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Customer Reviews
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Very good buy - Review by Brenda
The telescope arrived in two packages on different days, but within a week of the order and just before Xmas too! Can't beat the service! We have had an enormous amount of pleasure viewing the skies in the SW of WA, even watched the Kangaroos on the hill - upside down, but you could even see the fur on their ears. Saw Jupiter and her 4 moons and enjoyed views of our own magnificent new moon. Still have so much to learn! (Posted on 11/01/12)
Pros: portability, user friendly, Good price, great first telescope, quality +++, Beautifully crisp image!
My first Telescope,great , can't wait to get some spare time to use it - Review by Carl Perrott
Parcel arrived within 3 working days of ordering.parcel was very well packaged.due to the online video was able to assemble the scope from memory.Overall very happy with the purchase (Posted on 2/01/12)
Pros: easy to carry, price
Cons: tripod quality
Telescope good, packaging good, instruction manual atrocious. - Review by Tim Hamilton
Outer carton showed signs of damage, but the telescope was well packaged enough to not be damaged.
Instruction manual is very poor with too many words and not enough diagrams. Thank goodness for Youtube. A 3 minute clip on balancing, sorted out the confusion after 10 minutes of trying to figure out the manual.
Telescope itself is good quality. Now we just need a clear night to be able to look at some stars. (Posted on 18/12/11)
Instruction manual is very poor with too many words and not enough diagrams. Thank goodness for Youtube. A 3 minute clip on balancing, sorted out the confusion after 10 minutes of trying to figure out the manual.
Telescope itself is good quality. Now we just need a clear night to be able to look at some stars. (Posted on 18/12/11)
FANTASTIC! - Review by simone
So far I'm in love with it, even though I bought it for my boyfriend!
We saw jupiter and it's moons, and saw the moon in amazing detail. Already looking into various filters and eyepieces! And it was packaged and well taken care of for the trip! (Posted on 31/10/11)
We saw jupiter and it's moons, and saw the moon in amazing detail. Already looking into various filters and eyepieces! And it was packaged and well taken care of for the trip! (Posted on 31/10/11)
Pros: price, user friendly, great first telescope, quality +++
130EQ First Scope - Review by Issac Newb-ton
I'm the guy that ventures out and buys things, only to bring them home and have them not work at all. This time it was different.
With not knowing too much about co-oridinates, I used the StarPointer as a guide which worked a lot better than I thought it would. Point and look.. thats it! I looked at the brightest object in the sky and saw Jupiter (10mm) and its moons which I have been watching for the last few nights. Apollo's been hiding so I haven't had a chance to get some good moon views going, but only two nights of usage, and i've already got better eyepieces on the way!
Very good scope to start, with the addition of better filters and eyepieces you can stargaze till your hearts content! (Posted on 23/09/11)
With not knowing too much about co-oridinates, I used the StarPointer as a guide which worked a lot better than I thought it would. Point and look.. thats it! I looked at the brightest object in the sky and saw Jupiter (10mm) and its moons which I have been watching for the last few nights. Apollo's been hiding so I haven't had a chance to get some good moon views going, but only two nights of usage, and i've already got better eyepieces on the way!
Very good scope to start, with the addition of better filters and eyepieces you can stargaze till your hearts content! (Posted on 23/09/11)
Pros: price, portability, user friendly, great first telescope, accurate
Great first telescope - Review by Sonja
Bought it for my husband and he is thrilled! The telescope is easy to use and he was able to spot Jupiter and get some awesome images of the moon. The service from ozscope was 100% thanks so much. (Posted on 15/09/11)
Extremely Satisfied....for now - Review by Tristan
First time scope buyer, I live in a dark sky area and have always wanted to get more out of the crisp views I have of the night sky. Not knowing much I thought I would get something mid range and see where it takes me....well it has taken me to an addiction that may end up costing me a fortune.
The views of Jupiter with accompanying 4 moons, and Saturn with clear image of ring seperation from the planet are fantastic (note though I have increased the eyepiece collection from those supplied.)
The only draw back I see with this telescope is the tripod and the finder scope, but I have learnt to be patient and these faults are small compared to the enjoyment I get from the sights gained through this telescope.
Positive result and will be exploring more as a consequence. (Posted on 29/07/11)
The views of Jupiter with accompanying 4 moons, and Saturn with clear image of ring seperation from the planet are fantastic (note though I have increased the eyepiece collection from those supplied.)
The only draw back I see with this telescope is the tripod and the finder scope, but I have learnt to be patient and these faults are small compared to the enjoyment I get from the sights gained through this telescope.
Positive result and will be exploring more as a consequence. (Posted on 29/07/11)
Pros: portability, Cheap, portable, great first telescope
Cons: tripod quality, May encourage you to buy a big telescope!
Fantastic first time scope - Review by Scott
I think this was a great choice for first a time scope. My daughter has become obsessed with space recently and this has only helped to enhance her interest. First night out we found Saturn with no real dramas despite having never used an equatorial mount before in my life!
I've heard it said that seeing Saturn in "real-life" is the thing that gets most people hooked and it's true. I've already ordered additional eyepieces so we can get a better view, and this scope should allow for views far exceeding the eyepieces that are supplied with it.
The motor is a bit dissapointing though. It works really well at what it is supposed to do, track the sky, but I found it actually gets in the ways when trying to view certain objects (ie. Saturn later in the night) and the lack of a clutch or quick release system is really dissapointing. Unless an improvement is made by Celestron I'd suggest not bothering with the motor as it's more hassle than it's worth.
The StarFinder is also a bit lackluster. I've found it to be about as good at pointing at the right star as my own dead reckoning looking down the side of the telescope. It turns out not to be a big issue though as once you are in the general area you can easily "scan" for the object using the fine adjust cables.
Those couple of quirks don't detract from the capabilities I've experienced so far. Sitting up late at night staring at the rings of Saturn for hours on end is about the biggest downside I can see with it. (Posted on 10/04/11)
I've heard it said that seeing Saturn in "real-life" is the thing that gets most people hooked and it's true. I've already ordered additional eyepieces so we can get a better view, and this scope should allow for views far exceeding the eyepieces that are supplied with it.
The motor is a bit dissapointing though. It works really well at what it is supposed to do, track the sky, but I found it actually gets in the ways when trying to view certain objects (ie. Saturn later in the night) and the lack of a clutch or quick release system is really dissapointing. Unless an improvement is made by Celestron I'd suggest not bothering with the motor as it's more hassle than it's worth.
The StarFinder is also a bit lackluster. I've found it to be about as good at pointing at the right star as my own dead reckoning looking down the side of the telescope. It turns out not to be a big issue though as once you are in the general area you can easily "scan" for the object using the fine adjust cables.
Those couple of quirks don't detract from the capabilities I've experienced so far. Sitting up late at night staring at the rings of Saturn for hours on end is about the biggest downside I can see with it. (Posted on 10/04/11)
Pros: user friendly, Good price, great first telescope
Fantastic!!! - Review by telescope lover!
This telescope is absolutely fantastic!!!! It is easy to set up and easy to carry! It is deffinately the type of telescope you would want to take out and show your kids because it is AWESOME!
Definite buy! (Posted on 8/04/11)
Definite buy! (Posted on 8/04/11)
Pros: easy to carry, price, portability, Accurate, user friendly, great first telescope, accurate, Beautifully crisp image!
My first telescope and I am very happy with it - Review by Jake
Before using this telescope I had never used one before. I have however, been interested in astronomy for years, I was fairly familiar with the night sky, and I knew what to - and what not to - expect.
Everything was pretty much straightforward and easy to assemble. Once it was set up, I collimated the mirrors and I was ready to go, but had to wait almost a week before I had a clear night.
So far I have only viewed some of the easiest targets - the moon, Saturn, M42 and some of the brighter double stars - but I am very impressed with the quality of the images. Things are fairly easy to find with the laser star pointer and lower magnification eyepiece. I have been using the higher magnification eyepiece with a (separate) 2x Barlow lens with good results.
While the included eyepieces (a 20mm erecting and a 10mm) are a good start, I find myself wanting both a smaller and a larger one. An erecting eyepiece is not all that useful with an equatorial mount, but it works fine for me at the moment.
The mount is fairly sturdy and the slow motion controls work well and feel very nice. Annoyingly, there is no clutch to temporarily disengage the motor drive (if connected) for manual adjustments, which has resulted in my not using it much.
The tripod feels to be the most cheaply manufactured part, but it is still sturdy and quite portable.
I have been out every clear night since I got this telescope. It is great first step to start exploring the universe. (Posted on 24/03/11)
Everything was pretty much straightforward and easy to assemble. Once it was set up, I collimated the mirrors and I was ready to go, but had to wait almost a week before I had a clear night.
So far I have only viewed some of the easiest targets - the moon, Saturn, M42 and some of the brighter double stars - but I am very impressed with the quality of the images. Things are fairly easy to find with the laser star pointer and lower magnification eyepiece. I have been using the higher magnification eyepiece with a (separate) 2x Barlow lens with good results.
While the included eyepieces (a 20mm erecting and a 10mm) are a good start, I find myself wanting both a smaller and a larger one. An erecting eyepiece is not all that useful with an equatorial mount, but it works fine for me at the moment.
The mount is fairly sturdy and the slow motion controls work well and feel very nice. Annoyingly, there is no clutch to temporarily disengage the motor drive (if connected) for manual adjustments, which has resulted in my not using it much.
The tripod feels to be the most cheaply manufactured part, but it is still sturdy and quite portable.
I have been out every clear night since I got this telescope. It is great first step to start exploring the universe. (Posted on 24/03/11)
Frequently Asked Questions
Q:
What accessories do I need to mount a cannon EOS camera to a Celestron 130 EQ? Thanks, Barry
A:
You would need a T-Adapter (http://www.ozscopes.com.au/celestron-t-adapter-universal-1-25-in.html) and a Canon T-Ring (http://www.ozscopes.com.au/celestron-t-ring-for-35-mm-canon-eos-camera.html).
Q:
Can a camera be attached to this telescope. Is there anywhere in Perth to view this telescope?
A:
You most certainly can attach a camera to this telescope!
If you have a pocket digital camera, then the a digital camera adapter will be required. If you have a digital SLR camera, then a T-Ring / T-Adapter solution is the better option.
Unfortunately, our only warehouse is in Melbourne. You may be able to find this telescope in an Australian Geographic store in Perth.
If you have a pocket digital camera, then the a digital camera adapter will be required. If you have a digital SLR camera, then a T-Ring / T-Adapter solution is the better option.
Unfortunately, our only warehouse is in Melbourne. You may be able to find this telescope in an Australian Geographic store in Perth.
Q:
I am interested in buying one of these and wanted to ask what are the exceptions you guys take for layby?
Also the shipping calculator doesn't seem to be working, could you tell me how much shipping would be to 3088?
Also the shipping calculator doesn't seem to be working, could you tell me how much shipping would be to 3088?
A:
The shipping calculator is probably not working because the item is currently out of stock with the supplier. They're expecting more stock to come in only in January 2012. However the 130EQ (http://www.ozscopes.com.au/celestron-astromaster-130eq-telescope.html) is in stock. It's exactly the same except it doesn't have the motor drive. Shipping for the 130EQMD or the 130EQ is $9.00 to 3088.
We can allow payments in instalments. Payment would have to be completed within a 4-week period and we won't provide you with the item until it has been fully paid for.
We can allow payments in instalments. Payment would have to be completed within a 4-week period and we won't provide you with the item until it has been fully paid for.
Q:
I just wanted to ask what is the difference between the 130EQ with the motor and the 130EQ without the motor and what purpose does it serve?
A:
The only difference between the 130EQ and the 130EQMD is the motor drive itself.
The benefit of having a motor drive is that it is designed to assist with viewing a particular object over a long period of time. Generally, once you get an object aligned in field of view, you will find that the object actually moves quite quickly across the sky, which will require you to make constant minor adjustment to the mount to keep the object in view. The motor drive is a battery operated device that can make these minor adjustments for you, and can keep the telescope moving at a speed you set to help 'follow' the object.
The motor drive can be a handy tool to have, but some people prefer not to use it. We do sell this as a stand alone product as well, which can be found on our website here:
http://www.ozscopes.com.au/celestron-motor-drive-for-astromasters.html
The benefit of having a motor drive is that it is designed to assist with viewing a particular object over a long period of time. Generally, once you get an object aligned in field of view, you will find that the object actually moves quite quickly across the sky, which will require you to make constant minor adjustment to the mount to keep the object in view. The motor drive is a battery operated device that can make these minor adjustments for you, and can keep the telescope moving at a speed you set to help 'follow' the object.
The motor drive can be a handy tool to have, but some people prefer not to use it. We do sell this as a stand alone product as well, which can be found on our website here:
http://www.ozscopes.com.au/celestron-motor-drive-for-astromasters.html
Q:
Is the 130EQ with the motor drive capable of taking reasonable/good photographs or is the scope just too small?
A:
In general the best telescopes for astrophotography are Cassegrains (http://www.ozscopes.com.au/telescope/cassegrain-telescope) as they use a combination of mirrors and lenses and give much better image quality than refractors and reflectors. The 130EQ is a good telescope to get to begin with astrophotography. It still gives you decent images. You can view some examples here: http://www.celestron.com/costco/am130-slideshow.php but do keep in mind that a lot of photo-processing goes into these photos and most other photos that you see on the internet. The size of the 130EQ would be sufficient to take very good photos of the moon and with the motor drive tracking it will do well with long-exposure shots.
Q:
What eyepiece(s) does the 130eq md come with, and what magnification can be achieved? Also what other eyepiece options are available for this model?
A:
The Celestron 130EQMD comes with two eyepieces - a 10mm and a 20mm. With the telescope's focal length, the 10mm eyepiece would achieve a 65x magnification and the 20mm would achieve a 32.5x magnification.
The Astromaster series which includes the 130EQMD has an optional eyepiece and filter kit (http://www.ozscopes.com.au/celestron-astromaster-eyepiece-and-filter-kit.html) that comes with a 15mm eyepiece (43x magnification if used with the 130eq), 6mm eyepiece (108x magnification), a 2x doubling lens (which basically doubles the magnification of any eyepiece that you pair it with), and three filters (one blue, one red, and one moon filter).
Alternatively there is also a Celestron eyepiece and filter kit (http://www.ozscopes.com.au/celestron-eyepiece-and-filter-kit-1-25-in.html) that comes with five eyepieces, a barlow/doubling lens, six colour filters, and a moon filter.
If you don't want a kit,you can get individual eyepieces. We stock a range of them here (http://www.ozscopes.com.au/accessories/eyepieces). The smallest eyepiece that would go well with the 130EQ giving it the highest practical magnification of 307x would be a 2mm eyepiece.
The Astromaster series which includes the 130EQMD has an optional eyepiece and filter kit (http://www.ozscopes.com.au/celestron-astromaster-eyepiece-and-filter-kit.html) that comes with a 15mm eyepiece (43x magnification if used with the 130eq), 6mm eyepiece (108x magnification), a 2x doubling lens (which basically doubles the magnification of any eyepiece that you pair it with), and three filters (one blue, one red, and one moon filter).
Alternatively there is also a Celestron eyepiece and filter kit (http://www.ozscopes.com.au/celestron-eyepiece-and-filter-kit-1-25-in.html) that comes with five eyepieces, a barlow/doubling lens, six colour filters, and a moon filter.
If you don't want a kit,you can get individual eyepieces. We stock a range of them here (http://www.ozscopes.com.au/accessories/eyepieces). The smallest eyepiece that would go well with the 130EQ giving it the highest practical magnification of 307x would be a 2mm eyepiece.
Q:
In relation to the eyepieces for the 130EQ. I've currently got the normal standard 10mm and 20mm and I'm looking into getting better higher magnification, but wondering if I have a limit? Eg. can I just keep getting lower mm 5, 4, 3 or will my 650 focal length only allow certain eyepieces?
A:
With a 130EQ, you can definitely get a 4mm Eyepiece with your Telescope and get a higher magnification. This is because the scope does have a fairly short focal length as compared to other Telescopes.
However, the lowest I would recommend is the 4mm as they can be fairly difficult to use once they get any smaller than the 4mm. The images would appear to be alot darker and because of the smaller exit pupil.
However, the lowest I would recommend is the 4mm as they can be fairly difficult to use once they get any smaller than the 4mm. The images would appear to be alot darker and because of the smaller exit pupil.
Q:
Is the Celestron AstroMaster 130EQ MD Reflector Telescope able to see Nebula clearly?
A:
The Celestron Astromaster 130EQ MD is definitely capable of seeing nebulas, but its clarity is largely dependant on the condition of the skies (light polution, air turbulence etc).
Generally, the larger the aperture of the scope, the better it is to counter light polution and the higher the magnification you can achieve in order to get the best picture for you.
Generally, the larger the aperture of the scope, the better it is to counter light polution and the higher the magnification you can achieve in order to get the best picture for you.
Q:
I was just wondering if there was any major difference between the celestron astromaster 130EQ Motor Drive reflector telescope and the normal Celestron astromaster 130EQ reflector telescope?
A:
Both telescopes are identical in every way with the exception of the Motordrive unit. The motordrive is simply connected to the standard mount to allow the telescope to follow a moving object at a set pace.
Q:
With a full range of lenses, how do you determine which lens is best suited to view near or far objects and bright and not so bright objects?
A:
With telescope eyepieces, the HIGHER the eyepiece number is in millimeters, the LOWER the magnification.
Generally, if you are interested in getting a panaromic view of constellations or the moon, then a lower magnification eyepiece tends to be best.
If you are interested in looking at distant objects, such as planets, or would like to look at the moons surface in detail, then a higher magnification eyepiece is a better option.
Generally, it is best to experiment with different eyepieces to discover which ones will give you the best view.
Generally, if you are interested in getting a panaromic view of constellations or the moon, then a lower magnification eyepiece tends to be best.
If you are interested in looking at distant objects, such as planets, or would like to look at the moons surface in detail, then a higher magnification eyepiece is a better option.
Generally, it is best to experiment with different eyepieces to discover which ones will give you the best view.
