTo

• Your Personal Cosmic GPS: The advanced Bresser Messier AR 102 GoTo system puts a database of over 100,000 galaxies, nebulae, and star clusters at your fingertips. Finding celestial objects is now as easy as selecting a destination.
• Bright, Wide-Field Optics: The 102mm (4-inch) short-tube refractor is a light-gathering powerhouse, perfect for delivering bright, expansive views of deep-sky treasures like the Orion Nebula and the Andromeda Galaxy.
• Rock-Solid Tracking Platform: The heavy-duty EXOS-2 equatorial mount provides an incredibly stable foundation, capable of holding up to 13kg, ensuring vibration-free views and precise, automated tracking for astrophotography.
• Superior Focusing with Hexafoc: Equipped with the advanced 2.5-inch Hexafoc focuser, you’ll experience exceptionally smooth, precise focusing with zero image shift—a critical advantage for both visual observers and imagers.
• A System Designed to Grow: The Bresser Messier line is renowned for its expandability. This isn’t just a first telescope; it’s the foundation of an observing system that can grow with your skills and ambitions for years to come.
• Astrophotography Ready, Right Out of the Box: With its stable GoTo mount, included polar scope for precise alignment, and robust focuser, this Bresser Messier AR 102 GoTo system is perfectly equipped for you to begin capturing your own stunning images of the Universe.

Achromatic Refractors

Achromats represent the classic, popular, modern lens telescope design. An achromat consists of not one, but two, objective lenses, usually made of crown glass and flint glass, which have the effect of a positive and a negative lens. The Bresser Messier AR-102 GoTo refractor telescope has such an achromatic objective lens.

There is a moment of truth that every aspiring astronomer faces. It comes after the initial excitement of setting up a new telescope. You’ve seen the Moon, and it was incredible. You’ve found Jupiter, a shining beacon in the night. But now, you point your telescope towards the seemingly empty blackness between the bright stars, hunting for something more. You’re looking for the Andromeda Galaxy, M31. Your star chart says it should be right… there.

You spend ten minutes scanning the area. Twenty minutes. An hour. All you see is a sea of identical-looking stars. Frustration begins to creep in, slowly eclipsing your enthusiasm. The vast, beautiful Universe has suddenly become an intimidating, confusing, and demoralizing labyrinth.

This is the great filter of amateur astronomy. It’s the frustrating, time-consuming, and often fruitless search for objects that weeds out countless passionate beginners. You spend 90% of your precious time under a clear sky searching, and only 10% actually observing. You might get lucky and stumble upon a faint, fuzzy patch, but you’re not even sure if it’s the right one. You start to doubt your abilities. You wonder if you have the patience for this hobby.

You see breathtaking photos online and feel a pang of disappointment, knowing that those objects are effectively locked away from you, hidden in a cosmic game of hide-and-seek that you feel you can’t win. The promise of exploring nebulae 1,500 light-years away feels like a cruel joke when you can’t even find a star cluster in your own galactic backyard. Your telescope, once a symbol of infinite possibility, starts to feel like a monument to your frustration, and the call of the cosmos begins to fade into a silent, star-filled void.

Imagine a completely different reality. Imagine stepping outside on a clear night, performing a simple 10-minute alignment procedure, and then having the entire Universe on demand. Imagine scrolling through a list of celestial wonders on a hand controller—galaxies, double stars, nebulae, planets—selecting “Whirlpool Galaxy,” and then watching in amazement as your telescope silently slews across the sky, stopping precisely on a target 23 million light-years away. This isn’t science fiction. This is the revolutionary power of the Bresser Messier AR-102S with the EXOS-2 GoTo system. We have eliminated the single greatest barrier to enjoying amateur astronomy, transforming you from a frustrated hunter into a seasoned explorer overnight.

The brain of this system is the Startracker GoTo controller. Its database is pre-loaded with over 100,000 celestial objects, a celestial library so vast it would take multiple lifetimes to explore fully. It does more than just find objects; it understands the sky. Once aligned, it will track your chosen object with incredible precision, keeping it perfectly centered in your eyepiece as the Earth rotates. This means you can relax and study the intricate details of Jupiter’s Great Red Spot or the faint, glowing heart of the Orion Nebula for as long as you like, without constantly nudging your telescope.

This system enables even beginners to locate and observe celestial objects that would otherwise be extremely difficult—or nearly impossible—to find manually. With the press of a button, the GoTo system automatically slews the telescope to the chosen target—be it a planet, nebula, or galaxy—and maintains precise tracking. Its extensive database allows observers to explore the night sky without lengthy searches and makes it possible to photograph faint deep-sky objects that cannot be located using traditional star-hopping methods.

This intelligent system rests upon the brawn of the EXOS-2 mount. This is no lightweight, wobbly platform. It is a robust, German equatorial mount made of steel, featuring high-quality bearings and a massive 13kg payload capacity. It provides the unshakable stability required for clear, high-magnification views and the precision tracking essential for astrophotography. Paired with the bright, wide-field optics of the Bresser Messier AR 102 GoTo refractor, this system doesn’t just change the game—it creates a whole new one, where your time is spent in awe, not in frustration.

Let’s move beyond the technical jargon and talk about the incredible experiences this system is engineered to deliver. Every feature of the Bresser Messier AR-102 GoTo is designed to maximize your enjoyment and accelerate your journey into the cosmos.

The 100,000-object GoTo database isn’t just a feature; it’s the end of “What can I see tonight?” guesswork. It is the freedom to go on a “Grand Tour” of the Virgo Galaxy Cluster, hopping from one island Universe to the next with the push of a button. It is the confidence to hunt down obscure planetary nebulae or faint comets that would be nearly impossible to find manually. This benefit means you will see more in a single night than most manual observers see in a month, dramatically accelerating your learning and deepening your appreciation for the celestial menagerie above.

The heavy-duty EXOS-2 equatorial mount isn’t just a piece of hardware; it’s your rock-solid foundation for discovery. It’s the benefit of being able to focus your telescope without the view bouncing and shaking for ten seconds. It’s the stability that allows the Bresser Messier AR 102 GoTo system to place objects in the center of your eyepiece with pinpoint accuracy, time and time again. For astrophotography, this stability is non-negotiable. It means your long exposures will be sharp and your stars will be round, providing the raw data you need to create breathtaking images.

The mount offers a substantial load capacity (up to 13 kg for visual use and 10 kg for photographic applications) and ensures accurate tracking, making it well-suited for extended observing sessions as well as long-exposure imaging. Precision is enhanced by the use of double radial ball bearings, while the optimized right ascension axis minimizes mechanical play. The solid, precisely engineered construction of the mount provides a reliable foundation, facilitating an accessible entry point into astrophotography. Additionally, a dual-axis motor drive can be installed to further improve tracking performance.

Included with the system:

• A robust equatorial mount

• Matching counterweight

• Heavy-duty steel tripod with three legs

The 2.5-inch Hexafoc focuser is not just a tube holder; it’s your connection to a perfectly sharp Universe. Its hexagonal, large-diameter design prevents the flex and image-shift that plague smaller, inferior focusers. This means that when you turn the knob, the image comes to a crisp, clean focus without wobbling or drifting. This precision is a luxury for visual observing, but it is an absolute necessity for astrophotography, where a stable focal plane is critical for sharp stars. The Bresser Messier AR 102 GoTo allows this.

The included polar alignment scope isn’t just a bonus accessory; it’s your shortcut to precision. A good polar alignment is the bedrock of accurate GoTo performance and tracking. Having this tool included means you can achieve a far more accurate alignment in a fraction of the time, ensuring your Bresser Messier AR 102 GoTo slews are perfect and your automated tracking is flawless all night long. It’s a professional feature that Bresser provides as standard, demonstrating a commitment to your success from night one.

For decades, the traditional company Bresser has been a pillar of the European astronomy community. The Messier line was created with a specific vision: to provide high-quality, expandable telescope systems for ambitious beginners at an excellent price-performance ratio. When you choose a Bresser Messier telescope, you are not just buying a product; you are investing in a proven platform from a company with a legacy of quality. This is the system of choice for observers who know they want more than a basic introductory scope. It is for those who want a powerful, reliable instrument that will not only provide “wow” moments on the first night but will also serve as a capable and expandable platform for years of advancing skill and discovery.

A perfectly clear, dark night is a rare and precious gift. Don’t waste another one being lost and frustrated. With the Bresser Messier AR 102 GoTo, you can transform every clear night into an epic, guided tour of the Universe’s greatest hits. Click below to stop searching and start observing.

Is a GoTo system complicated for a beginner to set up? While there is a learning curve, it’s much simpler than you might think! The system guides you through a simple alignment process (e.g., pointing the telescope at 2 or 3 bright stars). Most users are up and running in about 10-15 minutes on their first night. It’s far easier than learning to navigate the sky with star charts.

What if I don’t know what to look at? The hand controller has a “Tour” function! You can select a “Tonight’s Best” tour, and the telescope will automatically take you on a guided journey of the most spectacular objects visible on that specific night.

How accurate is the GoTo? Will it find the objects perfectly? With a good polar alignment (made easy by the included polar scope), the accuracy is excellent. It will typically place your chosen object right in the field of view of the included low-power 26mm eyepiece.

What is the advantage of the EXOS-2 mount over simpler mounts? Stability and tracking. Its heavy-duty steel construction means it’s incredibly stable, which is vital for clear views. As an equatorial mount, it can track celestial objects with just the rotation of one axis, which is much more precise and essential for astrophotography.

Can I really do astrophotography with this Bresser Messier AR 102 GoTo telescope? Absolutely. This is an ideal starter platform. The GoTo system finds and tracks your target, the mount is stable, and the focuser is robust. You can start by attaching a DSLR camera and progress to more advanced techniques, as the mount even includes an autoguider port.

What kind of power source does it need? The Bresser Messier AR 102 GoTo system runs on D-cell batteries, which you can place in a battery pack. For more permanent or extended use, it’s highly recommended to use an external 12V DC power supply, like a portable Power Tank (sold separately).

See this page for more recommended refractor telescopes. These include really good beginner refractors as well as refractors for advanced astronomers, such as the impressive 7-inch TecnoSky 7-inch Apochromatic Optical Tube Assembly.