Various celestial objects such as planets, stars, and galaxies can be observed with the Celestron Astromaster 130 EQ telescope. This telescope is a reflector type of telescope, which means that it uses mirrors to reflect light from distant objects into an eyepiece. The Astromaster 130 EQ has a primary mirror that measures 130 millimeters in diameter, allowing for clear and detailed images of various celestial bodies. Celestron’s AstroMaster series of telescopes is often recommended by misinformed astronomy veterans, as the scopes have at least the appearance of quality and the Celestron brand is dear in the hearts of many older astronomers – despite today’s Celestron having little in common with the US-owned Celestron of decades ago. The Celestron and Meade 130mm f/5 Newtonians have never been and never will be "Bird Jones" catadioptrics. There simply are no 130mm "Bird Jones" telescopes on the planet, save this one... This means that the telescope has a relatively small light-gathering capacity, which can limit its ability to capture fainter celestial objects. It also affects the resolution of the images produced by the telescope, making it more difficult to see fine details on planets and other objects. Unfortunate you bought the kit to realize they are not very good. Actual Plossl eyepieces are a good place to start with and the GSO/ Revelation offering are quite good for the cost.

Celestron Astromaster 130 EQ used to come with a parabolic mirror in the early days. But now, it is shipped with spherical primary mirrors only.The optical system consists of a spherical mirror that reflects incoming light to form an image at the focal point, where it is viewed through an eyepiece. While a spherical mirror produces images with some distortion due to off-axis light, Celestron has improved image quality by adding a secondary parabolic mirror to correct the distortion.

The Apertura DT6 offers a significant boost in aperture, much better build and optical quality, superior accessories, and a stable, easy-to-use Dobsonian mount. The focal ratio of Celestron Astromaster 130 EQ is f/5, which means it has a relatively wide field of view and is suitable for observing large celestial objects like galaxies and nebulae. How do I align Celestron Astromaster 130 EQ? Any 1.25" eyepiece supplied with PowerSeeker and AstroMaster telescope kits or any eyepieces with a 34mm outside diameter But be sure to hang it on the middle main body of the mount where the legs are connected, not on an accessory tray, which could break. The telescope comes with two eyepieces (20mm and 10mm), a finderscope, and an equatorial mount with steel legs that make it easy to set up and align.

The Celestron AstroMaster 130EQ is a no frills, affordable option for beginners

If you are a beginner or you are thinking about getting it as a gift for a beginner enthusiast, it’s a great choice. The AstroMaster mount comes with two slow motion control knobs that allow you to make fine pointing adjustments to the telescope in both Right Ascension and Declination axes, also referred to as RA and DEC.

With these features combined, users can expect clear and detailed views of planets, star clusters, nebulae, and more. In terms of overall performance and value for money, the Celestron Astromaster 130 EQ review shows that this reflector telescope lives up to its reputation as a dependable instrument for both beginner and intermediate astronomers alike. The mount - it has quite a wobble to it which I’m not sure if it’s normal or not. To the extent where if I use the slow motion controls or try to adjust focus the image will go out of focus until it stops again. Although manageable I would prefer to not have to deal with this. The RA slow motion is also quite tight and in need of some sort of lubricating. Could you please suggest a Telescope with traditional mount for Astrophotography , most of the suggestions here I see are with DOB mounts which not serve the purpose for Astrophotography. Please suggest telescopes with traditional 3 Point or equatorial mounts Reply

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The AstroMaster 130EQ reflector telescope is a well-rounded instrument that comes equipped with Starry Night astronomy software. This feature allows users to delve into the night sky through a virtual setting, enhancing their astronomical experience and providing them with an opportunity to learn more about planets, stars, and celestial objects. Digiscoping is afocal photography - put a camera with lens behind the eyepiece. Works best with compact cameras and not so well with larger inage sensors. Nokia Lumia 1020's Nokia Pro Camera app set to 200 ISO, 1/100th shutter speed, EV -1.0, WB to fluorescent, and focus set to infinity.

Even if the mount has slow-motion right ascension and declination adjustment knobs, keeping the object in view is hard because of the earth’s rotation. This barlow has a removable lens which can be threaded onto the bottom of the eyepiece and provides 1.5x magnification. Neither the CG-3 mount nor the AstroMaster’s focuser are heavy duty enough for astrophotography with a DSLR, though webcam planetary imaging is in theory possible with a 3x or 5x Barlow lens coupled to the optical tube. But in practice, you’re really limited to shots with a mobile phone or the like – and this is assuming the mirror is parabolic and not spherical, which is a real gamble. Alternative Recommendations Eyepieces for Astromaster 130 - Getting Started Equipment Help and Advice - Stargazers Lounge Jump to contentAccessories include a 20mm and 10mm eyepiece, a smartphone adapter, a T-Adapter/Barlow lens, and a finderscope