Skywatcher Explorer-130M 130mm (5.1") f/900 Motorised Newtonian Reflector Telescope 10713

Product Information

If you have decided that a Dobsonian telescope is the one for you, then you should look no further than the Skyliner 200 P Parabolic Skywatcher. It’s perfect for those who are looking for a more detailed view of the deep dark sky, as it is able to gather as much light as possible from its surroundings. It’s not a computerised telescope, making it ideal for those with a purist bent. The detail shown by this scope is truly breathtaking; you can even see colour differentiation between the A and B rings of Saturn, and a clear view of the Cassini Division. What I like about it: In altazimuth (AZ) mode, the mount moves horizontally in a 360° circle (azimuth) and vertically (altitude) from the horizon to the zenith, the point in the sky immediately above the observer. Assembly and operation are simple and user friendly in the hopes of providing a welcoming introduction to observing the night sky. And if you want to take pictures of what you’re seeing with your camera phone, there’s a built-in eyepiece shutter release cable so all you need to do is plug in any standard USB cable (not included) and press the button on top of it. Your phone will be able to capture images through the eyepiece without having to remove it from its holder!

For the price being asked, we think the Explorer 130 is a good value telescope capable of some impressive views of the moon, planets and bright deep sky objects. Its EQ mount may make it seem a little complicated. However, it's not too difficult to master and it's worth it for the ease of moving the telescope and keeping it trained on planets and the moon. However, that EQ mount and its manual design means some knowledge of the night sky — and the willingness to learn about RA/Dec sky coordinates — is required, while the Explorer 130's weight makes it a telescope to use in one place. If the Sky-Watcher Explorer 130 EQ2 telescope isn't for you

Our most popular beginners telescope ideal for older children and adults. The large 130mm aperture will show some nice detail in bright deep sky objects, plus the long 900mm focal length is ideal for close up views of the moon and will resolve some planetary detail too. So I dusted off the 130M and discovered that it was comparatively easy for me to set it up for viewing objects in the plane of the ecliptic. As the Mars Opposition was close I have been using mine to observe Mars, Saturn, Jupiter and the Moon recently. Regarding build quality, the telescope meets the expected quality for its price point. I mean, for all the good qualities of the equatorial mount, it still suffers from a bit of droop. Once the star is located in the eyepiece, nearby objects can be found from this start point. Tripod

Using an eyepiece with a shorter focal length will increase the magnification of your telescope. This is handy for observing the moon and planets. Attaching a Barlow lens to your eyepiece is another way to make your telescope more powerful (increase magnification). 4. How to aim a telescope? The price and performance of the Explorer 130 motorized telescope make it a good option for practicing and learning about astronomy. Is the Sky-Watcher Explorer 130 motorized telescope worth it? A Galilean telescope is a type of refracting telescope consisting of an objective convex lens and a concave lens that acts as the eyepiece.The manual’s language and descriptions could have been worded better, but it suffices to help you through the setup process. Silicon dioxide produces a much more durable coat than silicon monoxide but requires specialized equipment to apply it and is therefore more expensive. Protection is needed, because in most reflectors, the mirror is open to the elements and deterioration of the reflective layer reduces the resolution of the telescope. ALL Sky-Watcher reflectors are Multi-Coated with Silicon Dioxide as standard for Optimum Durability and Long Term Performance.

The Sky-Watcher Explorer 130m comes with additional accessories to complement the tube’s optics and usability: Great ExperienceFast Delivery, set up was not difficult at all. Was really impressed with the magnification of the moon on the first attempt. (24/03/2021) Max - Cardiff

EQ2 Equatorial Mount:

Then the optical quality lives up to the billing, at least judging it based on the context of its affordable price. What telescope is similar to the Sky-Watcher Explorer 130m and a good alternative to consider?

Figuring out your surroundings is key – it’s no good getting a telescope that might not be suitable for your particular area, because you will only end up frustrated when you can’t see anything! This means that once you’ve aligned the telescope on an object using the ‘horizontal’ adjustment (right ascension – RA) and the ‘vertical’ adjustment (declination – Dec.), it’s only necessary to make adjustments in the RA plane to follow the object as it traverses the sky. Sky-Watcher Explorer-130PS telescope: 5 best features Counterbalance bar and weight Upon delivery, the review telescope was in excellent collimation and produced well-formed stars during this test – it really did work well straight out of the box. It has a fairly long focal length (900mm), which allows you to achieve high magnifications. Long focal lengths enable you to get higher magnifications for viewing the planets and the moon. This clever scope is able to see clearly as far as Saturn, and can even show you the Crab Nebula M82 and M81

First off, I think the fact that it comes with a motorized equatorial mount, notwithstanding its affordable price, gives it massive bonus points from the onset.