Other Sellers on Amazon
85% positive over last 12 months
- 2 VIDEOS
Image Unavailable
Color:
-
-
-
- To view this video download Flash Player
Celestron - AstroMaster 130EQ Newtonian Telescope - Reflector Telescope for Beginners - Fully-Coated Glass Optics - Adjustable-Height Tripod - Bonus Astronomy Software Package
Return this item for free
Free returns are available for the shipping address you chose. You can return the item for any reason in new and unused condition: no shipping charges
Learn more about free returns.- Go to your orders and start the return
- Select the return method
- Ship it!
Purchase options and add-ons
Brand | Celestron |
Optical Tube Length | 70 Millimeters |
Eye Piece Lens Description | Plossl |
Objective Lens Diameter | 130 Millimeters |
Telescope Mount Description | Equatorial Mount |
Product Dimensions | 35"D x 19"W x 12"H |
Focus Type | Manual Focus |
Finderscope | Reflex |
Item Weight | 26.5 Pounds |
Number of Batteries | 1 Lithium Metal batteries required. (included) |
About this item
- Celestron 31045 TELESCOPE ASTROMASTER 130EQ (31045)
- Celestron 31045
Frequently bought together
Similar items that may deliver to you quickly
- Celestron - AstroMaster 114EQ Newtonian Telescope - Reflector Telescope for Beginners - Fully-Coated Glass Optics - Adjustable-Height Tripod - Bonus Astronomy Software PackageFREE Shipping by AmazonGet it as soon as Tuesday, Apr 2
- Celestron - AstroMaster 90EQ Refractor Telescope - Refractor Telescope for Beginners - Fully-Coated Glass Optics - Adjustable-Height Tripod - Bonus Astronomy Software PackageAmazon's Choicein Telescope RefractorsFREE Shipping by AmazonGet it as soon as Tuesday, Apr 2Only 17 left in stock (more on the way).
- Celestron - 114LCM Computerized Newtonian Telescope - Telescopes for Beginners - 2 Eyepieces - Full-Height Tripod - Motorized Altazimuth Mount - Large 114mm Newtonian ReflectorAmazon's Choicein Telescope ReflectorsFREE Shipping by AmazonGet it as soon as Tuesday, Apr 2
- Celestron - AstroMaster 130EQ-MD Newtonian Telescope - Reflector Telescope for Beginners - Fully-Coated Glass Optics - Adjustable-Height Tripod - Bonus Astronomy Software PackageFREE Shipping by AmazonGet it as soon as Tuesday, Apr 2
- Celestron - NexStar 130SLT Computerized Telescope - Compact and Portable - Newtonian Reflector Optical Design - SkyAlign Technology - Computerized Hand Control - 130mm ApertureFREE Shipping by AmazonGet it as soon as Tuesday, Apr 2
From the manufacturer
AstroMaster 130EQ Newtonian Telescope
A favorite first telescope for beginners, the AstroMaster 130EQ Newtonian reflector offers sharp, detailed views of Saturn’s rings, Jupiter’s moons, and more. It’s the easiest way to discover the night sky.
-
Manual Equatorial Mount
As Earth rotates, celestial objects appear to drift across the night sky. The EQ mount helps you track objects smoothly by turning the knobs. It’s easy to keep your target centered in the eyepiece.
-
Portability
Grab and go! This compact, lightweight telescope is your perfect companion for star parties, camping trips, and impromptu backyard observing sessions.
-
Objects to Observe
The Universe is yours to explore! Discover the Moon and planets plus all the best deep sky objects like the Orion Nebula, the Andromeda Galaxy, the Pleiades Open Star Cluster, and more.
-
Celestron is Here for You
Astronomy can be intimidating, but Celestron is here to help. As the premier telescope brand since 1960, we offer free US-based tech support & how-to videos, so you can enjoy stargazing hassle-free.
Better Viewing
Includes everything you need to get started with astronomy: two 1.25” eyepieces (20mm and 10mm), StarPointer red dot finderscope, and free Starry Night astronomy software.
Compare these telescopes
AstroMaster 130 EQ
Add to Cart
| AstroMaster 90 EQ
Add to Cart
| AstroMaster 76 EQ | AstroMaster 70 EQ
Add to Cart
| AstroMaster 114 EQ
Add to Cart
| AstroMaster 130 EQ-MD
Add to Cart
| |
Customer Reviews
|
4.3 out of 5 stars
1,851
|
4.2 out of 5 stars
268
|
4.3 out of 5 stars
1,851
|
4.2 out of 5 stars
268
|
4.3 out of 5 stars
1,851
|
4.3 out of 5 stars
4,756
|
Optical Design
| Newtonian Reflector | Refractor | Newtonian Reflector | Refractor | Newtonian Reflector | Newtonian Reflector |
Aperture
| 114 mm (4.48”) | 90 mm (3.54”) | 76 mm (3”) | 70 mm (2.75") | 114 mm (4.48”) | 130 mm (5.11”) |
Focal Length
| 1000 mm (39.37”) | 1000 mm (39.37”) | 700 mm (27.56”) | 900 mm (35.43”) | 1000 mm (39.37”) | 650 mm (25.6”) |
Focal Ratio
| f/8.7 | f/11 | f/9.2 | f/13 | f/8.7 | f/5 |
Magnification
| 50x, 100x | 50x, 100x | 35x, 70x | 45x, 90x | 50x, 100x | 33x, 65x |
Limiting Magnitude
| 12.8 | 12.3 | 11.9 | 11.7 | 12.8 | 13.1 |
Lowest Magnification
| 16x | 13x | 11x | 10x | 16x | 19x |
Highest Magnification
| 269x | 213x | 180x | 165x | 269x | 307x |
Total Weight
| 17 lbs | 27 lbs | 16 lbs | 18 lbs | 17 lbs | 28 lbs |
Videos
Videos for this product
0:51
Click to play video
GREAT Telescope for Space - 10/10
✅ Roman's Favorite Products
Videos for this product
1:19
Click to play video
AstroMaster EQ Telescopes
Merchant Video
Videos for this product
0:35
Click to play video
Customer Review: Awesome telescope!! Fairly easy to use.
Kidus
Compare with similar items
This Item Celestron - AstroMaster 130EQ Newtonian Telescope - Reflector Telescope for Beginners - Fully-Coated Glass Optics - Adjustable-Height Tripod - Bonus Astronomy Software Package | Recommendations | dummy | dummy | dummy | dummy | |
Try again! Added to Cart Add to Cart | Try again! Added to Cart Add to Cart | Try again! Added to Cart Add to Cart | Try again! Added to Cart Add to Cart | Try again! Added to Cart Add to Cart | Try again! Added to Cart Add to Cart | |
Price | -15% $299.00$299.00 List: $349.95 | $349.99$349.99 | $289.99$289.99 | $309.99$309.99 | $229.99$229.99 | -22% $249.95$249.95 List: $319.95 |
Delivery | Get it as soon as Tuesday, Apr 2 | Get it as soon as Tuesday, Apr 2 | Get it as soon as Thursday, Apr 4 | Get it as soon as Tuesday, Apr 2 | — | Get it as soon as Tuesday, Apr 2 |
Customer Ratings | ||||||
Easy to assemble | 3.8 | 5.0 | 3.6 | 3.6 | — | 3.9 |
For beginners | 3.6 | 3.7 | 3.4 | 3.4 | — | 3.8 |
Sold By | Amazon.com | Dianfan-US | skyoptikst | skyoptikst | Orion Telescopes & Binoculars | Amazon.com |
focus type | Manual Focus | Manual Focus | Manual Focus | Manual Focus | Manual Focus | Manual Focus |
eye piece lens | Plossl | Plossl | 1 x PL25mm Eyepiece,1 x PL6.5mm Eyepiece | Plossl | Plossl | Plossl |
objective lens diameter | 130 millimeters | 150 millimeters | 150 millimeters | 150 millimeters | 114 millimeters | 114 millimeters |
aperture diameter | — | — | 150 millimeters millimeters | — | 114 millimeters millimeters | 114 millimeters millimeters |
telescope mount | Equatorial Mount | Equatorial Mount | Equatorial Mount | Equatorial Mount | Equatorial Mount | Equatorial Mount |
lens coating | Aluminum;Silicon Dioxide | Fully Coated | Fully Coated | Full multi-layer aluminum film | Aluminum & Silicon Dioxide | Aluminum;Silicon Dioxide |
power source | — | Battery Powered | Adapter | Adapter | — | — |
finderscope | Reflex | Reflex | Reflex | 6x30 | Reflex | Reflex |
optical tube length | 70 millimeters | — | — | — | 18.4 inches | 70 millimeters |
What's in the box
Looking for specific info?
Product information
Product Dimensions | 35 x 19 x 12 inches |
---|---|
Item Weight | 26.5 pounds |
ASIN | B000MLL6RS |
Item model number | 31045 |
Batteries | 1 Lithium Metal batteries required. (included) |
Customer Reviews |
4.3 out of 5 stars |
Best Sellers Rank | #129 in Camera & Photo Products (See Top 100 in Camera & Photo Products) #3 in Telescope Reflectors |
Is Discontinued By Manufacturer | No |
Date First Available | February 24, 2007 |
Department | Kids |
Manufacturer | Celestron |
Country of Origin | China |
Warranty & Support
Feedback
Product Description
For amateur stargazers, getting adjusted to the complexity of most high-quality telescopes can be frustrating and lead quickly to a lack of interest. If you’d like to enjoy the outdoors and use a professionally-designed, dual-purpose telescope for astronomy beginners that is powerful and user-friendly, Celestron offers an exceptional option. The AstroMaster Series 130EQ Newtonian Telescope for adults or kids to be used together is a powerful yet user-friendly reflector telescope built with a lightweight frame and fully-coated glass optics. This telescope is powered by a fully-coated 130mm glass optic objective lens. It also features an AstroMaster German Equatorial manual mount that includes two easy-to-manipulate slow-motion control knobs that permit precision adjustments for viewing terrestrial and celestial objects in exceptional quality. We’ve included two eyepieces, a 20mm eyepiece that has a 45x magnification, and a 10mm eyepiece that can zoom up to 90x. This allows you to focus on distant objects with amazing clarity and perception. Celestron AstroMaster telescopes are designed with high-quality materials that provide crystal-clear and bright images of Saturn, Jupiter, and the Moon, along with galaxies and nebulae. You can also use this telescope for viewing land-based objects during daytime hours. The telescope is quick to set up and requires no tools. The kit includes a rugged, pre-assembled tripod with 1.25-inch steel tube legs, which provide a stable platform for hours of safe use. As a bonus, download our BONUS Starry Night Basic Edition astronomy software for interactive sky simulations that include a 36,000-object database. You can download printable sky maps, research thousands of celestial objects, and plan your next observing session. Buy with confidence from the world’s No.1 telescope brand, based in California since 1960.
Customer reviews
Customer Reviews, including Product Star Ratings help customers to learn more about the product and decide whether it is the right product for them.
To calculate the overall star rating and percentage breakdown by star, we don’t use a simple average. Instead, our system considers things like how recent a review is and if the reviewer bought the item on Amazon. It also analyzed reviews to verify trustworthiness.
Learn more how customers reviews work on AmazonCustomers say
Customers like the image quality and sharpness of the telescope. They say it produces nice imagery and provides great views. Customers are also satisfied with the value, saying it works well for the money. However, some customers have reported issues with the adjustability, saying the fine adjustment controls are inconsistent and the declination adjustment is stiff. They also dislike the stability. Customers have different opinions on ease of assembly, performance, and quality.
AI-generated from the text of customer reviews
Customers like the image quality of the telescope. They say it produces nice imagery, and the sharpness is excellent. They also say it provides great views, and that the optics are pretty sharp. Some customers also say that it's relatively easy to set up.
"...4. Optics. They seem pretty good. I get sharp points when viewing stars. I've found nebulae for myself for the first time with this scope...." Read more
"...PROS:- INCREDIBLE views of objects, great for very close planetary observations and very good at looking at Messier/deep space objects.-..." Read more
"...a few tests of this telescope and can comment to them that the image is excellent.The construction and the design is robust enough...." Read more
"...an amazing telescope, my friends and family are all impressed with the quality of photos I've taken with next to no experience...." Read more
Customers are satisfied with the value of the telescope. They mention that it works well for the money, is satisfying for what they wanted to do as a beginner, and is relatively cheap. Some are happy with the quality and price, and say that it's worth it for the tracking ability.
"...5. Overall you get good apeture and optics for the money, it's nice enough looking to leave set up in a corner...." Read more
"...beginners it's really not hard to use and I think it's worth it for the tracking ability...." Read more
"...Easy to assemble and useAffordableComes with two eyepieces and a star diagonal for a good range of magnification options..." Read more
"...Pros:1. Price: Very affordable, I got mine on sale for $213.2. Optics: Very good and clear for this price point.3...." Read more
Customers are mixed about the quality of the telescope. Some mention it's an amazing, cool looking scope, and impressive. The optics seem pretty good and give sharp points when viewing stars. However, others say that the included eyepieces may not be of the best quality, the manual may not have been written by an experienced astronomer, and the quality knobs may be cheap. This may result in bad optics at times.
"...4. Optics. They seem pretty good. I get sharp points when viewing stars. I've found nebulae for myself for the first time with this scope...." Read more
"...Once you learn how equatorial telescopes work, it's very easy to find targets and align the telescope, then follow targets with the fine tuners...." Read more
"...to use, it winds up being extremely difficult because it lacks the more expensive tools that were specifically designed to enhance the human ability..." Read more
"...The construction and the design is robust enough.Only I found two negative details of design...." Read more
Customers are mixed about the ease of assembly of the telescope. Some mention that it's easy to assemble and use, with clear directions. However, others say that it winds up being extremely difficult because it lacks the more expensive models. They mention that there is too much fussing and realigning required to enjoy the observation, and that collimating is very time-consuming.
"...Intuitive controls and easy set up make this a great backyard telescope for beginners...." Read more
"...and while trying to find something ultra-easy to use, it winds up being extremely difficult because it lacks the more expensive tools that were..." Read more
"...Assembly took a while, but was fairly straight forward, and the provided instructions were easy to understand...." Read more
"...It was faster and easier to understand than the written instructions." Read more
Customers are mixed about the performance of the telescope. Some mention that it works well, has good optics, and friendly functionality. They say the operation isn't that difficult and produces fantastic results. However, others say that it thoroughly stripped out and not working. They also say the tripod is useless and the drive that came with the telescope didn't work.
"...The tripod probably is the weakest link in the package. THe legs are steel, but of the shower curtain rod wieght, not electrical conduit weight...." Read more
"...for around the same price, this certainly seems to produce fantastic results...." Read more
"...to turn it on/adjust dot brightness is thoroughly stripped out and not working...sadly, the standard replacement starfinders are no better, this is..." Read more
"The mount arrived damaged as pictured. The finder scope did not work either, even with different batteries...." Read more
Customers are dissatisfied with the stability of the telescope. They mention that the focuser is wobbly, the tripod is not very stable, and the manual equatorial mount is ridiculously lacking in stability. The picture will shake like nothing else for a few moments when on the 10mm focal length. The cheap wobby tripod is the weak point and can ruin a beginner's experience. The knobs keep falling off in use.
"...fact that the cheap scope didn't weigh anything, it still would drift on the tripod... basically making it impossible to do anything except look at..." Read more
"...To a serious amature astronomer this thing is probably shakier than a Chihuahua at the north pole...." Read more
"...the visual parts of it work great, but anything the rotates/rolls just doesn't last...hence the drop to 4 stars on this)...." Read more
"...Cons: The picture will shake like nothing else for a few moments when on the 10mm focal length lens when trying to adust the telescope...." Read more
Customers are dissatisfied with the adjustability of the telescope. They mention that the fine adjustment controls on the mount are inconsistent, and the declination adjustment is stiff and would not track smoothly. The altitude adjustment is fairly rigid, and requires constant readjustment. Some say that the RA fine tuning adjuster knob is very tight, and that the knobs stop moving the telescope after a few turns. Overall, some customers are disappointed with the adaptability of this telescope.
"...My only real gripe is how smooth some of the controls are...." Read more
"...5. The focuser isn't centered on the telescope tube, and is non-adjustable, such that, after you collimate your telescope, you're only collimated..." Read more
"...holds it masterfully in position, but the real winner is the fine tuning knobs...." Read more
"...cheaply made: it has tight and loose spots, the fine adjustment knobs stop moving the telescope after a few turns and have fallen off a few times,..." Read more
Reviews with images
-
Top reviews
Top reviews from the United States
There was a problem filtering reviews right now. Please try again later.
As a person who never touched a telescope (except maybe in high school a thousand years ago) until I decided it was something I wanted to try out this year, I emphatically say YES! This is a great beginner scope.
Here's the problem with most people's definition of a "beginner" anything. They want it to be rock-bottom priced, and ultra-easy to use. The problem with this mentality, is that often you go so cheap that you wind up getting a product that does not really expose you to the prospective hobby, and while trying to find something ultra-easy to use, it winds up being extremely difficult because it lacks the more expensive tools that were specifically designed to enhance the human ability when performing certain tasks.... NET RESULT: You wind up putting the hobby down out of frustration without ever really trying it out.
I think the reality with getting into telescoping (is that a word?) is that you have to first decide that it is something you truly want to try, so that you don't go by a $74 telescope at W*****t (like I did) and expect to actually be introduced to this hobby.
So after trying the $74 failure I got this scope due to the (mostly) good reviews, and because of the brand name. Never being in the hobby myself, I still had heard of Celestron.
Many reviews showed broken parts. This wasn't the case for me. Everything was intact and assembly was relatively easy for a novice.
A few reviews said this was not a beginner telescope because you had to adjust the mirrors, which apparently was a very difficult task to do. I researched this requirement ahead of time, found that for just over $20 you can buy a laser collimator that allows you to do this adjustment in just a few minutes, and decided that wasn't too much to ask to have an opportunity to enjoy this hobby. P.S. when I got the telescope, I used the laser collimator just to find out that the mirrors were perfectly aligned and I didn't need to do any adjusting. But apparently mirror adjusting is inevitable with Newtonian telescopes, so I'll just keep the laser collimator in my kit bag.
Now about the beginner using this scope:
1. The red dot starfinder is a life saver! At first I thought you could just look through the starfinder, see what you wanted to look at, then see it in the telescope. NOPE! You really need that red dot to put the object into the site picture of the scope (especially on a low MM eyepiece). My only complaint might be that I couldn't perfectly adjust the red dot. When I first got the scope I focused in on a house way down the street, then tried to calibrate the red dot so that it was pefectly centered on the center of what I saw in the eyepiece... It was close, but wasn't perfect. HOWEVER. It is more than sufficient for my beginning level telescoping. With my $74 flunkee scope, I would use the cross hairs to try to align the scope to an object, yet even on a large MM eyepiece I could never find anything smaller than the moon! With this red dot starfinder, I have (easily) been able to align the telescope to both Jupiter and Saturn.
2. I may have started of with the starfinder, but the equitorial mount is probably the show winner with this thing. Not to keep referring to my $74 fail, but it is good to have a frame of reference when explaining why sometimes you have to make an investment even for entry-level equipment into a hobby. The $74 fail used a super cheap camera tripod. Problem with these tripods is they don't adjust at a fine enough level to make the small changes to put an object into the site picture. And, despite the fact that the cheap scope didn't weigh anything, it still would drift on the tripod... basically making it impossible to do anything except look at the moon. The Celestron is big and heavy, yet the EQ mount holds it masterfully in position, but the real winner is the fine tuning knobs. I didn't realize just how fast objects move in space (I mean.. I get it. The earth is spinning at 1000 mph, I just never put that together to mean objects move out of a telescope site picture QUICKLY). But with one hand on the fine tuning knob, I can follow the object for a reasonable amount of time to enjoy viewing it. NOTE: I recently bought a motor that I am suppposed to be able to connect to the knob, so that it can automatically hold the picture for me (again... spending more to get the right tools to enjoy the new hobby). Only complaint I have is that one knob seems to be able to adjust indefinitely while the other can only change maybe 20 degrees (10 in each direction) before it hits a stop. After additional study, I think this is because space objects only move in one direction, so if you properly polar align the scope, you should only need one knob to get the object where you want (left and right) and then not touch that again, then solely use the (up and down) knob to follow the object as it moves in the sky... but hey.. I'm new.. I'll learn to use this better too :-)
Other than that, the only thing left is the scope. Like I said, I've looked at Jupiter, Saturn, Moon. I can't really speak to the provided eyepieces. Understanding from my research about focal length, and deciding that as a beginner it would help if I had an adjustable eyepiece (so that I can start zoomed out, find the object easier, then zoom in), so I bypassed the provided eyepiece and went straight to a x2 barrow with an 8-24mm adjustable eyepiece. So far it's been great! Saturn is still a little small, so I'm going to see if I can go even smaller on MM and higher on barrow zoom to see if I can really clearly make out the rings.
....but do you see what Celestron did? They created a (relatively) affordable telescope that grabbed my interest in the hobby and now I am full on exploring new ways (EQ mount motors, higher zoom barrow, lower MM eyepieces) that I can explore the universe above!
Reviewed in the United States on January 17, 2024
As a person who never touched a telescope (except maybe in high school a thousand years ago) until I decided it was something I wanted to try out this year, I emphatically say YES! This is a great beginner scope.
Here's the problem with most people's definition of a "beginner" anything. They want it to be rock-bottom priced, and ultra-easy to use. The problem with this mentality, is that often you go so cheap that you wind up getting a product that does not really expose you to the prospective hobby, and while trying to find something ultra-easy to use, it winds up being extremely difficult because it lacks the more expensive tools that were specifically designed to enhance the human ability when performing certain tasks.... NET RESULT: You wind up putting the hobby down out of frustration without ever really trying it out.
I think the reality with getting into telescoping (is that a word?) is that you have to first decide that it is something you truly want to try, so that you don't go by a $74 telescope at W*****t (like I did) and expect to actually be introduced to this hobby.
So after trying the $74 failure I got this scope due to the (mostly) good reviews, and because of the brand name. Never being in the hobby myself, I still had heard of Celestron.
Many reviews showed broken parts. This wasn't the case for me. Everything was intact and assembly was relatively easy for a novice.
A few reviews said this was not a beginner telescope because you had to adjust the mirrors, which apparently was a very difficult task to do. I researched this requirement ahead of time, found that for just over $20 you can buy a laser collimator that allows you to do this adjustment in just a few minutes, and decided that wasn't too much to ask to have an opportunity to enjoy this hobby. P.S. when I got the telescope, I used the laser collimator just to find out that the mirrors were perfectly aligned and I didn't need to do any adjusting. But apparently mirror adjusting is inevitable with Newtonian telescopes, so I'll just keep the laser collimator in my kit bag.
Now about the beginner using this scope:
1. The red dot starfinder is a life saver! At first I thought you could just look through the starfinder, see what you wanted to look at, then see it in the telescope. NOPE! You really need that red dot to put the object into the site picture of the scope (especially on a low MM eyepiece). My only complaint might be that I couldn't perfectly adjust the red dot. When I first got the scope I focused in on a house way down the street, then tried to calibrate the red dot so that it was pefectly centered on the center of what I saw in the eyepiece... It was close, but wasn't perfect. HOWEVER. It is more than sufficient for my beginning level telescoping. With my $74 flunkee scope, I would use the cross hairs to try to align the scope to an object, yet even on a large MM eyepiece I could never find anything smaller than the moon! With this red dot starfinder, I have (easily) been able to align the telescope to both Jupiter and Saturn.
2. I may have started of with the starfinder, but the equitorial mount is probably the show winner with this thing. Not to keep referring to my $74 fail, but it is good to have a frame of reference when explaining why sometimes you have to make an investment even for entry-level equipment into a hobby. The $74 fail used a super cheap camera tripod. Problem with these tripods is they don't adjust at a fine enough level to make the small changes to put an object into the site picture. And, despite the fact that the cheap scope didn't weigh anything, it still would drift on the tripod... basically making it impossible to do anything except look at the moon. The Celestron is big and heavy, yet the EQ mount holds it masterfully in position, but the real winner is the fine tuning knobs. I didn't realize just how fast objects move in space (I mean.. I get it. The earth is spinning at 1000 mph, I just never put that together to mean objects move out of a telescope site picture QUICKLY). But with one hand on the fine tuning knob, I can follow the object for a reasonable amount of time to enjoy viewing it. NOTE: I recently bought a motor that I am suppposed to be able to connect to the knob, so that it can automatically hold the picture for me (again... spending more to get the right tools to enjoy the new hobby). Only complaint I have is that one knob seems to be able to adjust indefinitely while the other can only change maybe 20 degrees (10 in each direction) before it hits a stop. After additional study, I think this is because space objects only move in one direction, so if you properly polar align the scope, you should only need one knob to get the object where you want (left and right) and then not touch that again, then solely use the (up and down) knob to follow the object as it moves in the sky... but hey.. I'm new.. I'll learn to use this better too :-)
Other than that, the only thing left is the scope. Like I said, I've looked at Jupiter, Saturn, Moon. I can't really speak to the provided eyepieces. Understanding from my research about focal length, and deciding that as a beginner it would help if I had an adjustable eyepiece (so that I can start zoomed out, find the object easier, then zoom in), so I bypassed the provided eyepiece and went straight to a x2 barrow with an 8-24mm adjustable eyepiece. So far it's been great! Saturn is still a little small, so I'm going to see if I can go even smaller on MM and higher on barrow zoom to see if I can really clearly make out the rings.
....but do you see what Celestron did? They created a (relatively) affordable telescope that grabbed my interest in the hobby and now I am full on exploring new ways (EQ mount motors, higher zoom barrow, lower MM eyepieces) that I can explore the universe above!
1. Looks. I think you'll be hard pressed to find anything in this price range that looks more the part. I really like the orange annodized alum. bits & pieces. They really pop against the metallic blue optical tube. To me this thing looks like more scope than it really is.
2. Apeture. 130mm is about as big as you'll find at this price point. Apeture is everything. The more the merrier. Do not get caught up in the magnification hype that is very common in department store telescopes. As a matter of fact this scope does not have very high power as supplied. With it's reletively short focal length, you'll need a barlow lens to get some big mag. numbers.
3. Mount. Since I come from a cheap department store scope background, this is the best mount I've owned. Now that said, it is still very light, and there are plastic bits on the telescoping legs that will break if you get over assertive when tightening fittings. To a serious amature astronomer this thing is probably shakier than a Chihuahua at the north pole. The tripod probably is the weakest link in the package. THe legs are steel, but of the shower curtain rod wieght, not electrical conduit weight. It's probably the best place for them to skimp, in my opinion. There are tricks to make a mount more stable, but most of us don't want to grind our own optics at home. If you keep your hands off the scope while observing, it's more than stable enough for some good viewing. It will take some time for it to settle down after focusing, but that's what we have to deal whith at this price point.
4. Optics. They seem pretty good. I get sharp points when viewing stars. I've found nebulae for myself for the first time with this scope. It's small and light enough to grab and go, which is how I use it so far. The viewfinder is on the weak side. It's a red dot finder with no magnification. That's not the bad part. It's that they used plastic lenses that definately eat some of the light passing through, and also seem to illuminate a slight bit when the red dot is on. Combined with the positions you may have to contort yourself in when viewing objects near azimuth, it's my least liked feature on this scope.
5. Overall you get good apeture and optics for the money, it's nice enough looking to leave set up in a corner. You get an equatorial mount that can be motor upgraded cheaply. I'm happy with my purchase, and I've since spent more money on eye pieces and accesories than I originally spent on the scope itself.
Top reviews from other countries
- Antes de comprar, é importante saber a latitude e longitude da sua localidade.
- Se vai comprar, compre uma barlow também. Respeitando a capacidade do telescópio
- Zoom real máximo é de 260x (sem aberrações nas imagens)
- Para ver a lua, fica muito bom com o filtro lunar e as lentes de 10mm e 20mm dão e sobram
- A regulagem precisa é muito boa
- Se for fazer imagens/vídeos, recomendo um suporte para celular ou câmera DSL
Reviewed in Brazil on June 12, 2023
- Antes de comprar, é importante saber a latitude e longitude da sua localidade.
- Se vai comprar, compre uma barlow também. Respeitando a capacidade do telescópio
- Zoom real máximo é de 260x (sem aberrações nas imagens)
- Para ver a lua, fica muito bom com o filtro lunar e as lentes de 10mm e 20mm dão e sobram
- A regulagem precisa é muito boa
- Se for fazer imagens/vídeos, recomendo um suporte para celular ou câmera DSL
Actualizaré cuando vaya a por saturno que entiendo que es el planeta referencia para muchos.
Su montaje es sencillo y las instrucciones son claras.
El uso de una montura eq me daba miedo pero para empezar con la luna es bastante intuitivo, no es tan desesperante como esperaba aunque tal vez me puse bien cargado de paciencia por el respeto que le tenía.